Kathmandu-  Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, concluded his official visit to Nepal on Wednesday after a four-day visit from August 16 to 19.

General Seth arrived in Kathmandu on August 16 and was received by senior officials of the Nepali Army and representatives of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.

During his visit, General Seth laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel and paid tribute to soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the nation. He also visited the Nepali Army Headquarters, where he was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour.

General Seth held talks with General Ashok Raj Sigdel, Chief of the Nepali Army and Honorary General of the Indian Army, on expanding bilateral defence cooperation. As part of India’s continued support for capability development, he also handed over vehicles and medical equipment to enhance disaster preparedness and humanitarian response capabilities.

Continuing the longstanding tradition between the two countries, President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred on General Seth the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army at a ceremony held at Shital Niwas. General Seth subsequently called on President Paudel.

On August 18, General Seth visited the Nepali Army Command and Staff College at Shivapuri and interacted with students and faculty members. He later held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Balendra Shah, with discussions focusing on the longstanding India-Nepal partnership, particularly defence cooperation.

On the final day of his visit, General Seth travelled to Pokhara and interacted with Indian Army veterans. He expressed appreciation for the service, dedication and sacrifices of veterans and felicitated Veer Naris and gallantry awardees. Mobility equipment was also distributed to ex-servicemen.

General Seth also dedicated the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Polyclinic at Kohalpur to the ex-servicemen community. The facility is expected to strengthen healthcare support for Indian Army veterans and their dependents residing in Nepal.

The four-day visit is expected to further strengthen the multifaceted India-Nepal relationship and deepen cooperation in defence and security.