Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane met his Nepalese counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa on Thursday and discussed ways to further deepen the existing relations of cooperation and friendship between the two armies. At the invitation of General Thapa, General Narwane is currently in Kathmandu on a three-day visit. His visit is largely aimed at strengthening the relations between the two countries. Relations between the two countries have become tense over the border dispute. He met Thapa at his office here. According to a statement by the Nepal Army Headquarters, “They discussed measures to further strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two armies apart from issues of bilateral interest.”
The statement said that they were also made aware of the history and current roles of the Nepali army. Narwane, who arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday, attended various programs organized at the Army Headquarters on Thursday. After paying tribute to the martyrs at the Army Pavilion on Thursday morning, he was given a Guard of Honor at the Army Headquarters.
General MM Naravane #COAS laid Wreath at Bir Smarak & received a Guard of Honour at Headquarters #NepaliArmy. #COAS also interacted with General Purna Chandra Thapa, COAS #NepaliArmy & discussed issues of mutual interest & defence cooperation. (1/2)#IndiaNepalFriendship pic.twitter.com/5jgX0KBoAh
— ADG PI – INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) November 5, 2020
He also planted a tree in the army headquarters as per the tradition of earlier senior military visitors. He also handed over ventilators, ambulances and medical equipment for two field hospitals of the Nepali Army. Thapa presented 100,000 medical masks made in Nepal and a statue of Lord Buddha to Naravane as a symbol of peace. President Bidya Devi Bhandari will confer an honorary degree of General Rank of Nepalese Army on Thursday itself.
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He will meet Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday. On May 8, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an important 80-km road connecting Dharchula to Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand. After that, relations between the two countries got tense. Nepal protested against the inauguration of the road, claiming that it passes through its territory. After this Nepal showed Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its part.
