KATHMANDU : Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is making a visit to Nepal in November. Issuing a release on Wednesday, the Nepal Army confirmed Indian Army Chief General Naravane’s visit to Nepal in November.
The visit of the Indian Army Chief comes in the wake of deteriorating relations between India and Nepal after Nepal released its new map including the regions of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. There has not been any high-level visit from India after Nepal released its new map, which angered India who claims those parts as its own.
This will be the first visit for General Naravane, the 28th Army Chief of India.
During his three-day visit to Nepal, Indian Army Chief General Naravane will receive the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army in an investiture ceremony. The Indian Army Chief is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Defence Minister Ishwor Pokharel as well as hold a courtesy call with his Nepali counterpart Purna Chandra Thapa.
While both the Nepal and Indian Army have not released details of his visit and other programs in Nepal, a Nepal Army source said that Indian Army Chief Naravane plans to make a trip to Muktinath. Although Indian Army Chief Naravane’s visit had been approved by the Government of Nepal on February 3, it was postponed due to lockdown in both countries.
The earlier visit was also assumed to have been halted amidst souring relations between the two countries. “His visit was planned a few months ago. But it was delayed due to the outbreak of coronavirus. Now the process has again started,” said Shantosh Ballave Poudyal, the Nepal Army spokesperson, to Kathmandu Pati.
Although he had been extended an official invitation in February, his visit date was not fixed after he made a controversial remark about Nepal. Earlier in May, Indian Army Chief Naravane had reportedly said that Nepal objected to India laying a road connecting the Lipulekh pass “at the behest of someone else.” His statement implying Chinese interest over Nepal’s objection had sparked strong reactions in Nepal and caused a delay in his visit to receive the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army.
As part of customary military practice between the two neighboring countries to confer the rank of General of Army for each other’s army chief, Nepal’s Army Chief Thapa has already received such a rank from the Indian Army.
However, Indian Army Chief Naravane has not received the honorary rank of General of Nepal Army even after nine months since taking office last December. Diplomats say that Indian Army Chief Naravane is expected to warm up relations that have turned cold the past several months between the two countries.
