The government, on Sunday, termed the visit of Chief of Nepal Army, Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel, to India from December 11-14 as a significant milestone in strengthening the long-standing ties between the Nepali Army and the Indian Army.

The visit, which saw key engagements between senior leaders and officials from both sides, has further strengthened the foundation for enhanced bilateral military cooperation, exchange, and collaboration in areas of strategic and defence interests, the Ministry of Defence said. During his visit, Gen Sigdel engaged in a series of productive discussions with his Indian counterpart, Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Indian Army.

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The talks focused on ways to expand and deepen the cooperation between the two armies, with several key outcomes from the visit that will further strengthen the bond between both nations. The Nepal Army chief had important discussions with key Indian leaders, focused on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation and strategic alignment between India and Nepal. During his visit, Gen Sigdel met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

The chief of the Nepali Army was conferred with the Honorary Generalship of the Indian Army, symbolising the deep and enduring friendship between the two military forces. Gen Sigdel served as the Reviewing Officer at the Passing Out Parade at the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The event included the commissioning of two Nepali cadets, Officer Cadet Binod Bhatta and Officer Cadet Prabin Pandey.

The visit resulted in agreements aimed at strengthening the operational and technological capabilities of the Nepali Army, including enhancing the scope of joint exercises. As part of the defence cooperation, General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS announced the handing over of a target practice drone and medical equipment related to Field Hospital to the Nepali Army. He also visited key Indian defence industries, including Tata Aerospace & Defence Ltd (TASL) and Bharat Forge in Pune.

The MoD said the scope of the bilateral joint military exercise Surya Kiran, which has been the flagship event between the two armies, would be considered for enhancement after further mutual deliberations. This will further enhance the preparedness of both armies to undertake peacekeeping operations, as both countries are among the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations.