Nepali Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel Conferred Honorary Indian Army General Rank By President Murmu

In a significant ceremonial gesture, General Ashok Raj Sigdel was conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Indian Army by President Droupadi Murmu, a tradition that symbolises close ties between the two armies.

The rank was conferred upon him in a special Investiture Ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (12 December) for his commendable military prowess and immeasurable contribution to further fostering Nepal’s long and friendly association with India, according to a release by President's Secretariat.

General Sigdel is on a four-day visit to India from 11 to 14 December.

Earlier, the Nepal Army Chief and Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi engaged in in-depth discussions on bilateral defence cooperation and regional security concerns.

During the meeting, General Dwivedi announced the transfer of a target practice drone and medical equipment for military field hospitals to Nepal.

General Sigdel was also briefed on India’s security perspective and other matters of mutual interest.

Additionally, the Army Design Bureau presented an overview of India’s current and future security strategies, identifying potential areas for collaboration.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) emphasised that these exchanges provided "valuable insights into India’s security strategies and highlighted potential areas for bilateral cooperation."

As part of his visit, General Sigdel held high-level meetings with senior Indian officials, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.

These discussions focused on broad defence and security issues of mutual interest, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, according to the MoD.

General Sigdel also commended India's progress under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative during interactions with representatives of India’s defence industry.

Earlier, he paid tribute at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and received a formal Guard of Honour.

The visit, noted the MoD, seeks to "enhance bilateral military cooperation and explore new opportunities for defence collaboration."

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