Naravane to visit Nepal from Nov 4-6, to be accorded honorary General rank

Nepali Army confirmed a three-day visit by Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army, starting from Nov 4, when he would be accorded the rank of an honorary General of the Nepali Army

Nepali Army on Tuesday confirmed a three-day visit by Manoj Mukund Naravane, Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army, starting from November 4, when he would be accorded the rank of an honorary General of the Nepali Army.

Issuing a release, the Nepali Army announced the three-day customary visit at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Purna Chandra Thapa.

"The visit is scheduled from November 4 to November 6. The main events in his programme include paying homage at the martyr's memorial in the Army Pavilion, receiving a guard of honour in Army headquarters, holding office meeting with his counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa and addressing student officers at the Army Command and Staff College, Shivapuri," the release stated.

"The main highlight of the visit will be conferment of the rank of an honorary General of Nepali Army to General Naravane by President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari on November 5...," the release added.

As a part of his engagements, General Naravane is also scheduled to call on Nepali Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, and the incumbent defence minister of the Himalayan nation.

Conferring the highest rank to the chiefs of each other's militaries is a tradition that has been followed by Nepal and India since 1950 after then Indian Army chief, General K M Cariappa, visited Nepal.