General Dhiraj Seth, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), departed for Nepal for an official visit from 17 to 19 August 2026. The visit is aimed at further strengthening the close defence cooperation and enduring military-to-military ties between India and Nepal.
On 17 August 2026, General Dhiraj Seth will lay a wreath at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel, and receive a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters. He will hold discussions with the Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army, and will be briefed by the Director General of Military Operations, Nepali Army, on matters of mutual interest.
The COAS will thereafter attend an Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, where, in keeping with the unique and longstanding tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies, he will be conferred the Honorary Rank of General of the Nepali Army by Shri Ram Chandra Paudel, the Hon’ble President of Nepal.
On 18 August 2026, General Dhiraj Seth will address student officers of the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri. He will also interact with instructors and foreign student officers and meet senior dignitaries of Nepal to discuss issues of mutual interest.
On 19 August 2026, the COAS will attend an Ex-Servicemen Rally at Pokhara, where he will felicitate Veer Naris and Gallantry Awardees and interact with Indian Army veterans. He will return to India on the same day.
India and Nepal share deep-rooted historical, social and cultural ties, symbolised by the enduring ‘Roti-Beti Ka Rishta’ and the civilisational linkages between Janakpur and Ayodhya, as well as Lumbini and Bodh Gaya. These longstanding bonds form the foundation of the close and multifaceted partnership between the two countries.
The partnership between India and Nepal is underpinned by shared democratic values and a common commitment to regional peace, stability and prosperity. The visit of General Dhiraj Seth underscores the enduring historical, cultural and military ties between the two nations and provides an opportunity to further deepen bilateral defence cooperation and explore new avenues of engagement between the two Armies.
