Indian Army chief Gen Naravane calls on Nepal PM; KP Oli reiterates long-standing, special relationship
The Chief of Army Staff Indian Army, General Manoj Mukund Naravane, who is on a three-day visit to Kathmandu, met Prime Minister of Nepal KP Sharma Oli at the latter's residence on Friday in Baluwatar.
FollowKathmandu: Indian Army chief General MM Naravane on Friday called on Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and discussed bilateral relations, officials here said.
"Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had a courtesy meeting with Indian Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane. During the meeting, the Prime Minister said that Nepal and India have a long-standing and special relationship," Rajan Bhattarai, Political Advisor to Nepal PM, told ANI in a telephonic conversation.
He further said that the Prime Minister said that there was a tradition of conferring the status of honorary Maharathi on the army chiefs of the two countries.
"During the meeting, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that there was a good friendship between Nepal and India and that the issues between the two countries would be resolved through dialogue," the Political Advisor added.
The Chief of Army Staff also addressed the middle-level student officers at the Army Command and Staff College at Shivapuri on the outskirts of Kathmandu. During the interaction, he shared his experience with the student officers, Nepal Army sources said.
On Thursday, Gen Naravane was conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army by President Bidya Devi Bhandari at a special ceremony, a decades old tradition that reflects the strong ties between the two militaries.
His visit is largely aimed at resetting the bilateral ties that came under severe strain following a bitter border row early this year.
It was the first high-level visit from India to Kathmandu since ties between the two neighbours came under strain after the Himalayan nation came up with a new political map in May claiming several areas in Uttarakhand to be part of its territory.
Nepal had protested after Defence minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated an 80-km-long strategically crucial road connecting the Lipulekh pass with Dharchula in Uttarakhand on May 8.
Nepal claimed that the road passed through its territory. Days later, it came out with the new map showing Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura as its territories. India too had published a new map in November 2019 showing the areas as its territories.
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