Kathmandu, August 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth met Nepal Prime Minister and Defence Minister Balendra Shah in Kathmandu on Tuesday during his four-day official visit to the neighbouring country.
According to the Nepal Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the courtesy meeting took place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava was also present.
Details of the discussions were not immediately released. However, the meeting comes amid the longstanding issue of recruitment of Nepali citizens into the Indian Army, a process that has remained suspended since 2019 and was further affected after India introduced the Agnipath recruitment scheme in 2022.
Nepal had subsequently halted recruitment under the new system, maintaining that the Agnipath scheme was inconsistent with the provisions of the 1947 Tripartite Agreement between India, Nepal and Britain.
General Seth’s meeting with Shah is notable as the Nepalese Prime Minister has largely avoided one-on-one meetings with foreign diplomats and dignitaries since taking office on March 27 this year.
The Army Chief’s visit also featured a significant ceremonial engagement on Monday, when Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred on him the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army.
India and Nepal have followed a unique tradition since 1950 of conferring the honorary rank of General on each other’s Army chiefs. The practice is regarded as an important symbol of the close military ties between the two countries.
General Seth arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday at the formal invitation of Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel.
Before receiving the honorary rank, Seth held talks with Sigdel on Monday. The Nepali Army said the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen bilateral military relations.
During his visit, Seth also inspected a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters and paid tribute to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the Martyrs’ Memorial at the Army Pavilion.
The Nepali Army said the high-level military exchanges reflected and contributed to the longstanding close relationship between the two countries’ armed forces.
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