Indian Army Chief General to visit Nepal
Indian Army Chief of Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane will today arrive in Nepal for a three-day visit.
During his stay, Naravane will receive an honour guard and pay his respects at the martyr’s memorial in the Nepal Army Pavilion in Kathmandu, hold official meetings with his Nepalese counterpart General Purna Chandra Thapa and be conferred the rank of Honorary General of the Nepalese Army by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
Naravane’s trip comes during a low-point in Indian-Nepali relations, spurred by India’s decision to construct a road linking the state of Uttarakhand to Mansarova in China through the Lipulekh Pass, which is claimed by Nepal. Expect Naravane to push for improved relations between Kathmandu and New Delhi and to attempt to shift Nepalese displeasure away from India and toward China. Sino-Indian relations have been fractious since border clashes in the Galwan Valley in June and Naravane’s statement blaming China for tensions between Delhi and Kathmandu will likely widen the rift. While Naravane may offer military or trade support to Nepal, India is unlikely to cede control of the contested territory to Nepal, likely setting relations into a deep freeze.
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