KATHMANDU: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Ashok Raj Sigdel, currently on an official visit to India, has been conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army by Indian President Droupadi Murmu.
The insignia was presented during a special investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today, according to the Directorate of Public Relations and Information of the Nepal Army.
This unique tradition of conferring honorary ranks reflects the enduring cultural, religious, historical, and friendly military ties between Nepal and India.
The Chief of the Nepal Army is traditionally conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army, while the Chief of the Indian Army is similarly honored by the Nepal Army.
This tradition dates back to 1950 when Nepal and India began exchanging honorary ranks between their army chiefs.
On Mangsir 6, President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army to Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande.
During his visit, COAS Sigdel also paid a courtesy call on Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and participated in a tree plantation ceremony at the premises of the Indian Army Headquarters, as reported by the Directorate.
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