Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of the Nepali Army, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, returned to Nepal on Sunday after completing an official visit to India at the invitation of Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi.

General Sigdel was welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport by Lieutenant General Pradeep Jung KC.

During his visit, General Sigdel was honoured with the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army by Indian President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. He received the insignia, a ceremonial sword, and a certificate as part of the conferment, which continues the longstanding tradition of mutual respect and cooperation between the two countries’ armies.

In addition to the investiture ceremony, General Sigdel held discussions with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane. He also had a courtesy meeting with General Upendra Dwivedi and participated as the chief guest at the passing-out parade of officer cadets at the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun, where Nepali cadet Praveen Pandey was recognised as the best foreign trainee among 35 international cadets.

The visit also included a tour of the Indian Army’s Southern Command and key strategic military installations, underlining the shared commitment to enhancing bilateral military ties.

The Directorate of Public Relations of the Nepali Army stated that such high-level visits and the tradition of conferring honorary titles reinforce the historical and strategic relationship between the armed forces of Nepal and India.