Indian Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday on a four-day official visit.

Rawat, who was appointed to the top post on December 31, was invited by Chief of Army Staff Gen Rajendra Chhetri. Following the tradition of exchanging honorary titles between the army chiefs of the two countries, President Bidya Devi Bhandari will decorate Rawat as the honorary general of the Nepal Army amid a special programme at Sheetal Niwas on Wednesday. The two armies have had the practice since 1950 as a symbol of good relations.

Gen Rawat will have separate meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Defence Minister Bal Krishna Khand and CoAS Chhetri. According to NA Spokesman Brig Gen Jhankar Bahadur Kadayat, Rawat will also visit the Indian pension paying camp in Pokhara and the Jomsom-based High-altitude Training Academy of the Nepal Army. He will also visit Muktinath temple in Mustang. The chiefs will discuss the agendas for the 13th Nepal-India Bilateral Consultative Group on security to be held in the near future.