President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army on General Ashok Raj Sigdel, chief of the Nepali Army, during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The honour recognises General Sigdel’s contributions in strengthening Nepal’s enduring friendship with India and his notable military expertise.
General Sigdel held high-level meetings with several senior Indian officials, including National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. These discussions focused on defence and security matters of mutual interest, further bolstering ties between the neighbouring nations.
The Nepali Army chief also interacted with representatives of India’s defence industry and lauded the country’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative for achieving self-reliance in defence production.
The day’s events will conclude with a banquet hosted by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi in honor of General Sigdel. The informal gathering aims to enhance personal rapport and trust between the two military leaders.
