Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi will pay a four-day visit to Nepal starting from November 20. During this period, he will also visit the famous Muktinath Temple where he will pay tribute to General Bipin Rawat, the first CDS of the Indian Army. Located in the Mustang district of Nepal, this temple has special religious significance for both Hinduism and Buddhism.
After General Bipin Rawat passed away in a helicopter crash in 2021, a vine was planted in his memory in 2023. The clock was inaugurated by four former Indian Army Chiefs General Vishnath Sharma, General J.J. Singh, General Deepak Kapoor and General Dalbir Singh Suhag Attended the ceremony.
symbol between two countries
The temple is also considered a symbol of the relationship between the Indian and Nepalese armies. The bell was installed on the occasion of the 260th anniversary of the Nepal Army. The vine is also considered a symbol of relations between India and Nepal. Because a large number of Gurkha soldiers are working in the Indian Army. The two countries have a tradition of conferring honorary titles on each other’s army chiefs. General Dwivedi will be awarded the honorary title of the Nepal Army during this visit.
Looking forward to improving relations between the two countries
General Dwivedi’s visit is also seen as an attempt to clear up the discord caused by the ‘Agniver Yojana’ between the two countries. After the Indian Army implemented the Agniveer Yojana, the Nepali government prevented its citizens from joining the Indian Army. Therefore, there is a problem in recruiting Gurkha soldiers to the Indian Army. Affected by this, the Indian army, especially the Gurkha Regiment, has a shortfall of about 12,000 soldiers. Through General Dwivedi’s visit, it is hoped that a solution to this problem can be found.
