Nepal army chief visits New Delhi

http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0712109813112124.htm

Nepal Army Chief General Rookmangud Katuwal is to arrive in New Delhi Monday.

Four years after contacts between the armies of Nepal and India stopped following King Gyanendra's bid to capture absolute power with the help of an army-backed coup, the two neighbours will resume military contact once again with Katuwal arrival in India.

Katuwal will attend an investiture ceremony in which the Indian President Pratibha Patil will confer on him the honorary title of general of the Indian Army, an IANS report said here.

As per tradition, the chief of the Nepal Army is an honorary general of the Indian Army and vice versa. Each newly appointed army chief visits the neighbouring country after assuming office.

Katuwal's visit comes more than a year after he assumed office in September 2006, succeeding General Pyar Jung Thapa.

During the last days of Thapa, India stopped arms assistance to the then Royal Nepalese Army to show its displeasure at the royal coup.