Indian Army chief arrives in Nepal amid uncertainty over meeting with PM Shah

Indian Army chief General Dhiraj Seth is set to arrive in Kathmandu on Sunday to be conferred the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army. However, uncertainty surrounds whether he will meet with Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a traditional courtesy call that has historically occurred during such visits.

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It is still not confirmed if General Seth will call on the prime minister.

The Nepali Army leadership has informed the Indian side about the potential meeting, but an aide to Prime Minister Shah stated, "It is still not confirmed if General Seth will call on the prime minister." The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had requested the meeting, which was then passed to the Ministry of Defence and Nepali Army headquarters for scheduling.

Prime Minister Shah has maintained strict diplomatic protocols, meeting with the Indian and Chinese ambassadors only recently after four months in office. General Seth's visit, at the invitation of Nepali Army Chief General Ashok Sigdel, will see him receive the honorary rank from President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday. He will also participate in other events organized by the Nepali Army.

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Whenever a new army chief assumes office in either country, there is a tradition of exchanging high-level visits during which both chiefs are conferred with the honorary rank of General.

This visit marks the first by a senior Indian official since the formation of the Balendra Shah government on March 27. A planned visit by Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri was previously postponed. Some Indian media outlets suggest Seth might discuss the stalled Agnipath recruitment, a topic recently highlighted by protests from former Indian Gurkhas and youths in Nepal demanding its resumption.

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I can confirm that General Seth is arriving in Kathmandu on Sunday and is going to receive the honorary rank of general from the President on Monday.