Army chief Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane presented medical equipment to the Nepalese military, including X-ray equipment, computed radiography systems, ICU ventilators, video endoscopy units, anesthesia machines, laboratory equipment and ambulances, the embassy said. of India in Nepal in a statement Thursday.
Naravane arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday on a three-day visit that is expected to soften bilateral ties with Nepal after a bitter border dispute.
“Additional fans were also provided to assist the Nepalese military in their fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. This follows an earlier supply of army-to-army ventilators in July this year, ”the statement said.
On Thursday, Naravane laid a wreath and paid tribute at Bir Smarak (Martyr’s Memorial) at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu. He was later awarded a ceremonial Honor Guard at the Nepal Army Headquarters, where he held talks with his counterpart, General Purna Chandra Thapa.
Both sides discussed army-to-army relations and enhancing bilateral defense cooperation, according to the statement.
Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari will also confer the honorary rank of General of the Nepalese Army on Naravane at an inauguration ceremony.
The army chief’s visit comes months after bilateral relations were affected in May after Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a key border road into the Lipulekh region, which is claimed by Nepal. Kathmandu responded by posting a new map showing Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura, all controlled by India, as part of Nepalese territory, compounding the dispute.
Naravane’s visit is expected to set the stage for highly anticipated talks between the two sides on the border issue.
His tour of Nepal comes days after the head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Samant Kumar Goel, paid a discreet visit to Kathmandu during which he met with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
The army chief is expected to interact with retirees from the Indian army in Nepal during the visit; There are 136,000 retirees in that country and they are part of the strong ties between the two parties.
.
