Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday handed over light strike vehicles, critical care medical equipment and military animals to Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff Suprabal Janasewashree General Ashok Raj Sigdel, at a ceremony at the Nepali Army headquarters in Kathmandu.
The Indian Embassy in Nepal said in a post on X that the handover reflected the “close relationship between the two armies and our robust defence cooperation. It embodies the spirit of trust and partnership that has long characterised our enduring ties.”
The military equipment included six light strike vehicles, two military dogs for breeding, six army horses and a consignment of medical supplies. Before the ceremony, Misri held talks with General Sigdel on strengthening defence ties and other bilateral issues.
Misri arrived in Nepal on Sunday for a two-day visit at the invitation of his Nepalese counterpart, Amrit Bahadur Rai. During the visit, he met President Ramchandra Paudel, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda,” and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba.
On Sunday, Misri also held bilateral talks with Rai. Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X that the discussions covered connectivity, trade and development cooperation, “underscoring the strong bond between the two nations.”
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Later the same day, Misri called on Prime Minister Oli to discuss ways to enhance cooperation across sectors. The Indian Embassy said he reaffirmed the “deep civilisational ties and strong India-Nepal partnership.”
The Foreign Secretary also called on President Paudel, conveying greetings from the Indian leadership and briefing him on progress in bilateral ties, according to the embassy.
In a separate meeting, Misri held talks with Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba. The embassy said there was a “substantial exchange of views on issues of mutual interest and ways to further enhance the multifaceted India-Nepal partnership.”
Ahead of the visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said that New Delhi attaches high priority to ties with Nepal under its Neighbourhood First policy.
The ministry described the trip as “an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties,” adding that relations between the two neighbours had made concrete progress in recent years across diverse areas of cooperation.
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