Indian Army Chief Becomes A Nepal Army General. The 70-Year-Old Tradition Behind It Explained

Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth was conferred the rank of Honorary General of the Nepali Army by President Ramchandra Paudel during an investiture ceremony on Monday. General Seth reached Kathmandu on Sunday for his maiden three day official trip after taking over as the Chief of Army Staff, Indian Army. The visit, as per the Ministry of defence, aims to further strengthen the close defence cooperation and military-to-military ties between India and Nepal.

President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred the rank during a special investiture ceremony.

The Indian Army saw this exchange of honorary generalship as a unique tradition between the Indian and Nepali Armies as it highlights the deep-rooted historical, cultural and military ties between the two nations.

Describing the significance of the tradition while previous Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi was conferred with the honorary rank in November 2024 Indian army said, this practice reflects the mutual respect and enduring friendship between the two countries, particularly in the realms of military cooperation, defence collaboration, and shared strategic interests.

"This symbolic exchange of titles goes beyond mere ceremony-it is a powerful testament to the longstanding solidarity, trust, and commitment to peace and stability in the region. The tradition underscores the strong strategic partnership between the two forces, who work closely on a variety of fronts, including joint training, military exercises, and disaster response," the Army said.

The tradition of conferring honorary generalships between the Indian and Nepali Armies dates back to the 1950s.

Following with the tradition General Ashok Raj Sigdel, Chief of Army Staff, Nepalese Army was conferred with the Honorary Rank of General of the Indian Army at Rashtrapati Bhawan by President Draupadi Murmu in December 2024.

General Dhiraj Seth took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Upendra Dwivedi who superannuated on 30 Jun 2026.

He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986 and has a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades.

General Seth Schedule in Nepal

On Monday, the COAS laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion, Tundikhel and receive a Guard of Honour at the Nepali Army Headquarters. He interacted with the Chief of the Army Staff, Nepali Army and briefed by the Director General Military Operations, Nepali Army on issues of mutual interest.

On 18 August 2026, the COAS will address the student officers of the Army Command and Staff Course at Shivapuri and interact with instructors and foreign student officers. He will also be interacting with senior Dignitaries of Nepal on issues of mutual interest.

On 19 August 2026, General Dhiraj Seth will attend an Ex-Servicemen Rally at Pokhara, felicitate Veer Naris and Gallantry Awardees and interact with Indian Army Veterans. He will return to India on 19 August 2026.

The Ministry of Defence on Sunday described the India-Nepal as two nations with shared historical, social and cultural linkages which remain unparalleled in the world. "Terms fondly referred to as the ‘Roti Beti Ka Rishta’, the Janakpur-Ayodhya and the Lumbini-Bodhgaya connect make our nations natural partners with symbiotic relations. The partnership between India and Nepal is defined by our democratic principles and shared interest in ensuring regional peace and stability", MoD said.

The visit underscores the deep-rooted historical, cultural and military ties between India and Nepal and will provide an opportunity to explore new avenues of cooperation between the two Armies.