Kathmandu [Nepal], August 18 : Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday met Nepal's Chief of Army Staff, Suprabal Janasewashree Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel, at a special ceremony at the Nepal Army headquarters in Kathmandu, and handed over a set of defence and medical equipment, the Indian Embassy in Nepal informed.
The equipment included Light Strike Vehicles, Critical Care Medical Equipment and Military Animals, gifted as part of India's ongoing defence cooperation with Nepal.
The gesture reflects the close ties between the two armies and highlights the spirit of trust and partnership that has long defined India-Nepal relations, the Indian Embassy said.
The Embassy posted on X "Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri handed over Light Strike Vehicles, Critical Care Medical Equipment & Military Animals to Suprabal Janasewashree Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel, COAS, Nepali Army, at a special ceremony at the Nepali Army HQ, Kathmandu. This handing over of items reflects 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."
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Vikram Misri is currently on a two-day official visit to Kathmandu, part of what the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described as the "tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries."
On the first day of his visit, Misri called on Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at his office in Singha Durbar. According to the PM's secretariat, the meeting was also attended by Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava, and senior officials from Nepal's Foreign Ministry. Misri is in Kathmandu at the invitation of his Nepali counterpart, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
Earlier, Misri also held bilateral talks with Rai, where the two discussed a wide range of issues to further bolster the relationship between the two nations. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said, "Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri met his counterpart Mr. Amrit Bahadur Rai and reviewed the progress in India-Nepal cooperation. They held a comprehensive discussion on initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral ties, and other matters of mutual interest."
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The MEA, in a release issued on Saturday, noted that India attaches high priority to its relations with Nepal under its Neighbourhood First Policy. "The Foreign Secretary's upcoming visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and will be an opportunity to further advance our bilateral ties," the statement read.
The visit also comes ahead of Nepal PM Oli's scheduled trip to India on August 29, with discussions in Kathmandu expected to help set the agenda for that visit.
Misri is scheduled to conclude his two-day programme and leave Kathmandu today. His visit comes at a time when both countries are working to deepen cooperation and strengthen their long-standing ties.
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