Key Takeaways:

• General Dhiraj Seth met PM Shah at Singha Durbar on Aug 18
• Visit follows honorary Nepal Army rank conferred by President Paudel
• Seth held bilateral talks with Nepali Army Chief Sigdel on defence ties
• Delegation handed over military and medical equipment; temple visit included

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 18 India's Chief of Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth called on Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Tuesday as part of his four-day visit to Nepal. Seth met PM Shah, who also holds the defence portfolio, at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, according to Deepa Dahal, the prime minister's press and research adviser. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava also attended the meeting. Seth arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday at the invitation of Chief of the Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel. He is leading a five-member delegation, which includes his wife, Komal Seth. His courtesy call comes after President Ram Chandra Paudel conferred on him the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army at a ceremony at Sheetal Niwas on Monday. Nepal and India have maintained a tradition since 1950 of conferring the honorary rank of General on each other's army chiefs. Seth also held bilateral talks with General Sigdel on Monday, with discussions focusing on matters of mutual interest and ways to further strengthen military relations between Nepal and India. During the visit, Seth handed over military and medical equipment to the Nepali Army. He also visited the Pashupatinath Temple on Tuesday morning. The Nepali Army said visits by senior military officials from friendly countries help further expand and deepen bilateral military relations. Seth is scheduled to return to India on Wednesday.