KATHMANDU: Visiting Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, returned to New Delhi on Friday after concluding his four-day official visit to Nepal upon the invitation of his Nepali counterpart Rajendra Chhetri.

Nepal Army Lieutenant General Purna Chandra Thapa saw the guest off at the Tribhuvan International Airport this morning, according to a statement issued by the NA Directorate of Public Relations.

Rawat had landed in Kathmandu on Tuesday to receive the honorary rank of NA General from President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

Nepal and India since 1950 have been practising the tradition of conferring each other’s army chief the honorary rank in recognition of the harmonious relationship between the two countries.

During his Nepal sojourn, General Rawat had held meetings with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Minister for Defence Bal Krishna Khand, Nepal Army Chief of Army Staff Chhetri and other senior officials.

The NA expressed its belief that such bilateral visits would strengthen and expand the military ties between the two neighbours.