New Delhi, December 12:

Chief of Army Staff General Rookmangud Katawal today urged the Indian government to resume military aid to Nepal, sources said.

During his meetings with his Indian counterpart General Deepak Kapoor and Minister of State for Defence AK Antony, Katawal asked India to resume the military assistance India had stopped after the royal takeover in Nepal in February 2005.

Sources said that the Indian side did not give any clear reply to Gen Katawal’s request.

Colonel Santosh Ballabh Poudel, who is accompanying Katawal, said the CoAS was merely on a goodwill visit and that he did not talk anything about resuming military assistance.

Sources, however, said Katawal held discussions with Gen Kapoor on military aid to Nepal in view of Nepal’s stabilising peace process and progress towards democracy.

Col Poudel said Gen Katawal also met Indian defence secretary Vijay Singh, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Indian Air Force chief Fali Homi Major. He is also scheduled to meet Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, India’s special envoy to Nepal Shyam Saran and other officials.

Meanwhile, Indian President Pratibha Patil decorated Gen Katawal with the rank of Honorary General of the Indian Army amid a ceremony in Ashoka Hall of the Rastrapati Bhawan this evening. Gen Katawal paid tributes to Indian Army martyrs at the India Gate.