Indian Army and SSB Chiefs to Visit Nepal Ahead of PM Oli’s China Trip

As diplomatic relations between Nepal and India face cooling tensions following KP Oli’s recent election as Nepal’s prime minister, the regular military and security exchanges between the two neighbors remain on course. Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Chief Amrit Mohan Prasad are set to visit Kathmandu this month for high-level talks and ceremonial functions.

General Dwivedi, who has been serving as the Indian Army Chief since June, will arrive in Kathmandu on November 20, confirmed sources from Nepal’s Ministry of Defence. During his visit, General Dwivedi will be honored with the honorary rank of General of the Nepal Army by President Ramchandra Paudel in a ceremonial event at the President’s Office. This honorary exchange, a tradition upheld by Nepal and India for seven decades, will see Nepal Army Chief General Ashok Sigdel reciprocate with a visit to India later, where he will receive a similar honorary title from the Indian President.

In addition to formal ceremonies, General Dwivedi’s visit will include meetings with key Nepali leaders, including President Paudel, Prime Minister Oli, and General Sigdel, among others. The Indian Army remains a key military supporter for the Nepal Army, and his visit is seen as a continuation of Nepal-India military cooperation, despite the current political climate.

Ahead of General Dwivedi’s visit, SSB Director General Amrit Mohan Prasad is scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu on November 15, at the invitation of Nepal’s Armed Police Force (APF) Inspector General Raju Aryal. Prasad and Aryal will co-chair the eighth annual coordination meeting between the SSB and APF, focusing on joint strategies for managing the 1,751-kilometer open border shared by the two countries. The agenda is expected to include discussions on combating trans-border crime, managing human trafficking, curbing arms smuggling, and other issues. The SSB and APF have set up Help Desks at major transit points to ease cross-border movement, especially during festive seasons.

In the previous coordination meeting, both sides agreed to enhance their cooperation through additional measures, including an expansion of exchange programs and intelligence-sharing. These initiatives aim to build capacity and ensure more effective border management.