India Hands Over 109 Military Vehicles to Nepal as a Goodwill Gesture

In a goodwill gesture that signals greater military ties between India and Nepal, India has gifted 109 military vehicles to Nepal Army. An Indian Army delegation which recently concluded its visit to Nepal handed over 109 military vehicles to Nepal as part of a defence pact between the two nations. The vehicles were handed over to the Butawal-based Brigade No 22 of the Nepal Army.   The military vehicles for the Nepal Army have reached Kathmandu and these include 30 trucks of 7 tonne capacity, 20 trucks of 2.5 tonne capacity, 24 mine protected vehicles and 35 military jeeps. The vehicles will be used by Brigade No 22 of the Nepal Army. The gift of vehicles was provided as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the two nations. The Indian Army's delegation, which was on a five-day goodwill visit to Nepal, was headed by Indian Army's Director General of Military Intelligence Lt General DS Thakur. The 109 military vehicles were handed over to Nepal as part of the continued assistance to Nepal by India in the last five years. The goodwill visit by the Indian Army delegation included talks with Nepalese Defence Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudyal, Defence Secretary Navin Kumar Ghimire and Chief of Army Staff of Nepal Army Chhatraman Singh Guring in Kathmandu. The Indian Army team also inspected the anti-insurgency training centre, forest warfare institute and the Army Staff College. The military ties between India and Nepal went through some rough weather in 2005 when Indian government suspended its military assistance in Nepal following the coup in Nepal. The ice between the two armies was broken in December 2007 when the erstwhile Nepal Army chief Gen Rookmangud Katawal visited India and was conferred the honorary title of general of the Indian Army. The two nations further cemented their ties in 2010 when the erstwhile Indian Army Chief General Kapoor visited Kathmandu.  That visit had triggered protests by the former Maoist guerrillas, who were angered by General Kapoor’s statement opposing the merger of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) with the national army, saying it would lead to the politicization of the army. However, relations between the two nations have been restored and are steadily progressing.   In the past, India has readily offered military training, which includes some 100 odd courses for Army officers in Nepal. India has also restored the supply of weapons like the INSAS rifles to Nepal in 2009. Besides, both the nations also have in place an information sharing system under the defence framework. In order to build greater ties with Nepal, India is likely to extend to Nepal all help as it aims to establish a good security mechanism and provide training to enhance capability of the Nepalese army.   Sources :  htt p://www.defencenow. com/news/276/india_hands_over_109_military_vehicles_to_nepal_as_a_goodwill_gesture.html