National 2 (Spotlight Weekly)

Good Will Gesture

Indian Army chief and hon. general of Royal Nepalese Army General N.C. Vij's recent visit highlights the traditional and friendly relations that exist between two forces

By A CORRESPONDENT

Despite the hostile remarks being made by a section of the Indian media, former diplomats and intellectuals against Nepal's traditional institutions of monarchy and Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), Indian Chief of the Army Staff General N.C. Vij has expressed his deep affection for and solidarity with the kingdom.

Gen. Vij (left) with Gen. Thapa : Tradition of friendship

Gen. Vij visited Nepal just a few months after assuming the top position of the Indian Army, underscoring the importance and cordiality of the traditional friendly relations existing between the two forces. Just a year ago, his predecessor Gen. Padmanabhan came to Nepal and assured similar support when the RNA was waging a difficult fight against the Maoist insurgents.

Offering technical and logistical support to the RNA's quest to quell the insurgency, the Indian Army has fully backed Nepal during the operations. The visits of two top army officers from India in a span of a year have demonstrated the depth of this commitment.

The RNA has always been a friendly institution of India. The Indian Army played a major role in setting up and restructuring the RNA following the revolution of 1950. The tradition in each country of conferring the title of honorary general to the chief of the other's army underscores the strength of the relations.

The importance of this friendship was highlighted by Gen. Vij during his four-day visit. "Nepal-India as well as army-to-army relations are warm and cordial," said Gen. Vij. According to press release of Indian Embassy, he said that India looked to an economically strong Nepal and in future too would provide all possible assistance that is required by Nepal. "India since the declaration of emergency on November 26, 2001 has provided training, logistics and technical support so as to strengthen RNA capabilities to combat terrorism," said the press release.

The Royal Nepalese Army also hailed the support given by Indian Army. "We were appreciative and thankful of the prompt assistance provided by the Indian Army in RNA's time of need," said RNA chief Gen. Pyar Jung Thapa during discussions with Gen. Vij.

Bestowed the rank of honorary general in the Royal Nepalese Army by King Gyanendra on April 23, Gen. Vij extensively traveled from the mountains to terai and made a pilgrimage trip to Muktinath, beyond the Himalayas.

He visited the RNA Mountain Warfare School, Kesang and No.3 Brigade HQ at Pokhara. He also met Indian army pensioners at the Pension Paying Office at Pokhara and Dharan. Nepal has approximately 100,000 pensioners of the Indian Army and Gen. Vij reiterated that the Indian government would continue to support them. Pokhara and Dharan pension camps also provide computer training, knitting and stitching classes and English coaching for war widows and sons and daughters of Indian Army ex-servicemen.

Gen. Vij addressed ex-servicemen's rallies at Pokhara and Dharan which were attended by large numbers of Indian Army pensioners and their families. The general highlighted the contributions of Gorkha soldiers to the Indian Army and assured them of continued efforts by the Government of India and the Indian Army to ensure their welfare.

Over the past few years, the armies of Nepal and India seem to have built a greater understanding and realized the need to maintain their traditional friendship. Since Nepal shares a long open and porous border with India, peace and tranquillity in the kingdom will also benefit its southern neighbor. Instability and deteriorating law-and-order situation, on the other hand, would damage Nepal in short term, but India would have to face the long-term implications.

Although Gen. Vij seems to be aware about these realities, how he would begin convincing that hostile section back home that weakening traditional friendly institutions in Nepal would not benefit India remains to be seen.