Honorary generalship and Nepal-India ties

Over the past 30 days or so, various mechanisms of the Nepali and Indian military along with their team of aides remained active, vibrant and traveled back and forth pursuing a special mission. The spontaneous multilayered communication, coordination among various military and civilian components, and frequent arrangements of combined engagements marks another milestone in the Nepal-India defense relations. As a result of these meticulous efforts, military chiefs of Nepal and India have been conferred the honorary title of general of each other’s army in separate ceremonies. This has been an epoch of bolstering military-to-military relationships, which contributes significantly to Nepal-India relations as a whole. 

At this onset, this article seeks to explore the areas of defense cooperation between Nepal and India through the pursuit of a seven-decade-long practice of conferring the title of honorary general to each other’s army chiefs. Furthermore, it analyzes how this practice has reinforced Nepal’s strategic interests and also argues why it is imperative for longer defense cooperation between the two neighbors. 

Tracing the practice

The Indian Military Chief General Upendra Dwivedi was honored with the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army on 21 Nov 2024 by Nepal’s President Ramchandra Poudel during an investiture ceremony held at the president’s office, Sheetal Niwas. 

A few weeks later, India’s President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honorary rank of General of the Indian Army to Nepal’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashok Raj Sigdel on 12 Dec 2024 amidst a special investiture ceremony held at the president’s office. General Sigdel is the 16th COAS of the Nepali Army to be conferred with such an honor. 

The practice of honoring each other’s Chief of Army Staff by conferring the honorary title of General between Nepal and India dates back to the 1950s. Given the world security situation of the early 1950s—the end of the Second World War and the inception of the Cold War—strong security ties and proper understanding among the regional states was vital. In such a pretext, Nepal and newly decolonized India developed an understanding of defense and security cooperation, which has evolved in multiple dimensions since then. Among myriad practices and provisions, conferring the honorary title of General remains one of the most effective and valued practices. 

The practice of conferring the title is not only a ceremony that takes place in a certain period but largely beyond that. It transcends through different dimensions of Nepal-India relations, viz defense cooperation, security affairs, diplomatic, social, cultural and spiritual aspects. It also reflects the historical legacy and comradeship the two armies shared throughout the years despite various episodes of turbulence in bilateral relations. 

In the context of the changing world order of the 1940s, India was on the verge of being independent from the British colony, whereas Nepal as an independent kingdom was beginning to open up to the world through an open and multilateral foreign policy. As a result of the foreign policy priorities and farsightedness of the time to establish close relations with neighboring countries and put Nepal on the world stage, the practice of conferring the title of honorary General on each other’s army chiefs between the two countries seems to have started. 

In 1950, General KM Kariappa, Chief of hArmy Staff of India, was awarded the Honorary General of the Nepal Army for the first time whereas Chief of the Army Staff General Surendra Bahadur Shah was the first from the Nepali side to be honored with the same honorary rank of General. Since then, 16 COAS of the Nepali Army and 20 Chiefs of the Indian Army have received the title.

Nepal and India are two independent neighboring countries that share borders in three directions. Although bilateral diplomatic relations formally began on 13 June 1946, the historical, religious, cultural and geographical proximity between the two countries goes back a long time. Thus, the honorary generalship also signifies this deep-rooted bilateral relationship. 

Why this matters

This unique military practice fosters abundant opportunities to both armies for defense and security cooperation, benefiting both nations. Besides that, it has ample positive impacts, which are shortly described below. 

First, this type of practice is an important exercise in military diplomacy. While some say that security and diplomacy are different and opposite issues, in modern diplomatic practice, security and diplomacy are complementary rather than opposite to each other, where the other cannot succeed in the absence of one. Therefore, each country perceives military force as a source of national power along with its geography, population, economic capacity, diplomacy and intelligence. This seven-decade-old practice has proved to be a milestone in deepening relations between the two countries through cordial defense relations. It is globally seen that the trust gained at the military level makes it easier to discuss, and cooperate at other layers of the state. For this reason, in the realm of international relations study, the democratic peace theory suggests that a country doesn’t feel insecure by the hundreds of nuclear warheads owned by friendly states unlike a single nuclear warhead owned by the adversary. 

Secondly, this unique practice is part of an ongoing effort to peacefully resolve mutual misunderstandings, disputes and problems that arise from time to time. There have been plenty of examples of continuous efforts for a concrete exit by the various mechanisms formed by the governments of the two countries through expert provisions and insights.

Third, the support of friendly military forces is essential during natural disasters and crises. The assistance rendered by friendly military forces during disasters that Nepal has faced at different times is unforgettable. After the devastating earthquake of 2015, 18 military teams from 34 friendly countries extended their invaluable assistance in the search, rescue and relief operations. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, friendly military forces provided generous support to Nepali Army personnel and ordinary citizens. These are some of the instances of established relations and diplomatic dimensions at the military level. Surya Kiran, an exercise involving the Indian and Nepali armies, is also an example of a platform that prepares to combat such disasters jointly. 

Fourth, since the regional security challenges faced by these two countries with open borders can only be addressed through joint response, a practice of institutional trust and cooperation at the military leadership level is a must, which is reinforced by this practice of honorary generalship.  

Fifth, the implementation of Nepal’s foreign policy requires significant contributions from all state agencies, governmental and non-governmental, private and professional sectors. Since the visits of the military leadership are not limited to the equivalent level but also with personalities related to foreign, administrative and national security, it provides a way to augment the overall security situation and mutual relations. During the official visit to India, Nepal’s COAS met with India’s defense minister, and national security advisor, including other key defense portfolios. The Indian military chief had also met top political and defense authorities of Nepal during the context of the investiture ceremony. These are the crucial opportunities where defense priorities and concerns are expressed based on mutual understanding and trust.

Sixth, although conferring the title of honorary general is an established practice at the military level, it is also a matter related to the dignity of the nation and foreign relations. Established diplomacy at the military level provides support to the country’s overall diplomatic maneuverings mostly in times of state emergencies and crisis. 

Lastly, India has not only been the largest defense exporter for Nepal but also remains as a stable and reliable security partner in the region. As Nepal and India share open borders, both countries bear similar kinds of security threats, viz terrorism, cross-border crimes, money laundering and counterfeiting, communal violence and refugee crisis, along with human security threats such as unemployment, food crisis, environmental hazards and natural disasters, pandemic and health crisis. Thus, it is imperative to have smooth, vibrant and spontaneous cooperation between the spearhead security agencies of the two countries to deal with these common security threats. 

To sum up, a strong bond between the two armies may eradicate the possibility of a swerve in bilateral relations regarding various issues and areas that Nepal and India confront. Such a unique practice also paves the way for cordial and trustful relations between Nepal and India in the long term. Realizing this matter, the Nepali Army has perceived this practice as an "emblematic of the close ties" between the national armies of the two countries.

This practice not only consolidates an inveterate relationship between Nepal and India but also hones the trust between the two armies, which is essential for peaceful coexistence. All in all, this practice helps to amalgamate bilateral interests, creating a conducive environment to pursue the security equilibrium.

The author is a Major in the Nepali Army. The views are personal and do not reflect the Nepali Army’s official position