NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd November, 2020) Indian Chief of Army Staff Gen. Manoj Naravane on Wednesday will travel to Nepal for a three-day visit to discuss bilateral defense cooperation with the Nepalese counterparts, Spokesperson of Indian Embassy in Kathmandu Naveen Kumar said on Tuesday.
"Gen. M M Naravane's visit would deepen the long-standing and customary bonds of friendship between the two Armies. His visit will provide an opportunity for both sides to discuss the bilateral defense partnership and explore avenues to further strengthen it for mutual benefit," Kumar said.
India and Nepal have a close strategic relationship since these countries share a common history and culture. Nepal is highly dependent on India in terms of economy � the landlocked country relies on Indian ports to trade and over six million Nepalese citizens work in India.
However, the Indian-Nepalese relations have soured since 2019, when India published its new map, which included some areas Nepal claims as historically its territory. Besides, back in May, India constructed a road through the territory that Nepal claimed to possess.
