New Delhi: India has handed over military equipment, medical supplies, trained dogs and horses to the Nepalese Army Monday, ahead of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli first official visit to New Delhi next month since taking office over a year ago.
Earlier, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who reached Kathmandu Sunday, met PM Oli and held wide-ranging talks with Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and senior officials from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
At a formal ceremony held at the Nepalese Army Headquarters in Kathmandu, Misri presented Light Strike Vehicles, critical care medical equipment, and military animals to Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Ashok Raj Sigdel. The Indian Embassy in Nepal described the handover as a “reflection of the close relationship between the two armies” and an embodiment of the “spirit of trust and partnership” between the two nations.
Strengthening Defence Cooperation
Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri handed over Light Strike Vehicles, Critical Care Medical Equipment & Military Animals to Suprabal Janasewashree Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel, COAS, Nepali Army, at a special ceremony at the Nepali Army HQ, Kathmandu. This… pic.twitter.com/qf22R3TJ20
— IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) August 18, 2025
“We discussed the full range of India-Nepal relations, with a focus on strengthening our connectivity, trade, and development cooperation,” said Foreign Minister Deuba after the meeting. “Nepal appreciates India’s Neighbourhood First policy and looks forward to the continued growth of our bilateral ties.”
“Nepal is a priority partner of India under its Neighbourhood First policy. The Foreign Secretary’s visit continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing our bilateral ties further,” MEA said in its readout Monday, post the visit.
Prime Minister Oli, who assumed office in July 2024, has yet to make a state visit to India, a significant delay in the context of the traditionally close bilateral ties. According to reports, his trip to New Delhi is likely to take place in September. His first trip after becoming PM was to China.
Following Oli’s swearing-in last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to extend congratulations and express interest in strengthening ties. “Look forward to working closely to further strengthen the deep bonds of friendship between our two countries,” Modi had said in a message to Oli.
The MEA readout also said that a formal invitation was made to Oli to visit India on “mutually convenient dates”.
Diplomacy and deep ties
Even in the absence of a top-level political visit, India and Nepal have continued to engage actively on several fronts in recent months.
During the Israel-Iran conflict in June, India’s Operation Sindhu evacuated three Nepalese citizens from Iran. Earlier, Kathmandu expressed solidarity with New Delhi following the 22 April terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the life of a Nepalese citizen, and supported India’s Operation Sindoor launched in response.
In another sign of deepening ties, the two countries held Home Secretary-level talks in New Delhi on 22 July. Issues such as trans-border criminal activities, boundary maintenance, and the functioning of Border District Coordination Committees were discussed by Indian Home Secretary Govind Mohan and his Nepalese counterpart Gokarna Mani Duwadee.
A day before the talks, India extended its soft diplomacy through sport. The Indian government announced support for Nepal’s cricket development, with the Nepal Men’s National Cricket Team scheduled for a high-performance training camp at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru from 20 August to 4 September.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: India’s ‘all or nothing’ policy with Nepal won’t work. Strengthen military ties for balance