During V K Singh’s visit, Nepal to seek arms supply

BY ADMIN-As the widening rift between the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) and the government backed by the pro-democracy parties threatens the ongoing peace process, Nepal is hoping to resume supply of lethal arms from India in order to strengthen its army.
A formal request in this regard, which will be in addition to another in the pipeline, is likely to made by Prime Minister Madhav Nepal during the three-day official visit of Indian Army Chief V K Singh beginning Monday.
According to sources, though India had earlier agreed to dispatch arms, weapons and Mines Protection Vehicles (MPV), the supply did not take place in the absence of a formal request from the government of Nepal.
Gen Singh is arriving here to receive the honorary General of Nepal Army, a reciprocal arrangement in practice between the Army chiefs of the two countries since the mid-sixties.
Gen Singh, who returns December 23, will receive the honourary title from President Rambaran Yadav during a special investiture to be held in the President’s office .
He would also visit mountaineering warfare institute in Mustang, UN Peace Keeping training centre in Panchkhal besides the Indian Army pension camp in Pokhara.
Besides the President, Gen Singh is likely to meet the PM, Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari and Nepal army chief Chhatraman Singh Gurung.