During this trip, the Nepali General will be honored with an honorary general of the Indian Army. Indian President Ram Kovind would confer the title.

This has been an ongoing practice between the two countries as both of them have been conferring honorary top ranks to Chiefs of the other.

Nepal Army’s Lieutenant General Bal Karki gave the send-off to General Sharma at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

General Sharma will be having meetings with Indian Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat.

He will also confer with Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane and Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhary.

General Sharma will return to Nepal on Friday.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest Nepal Govt News Updates!

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According to ANI, IAF conducted the strikes at 3:30 AM on February 26, 2019 by releasing 1,000 kg laser-guided bombs on the terror camp and completely destroying it. #IndiaStrikesBack

This included Balakot, Chakoti and Muzaffarabad terror launch pads along with Jaish-e-Mohammed control rooms (mastermind behind attack).

According to sources, the strike was 100 percent successful and was carried out as planned.

The terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed admitted to carrying out the terror attack on February 14, 2019 and also posted videos of the bomber, who had joined the terror group a year ago.

“On February 14, 2019, a suicide terror attack was conducted by Jaish-e-Mohammad in Kashmir. The JeM has been active in Pakistan for the last two decades. This organization which has been proscribed by the JeM has been responsible for a series of terror attacks,” informed Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.

India has struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakot, a large number of JeM terrorist were eliminated, added Gokhale.

Indian Political Leaders Salute IAF Strike on Terror Camp

When Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Omar Abdullah learned about the IAF strike on terror camps he said, if it is true, this was not a small strike by any stretch of imagination, while retweeting ANI’s post.

“The problem now becomes PM Imran Khan’s commitment to his country – Pakistan will not think about responding, Pakistan WILL respond. What shape will response take? Where will response be? Will India have to respond to Pakistan’s response?” Abdullah stated.

“We salute bravery of our pilots and Air Force. We are blessed and proud of our forces. Jai Hind,” says Tejashwi Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal Leader on Twitter.

“IAF also means India’s Amazing Fighters. Jai Hind.” – Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister.

“Salute to #indianairforce for giving befitting reply to the terrorists.” –  Sharad Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party Chief

“Salutes to our brave soldiers. We are proud of you. #airstrike.”- Sheila Dikshit, Former Chief Minister of New Delhi

Indian National Congress President Rahul Gandhi ‘saluted the IAF pilots’ in his Twitter post.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met up with top ministers, who are part of the cabinet committee on security to learn about the situation at his home in New Delhi on February 26, 2019.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Minister of Defense Nirmal Sitharaman, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Minister of Defense Nirmala Sitharam, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other top officials of the Indian Government were present at the meeting.

“Necessary step (taken) by Air Force. PM (Narendra Modi) had given this freedom to the armed forces, and now the entire nation stands behind the armed forces,” said Javadekar Prakash, Union Minister while responding to reports of India’s strike on terror camps over Line of Control.

The Prime Minister then briefed Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on IAF’s strike carried out at LoC.

According to ANI, Doval, Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief BS Dhanoa are reviewing the security situation on the borders after Indian Air Force strikes.

Earlier, the Indian Army had also carried out surgical strikes on seven terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) on September 29, 2016, after terrorists attacked its base camp in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri, earlier that month.

India Air Force has put all air defense systems on high alert along the International Border and LoC.

The post 2019 Pulwama Terror Attack – India Strikes Back at Pakistan! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

High-ranking military officials met at the 11^th Asia-Pacific Intelligence Chiefs Conference (APICC) to share mutual beneficial interests and military intelligence information.

According to the Nepal Directorate of Public Relations and Information (DPR&I) at the Nepal Army Headquarters Bhadrakali, the officials interacted and agreed to share expertise and skills to counter potential security threats faced by any of the member countries.

The three-day conference that concluded on September 6, 2018 witnessed the participation of military officials from Nepal, Bangladesh, Brunei, Japan, Fiji, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Magnolia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Vietnam, Brunei, Papa New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Cambodia, America, Canada and France.

Talking about the important of such events, Nepal DPR&I said that an international interaction at such a high-level would help in enhancing military intelligence in the region.

The conference was concluded by Nepal Military General Staff Chief (CGS) and Lt. General Hemanta Raj Kunwar with the decision to organize the conference’s 12^th edition in Philippines in 2019.

The Nepali Army and US Indo-Pacific Command Directorate of Intelligence organized the conference.

Poland-Nepal Joint Military Exercise:
In another scenario, Poland proposed a joint military drill for capacity enhancement of the Nepal Army.

The proposal was made by Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Btaszczak to Nepal Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Defense Minister Ishwor Pokharel, on his official visit to Poland.

Minister Pokharel has accepted the proposal. According to the DPM’s Press Coordinator, Pokharel said that the Nepal Government and Army will be ready to provide staff commando training, mountain warfare training, and para basic training to the Polish Army.

Oli’s Take on BIMSTEC Joint Military Exercise
The Indian Army had first proposed a joint military exercise in the initial meeting of the BIMSTEC army representatives in June 2018.

Furthering this cause, the Indian Government announced that it would be hosting the drill and organize a meeting of army staff chiefs on the concluding day in August 2018.

However, the decision to hold a joint military exercise was strongly criticized by Nepal PM Oli’s party members, the opposition and several others. A number of Nepali lawmakers questioned the decision of Nepal’s participation in the drill.

Nepal PM Oli was quick to clear doubts and defend the exercise, terming it as a ‘friendly gesture’.

He explained that BIMSTEC did not have any military motive or believe in holding a military pact.

“Nepal Army has been conducting such friendly military exercises with India, China, Pakistan, and the United States of America, and there are a number of other multilateral drills conducted regularly. Officials from different countries take military courses in Nepal, so do our officials in other countries,” said Oli.

Adding further he said, if there had been any military motive, it would have been added to the 18 points Kathmandu Declaration.

Conclusion:
Nepal’s enthusiasm in building and maintaining military relations in note-worthy. We hope that these military decisions will bring about the much-needed regional cooperation to counter regional security-threats.

The post Nepal Keen on Maintaining World Military Relations appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Yes, we mean it! Despite its size, the country is undoubtedly the ‘savior’ for many world nations because of its unstoppable fighters, the almighty ‘Gurkhas’!

Nepali Gurkhas have been at their best in safeguarding various world governments and their high-level officials including diplomats, special missions and various global-level conferences and meetings, that the nations paid high regard to.

Over the centuries, they have played vital role globally during world wars, cases of insurgency, among many other horrifying situations pertaining to national security.

The Rise of Gurkhas
Undoubtable loyalty, ferocity in fight and attitude in courage are some best words that can describe Nepali Gurkhas.  Over the centuries, they have literally marched from local to global level breaking the barriers. Diligent services by Gurkhas to various nations holds a sound historical background that dates back to 1814, the year that speaks of their heroic act!

That was the year when the British declared a war against the Gurkhas of Nepal leading to the Anglo-Nepalese war. The British East India company was expanding its wings beyond India and its neighbors then. That’s where the aggressive expansion of Gurkhas within Nepal worried the British.

By then, Gurkhas were already on success path laid by their annexing act across territories in the early 18^th and 19^th centuries and were on their way to finally form the Kingdom of Nepal.

Finally, with the help of thousands of Indian soldiers, British devised a strategy to divide Gurkhas and then attack them. In a devastating battle that witnessed ground-breaking revolt, the Gurkhas of Nepal rose to fame in 1814 for their straightforward answer to the British that eventually resulted the British losing out to the Gurkhas.

Following this, the British proposed an offer requesting Gurkhas to fight for them, which the Gurkhas had to accept under the uncompromised peace treaty in 1816.  After that, it’s known history that Gurkhas fought for the British in the two world wars, and eventually became key aspect of British Army.

Following Indian independence in 1947, the original ten Gurkha regiments were divided among the British Army and the new Indian Army. However, many of those Gurkhas who served both earlier finally chose their native Indian Army.

Today, Gurkhas serve across various nations such as their home country Nepal, Singapore, Brunei, US, Iraq and Afghanistan, among others. And, it would be really surprising to know that Gurkhas have been serving the British Crown since almost 200 years!

The Brigade of Gurkhas
The history of the Brigade of Gurkhas and their services to the world has a long history dating back to 1815, the year it began working with British.

Since then, the Brigade has been at its best in addressing global-level conflicts and peacekeeping operations, among other global-level security operations.

Though their focus was Far East prior to 1997, their base got shifted to the UK following Hong Kong’s annexation.

Some of the key units operating as the Brigade include:

• Royal Gurkha Rifles: Formed on July 1, 1994 as a combination of four Gurkha regiments- 2 GR, 6 GR, 7 GR and 10 GR, the Royal Gurkha Rifles is a team of two battalions and are famous for their operations across various locations such as Australia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Bosnia and East Timor. The team currently has a jungle role Battalion with a permanent base in Brunei and a Light Role Battalion in the UK.
• The Queen’s Gurkha Engineers: Firstly, called as Sappers in October 1948, these Gurkhas provide engineering solutions to various force elements and indirect support to combat and military-civil transition & recovery operations.
• Queen’s Gurkha Signals (QGS): Formed during the Malayan Emergency to support the 17^th Gurkha Division, this team is a regular unit of Royal Corps of Signals that assists the British Army as one of its support combat arms.
• Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment: Formed in Singapore in 1958 as the Gurkha Army Service Corps, this team is one of the four Gurkha regiments serving the British Army and takes care of formation-level logistics within a theatre of operations.
• Gurkha Staff and Personnel Support: Formed on June 30, 2011 as Gurkha clerks, this team of Gurkhas provide HR, Personnel and Business Administration, Finance & Accounting and ICT support to the Brigade of Gurkhas at peacetime and during operations. 
• Band of The Brigade of Gurkhas: Raised in November 1859 as part of the Indian Army, this team of Gurkhas is a music band team with musicians recruited after a basic military training. The team has travelled across the world over the decades.
• Gurkha Recruitment: Gurkha soldiers are usually recruited from Nepal and getting into a Gurkha unit means competing with thousands on selection board.

Hill-men from Nepal and those hailing from the families of Gurung, Thapa, Pun or Magar in western Nepal and Rai or Limbus in the eastern part of the country hold high regard as suitable for Gurkha units. Even today, majority of the Gurkhas hail from the aforementioned family groups.

Gurkha selection process of is one of the toughest assignments in the world. If a participant wishes to get through Gurkha selection process, he will be expected to run uphill for 40 minutes with a wicker basket full of rocks weighing 70 lbs on back.

Gurkha ranks are majorly dominated by the aforementioned ethnic families or groups belonging to hilly regions of Nepal.

Nearly 28,000 youths take up the Gurkha selection procedure for just over 200 places, every year.

As of 2017, Gurkhas have their presence across various army departments such as Indian Army (nearly 42,000), British Army (around 3,600), Singapore Gurkha Contingent (around 2,000) and Brunei Gurkha Reserve Unit (nearly 500), among others.

What the World Says About Gurkhas?
Here are some of the world’s famous statements on Gurkhas:

 

If I had Gurkhas, no armies in the world will defeat me– Adolf Hitler

Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had a country more faithful friends than you – Sir Ralph Turner MC, 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles, 1931.

They are tough, they are brave, they are durable, they are amenable to discipline – Tony Gould, Historian

They [the Gurkhas] are among the best Singapore can offer…They remain very much a substantial and frontline force, and the demands of this kind of event are precisely the sort of special operation that the Gurkhas are trained to handle. –  Tim Huxley, Expert, Singapore Armed Forces

Over the centuries, there are many other global personalities who always admired the Tough Gurkhas of Nepal!

Here are some interesting facts about Gurkhas that might surprise you:

• Gurkhas is the first army team chosen as police guards
• Gurkha is an unbeatable warrior at an average height of just 5.3 inches
• Lachhiman Gurung, the Gurkha team that drew fame from WW-2 for fierce war against more than 200 Japanese soldiers, with Gurung alone killing 31 soldiers
• Around 19000 Gurkha soldiers lost their lives fighting for British in various wars
• Gurkhas are an integral part of the British Army even today
• Gurkhas are warriors known for their loyalty, bravery and kind-heartedness
• Gurkhas play a key role in peacekeeping operations, globally
• Following their age-old tradition, every Gurkha carries an 18-inch-long curved knife called kukri during battles
• World Wars alone saw deaths of 43,000 Gurkhas; their population declined from 112,000 at the WW-II peak to around 3,500 as of 2010.
• World War-1 alone saw 20,000 Gurkha casualties with the group winning almost 2,000 awards for gallantry in the war
• Gurkha Welfare Trust has been working for the welfare of retired and their families since centuries
• A Gurkha soldier in WW2 defended his army troop against 200-member enemy troop for 4 hours, even after losing one of his hands in a grenade explode

Gurkhas in News
Gurkhas have been in news many times for their unique act. Let’s look at some global news Gurkhas were featured in,  over the period:

• Gurkhas Annual Golf Championship 2018: This is an annual sports event that features Golf sport within the Brigade of Gurkhas. The 2018 edition of the event was organized on June 28 at Weybrook Park Golf Course in Basingstoke. The championship was held to finalize the unit champion of the year and also to measure the status of Golf sport in the Gurkha Unit.
• Fight for UK Settlement: Retired Gurkhas have been in news over the years with regard to their settlement hardships. Financial hurdles, pensions post-retirement and right to settle in the UK have been some key concerns for many Gurkhas post-retirement. This has many times triggered debates between the UK Government and pro-Gurkha campaigners. Very recently in 2018, the issue rose to fame again with the British Actress Joanna Lumley coming onto the roads in support of their settlement.
• Safeguarding Key Events: Gurkhas have been featured in news very recently for their brave act in safeguarding the world’s most-awaited Trump-Kin meet. They also secured a renowned Singapore conference attended by various nations.
• Women to Join Brigade: In a first such decision in history, the UK Ministry of Defense has decided to recruit women for its infantry regiment into the Brigade of Gurkhas.

List not exhaustive! There are many success stories that speak of the bravery and loyalty of Gurkhas.

A famous saying about Gurkhas reads, “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.”

Long Live the Bravest of the Bravest!!!

The post Gurkhas of Nepal – Fierceness At its Best! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In the meanwhile, Mustang, Nepal’s famous tourist destination site is gearing up for Narendra Modi’s visit to Muktinath, a famous Hindu pilgrimage site, on 11^th of May.

The Plan of Action

Speaking about the arrangements, Chief District Officer, Sishir Poudel said, “security has been heightened throughout the district with the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, the Nepal Army and the National Investigation Department conducting security surveillance.”

A committee has been formed under the coordination of Chhemchok Chhetan Gurung, chairman of Bhragaon Muktishetra Rural Municipality, to welcome the Indian Prime Minister.

The 76 km Beni-Jomsom road which is usually closed for 8 hours daily due to repair and maintenance, has been opened for three days as part of the arrangements beign made for Prime Minister Modi’s visit on May 11^th . Emergency medical services have also been arranged.

A group of dignitaries from India, including officials of the Indian Army arrived in Mustang on 4^th May to inspect the security arrangements made for the Indian Prime Minister’s visit.

Narendra Modi will be travelling from Janakpur to Mustang in a Helicopter. CDO Poudel has mentioned “There are 2 helipads near Muktinath and a third one is being constructed.”

The Agenda

“Modi’s visit to Muktinath is expected to further strengthen the Nepal-India relations at the people to people level and promote religious tourism”, said Chandra Bahadur Thakali, a civil society leader.

Earlier, last month, Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli had visited India to strengthen ties and target next-level development.

Also Read: Oli India Visit 2018: India, Nepal Strengthen Ties, Target Next-level Development

The post Modi to Visit Nepal’s Religious Pilgrimage Site – Muktinath, Mustang appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

The event witnessed a wide range of cultural programs including the unique 10-member Odissi dance, folk performances by young teams, among others.

The event also marked the celebrations of the auspicious Maha Shivaraatri festival.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri and Veteran Nepali actress Mithila Sharma inaugurated the event.

Of all, a special dance performance by the Odissi troupe led by Dr Sujata Mishra stood as a special highlight of the program.

Indian Cultural Centre supported all the aforementioned cultural events.

Nepali Army Day

Meanwhile, Nepal is also celebrating Nepali Army Day on February 13, 2018 and the day coincides with the famous Hindu festival Maha Shivaraatri.

Taking ahead Indo-Nepal military cooperation, Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat is visiting the Nepali event as a chief guest marking the first such visit by any Indian Army to Nepal.

“This is the first time any Chief of the Indian Army will be present here on the Army Day,” says Nainraj Dahal, Spokesperson, Nepali Army.

The event to be organized at Army Pavilion, Tundikhel will see cultural performances by military personnel, who will also fire cannons marking the celebrations of the day.

As part of the visit, Rawat will also hold discussions with various Nepali officials on strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.

On the occasion, chiefs of both Indian and Nepali Army will be honored special titles in respect to their works.

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