Indian Army Lt. Gen. Kaushik visits Nepal to review veteran welfare

Lieutenant General Viresh Pratap Singh Kaushik, the Adjutant General of the Indian Army, has commenced a visit to Nepal. The primary objective of the visit is to interact with Indian Army ex-servicemen and review the implementation of welfare schemes and support initiatives provided to veterans residing in the country.

According to the Indian Embassy, more than 122,000 Indian Army pensioners currently live in Nepal. The Indian government is working through various branches of its Defence Wing to coordinate support for these Gorkha ex-servicemen and their families.

The visit occurs amid a period of suspended recruitment. While a 1947 tripartite agreement between India, Nepal, and the United Kingdom historically facilitated the recruitment of Nepali nationals into Indian and British armies, recruitment of Nepali youths into the Indian Army has been suspended since 2019. The Nepali government has raised concerns regarding India’s Agnipath scheme, suggesting it may be inconsistent with the provisions of the 1947 agreement.