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Nepali Army

The Nepali Army (Nepali: नेपाली सेना, romanized: Nēpālī Sēnā), also referred as the Gorkhali Army (गोरखाली सेना, Gōrakhālī Sēnā; see Gorkhas), is the land service branch of the Nepali Armed Forces. After the Gorkha Kingdom was founded in 1559, its army was established in 1560, and was accordingly known as the Gorkhali Army. The army later became known as the Royal Nepali Army (RNA) following the Unification of Nepal, when the Gorkha Kingdom expanded its territory to include the whole country, by conquering and annexing the other states in the region, resulting in the establishment of a single united Hindu monarchy over all of Nepal. It was officially renamed simply to the Nepali Army on 28 May 2008, upon the abolition of the 240-year-old Nepalese monarchy, and of the 449-year-old rule of the Shah dynasty, shortly after the Nepalese Civil War.

Nepali Army
नेपाली सेना
Emblem of the Nepali Army
Founded1560 (1560)
CountryNepal
TypeArmy
RoleLand operations
Size
  • 98,000 (active)
  • 82,000 (reserve)
Part ofNepalese Armed Forces
GarrisonJangi Adda, Bhadrakali, Kathmandu, Bagmati state
Nickname(s)The Gurkhas
Motto(s)Better to die than to be a coward
AnniversariesMaha Shivratri[1][2]
Engagements
Websitenepalarmy.mil.np
Commanders
Chief of Army StaffGeneral Prabhu Ram Sharma
Vice Chief of Army StaffLieutenant General Saroj Pratap Rana
Assistant Chief of Army StaffLieutenant General Sitaram Khadka
Notable
commanders
Nepal Army's Guruju Paltan (a ceremonial infantry company) in traditional uniform
Khukuri, Karda and Chakmak. Khukuri is the symbolic weapon of the Nepali Army

The Nepali Army has participated in various conflicts throughout its history, going as far back as the Nepali unification campaign launched by Prithvi Narayan Shah of the Gorkha Kingdom. It has engaged in an extensive number of battles within South Asia, and continues to take part in global conflicts as part of United Nations peacekeeping coalitions.

The Nepali Army is headquartered in Kathmandu and the incumbent Chief of Army Staff is General Prabhu Ram Sharma.

History Edit

 
Nepali national soldiers by Gustave Le Bon, 1885

The Nepal unification campaign was a turning point in the history of the Nepali army. Since unification was not possible without a strong army, the management of the armed forces had to be exceptional. Apart from the standard Malla-era temples in Kathmandu, the army organized itself in Gorkha. After the Gorkhali troops captured Nuwakot, the hilly northern part of Kathmandu (Kantipur) in 1744, the Gorkhali armed forces came to be known as the Royal Nepali Army.

Their performance impressed their enemies so much that the British East-India Company started recruiting Nepali troops into their forces. The native British soldiers called the new soldiers "Gurkhas". The Gurkha-Sikh War began shortly after, in 1809. In 1946, the Royal Nepali Army troops were led by Commanding General Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana at the Victory Parade in London.

Former Indian Army Chief and Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw, once stated that: "If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gorkhali."

Prior to 2006, the Royal Nepali Army was under the control of the King of Nepal. Following the 2006 Democracy Movement (Nepali: लोकतन्त्र आन्दोलन, romanized: Loktantra Āndolan) on 18 May, a bill was passed by the Nepali parliament curtailing royal power, which included renaming the army to simply the Nepali Army.[3]

In 2004, Nepal spent $99.2 million on its military (1.5% of its GDP). Between 2002 and 2006, the RNA was involved in the Nepali Civil War. They were also used to quell pro-democracy protesters during the 2006 democracy movement.

Organization Edit

 
Nepal Army soldiers on Army Day

The Nepali Army has about 95,000 infantry army and air service members protecting the sovereignty of Nepal. In August 2018, The Himalayan Times estimated total army forces to be around 96,000[4] while The Kathmandu Post estimated it to be 92,000.[5]

Supreme Command Edit

The position of the Supreme Commander of the Nepalese Army is the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Until 2006, the King of Nepal (monarchy abolished) was in control of all military forces in the country. The National Army was renamed from Royal Nepalese Army to Nepalese Army after the recent national conversion from a monarchy to a republic on 4th Jestha 2063 B.S.

The National Defence Council Edit

This Council has seven members, the Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Chief of the Army Staff, Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Home Minister and the Chief Secretary.

The President of Nepal is the Supreme Commander-In-Chief.

Divisions Edit

The Nepalese Army is divided into eight divisions, one each in the seven states and one in the Kathmandu Valley.

In addition there are at least 7 independent units:

  • Army Aviation Directorate
  • Special Forces Brigade
  • VVIP Security
  • Artillery Brigade
  • Signals Brigade
  • Engineers Brigade
  • Air Defense Brigade

Chiefs of the Nepali Army Edit

The Chiefs of the Nepali Army have mostly been drawn from noble Chhetri families from the Gorkha Kingdom such as the Pande dynasty, Kunwar family, Basnyat dynasty, and Thapa dynasty before the rule of the Rana dynasty.[6] During the Shah monarchy, the officers were drawn from these aristocratic families.[6] During the Rana dynasty, Ranas claimed the position as their birthright.[6] The first army chief of was King Prithvi Narayan Shah who drafted and commanded the army.[7] The first civilian army chief was Kalu Pande, a Kaji who had a significant role in the unification campaign.[7] He was considered head of the army due to his undertaking of army duties and responsibilities, not by a formal title.[7]

Bhimsen Thapa, Mukhtiyar from 1806 to 1837, was the first person to be given the title Commander-in-Chief as head of the army.[8] King Rajendra Bikram Shah appointed Bhimsen to the post and praised him for his long service to the nation.[9] However, on 14 June 1837, the King took over command of all battalions put in charge of various courtiers, and became the commander-in-chief.[10][11] Immediately after the incarceration of the Thapas in 1837, Dalbhanjan Pande and Rana Jang Pande were the joint heads of the military administration.[12] Rana Jang was removed after three months in October 1837.[13][14][15][16]

Since the command of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen, only seven army chiefs were non-Rana Chhetris, including Shahs, until 1951.[8] The commander-in-chief title was replaced by Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from the reign of General Pratap Singh Shah.

Operations Edit

Conflicts defending the Kingdom of Nepal Edit

Battles during the unification of Nepal Edit

International conflicts Edit

International operations Edit

The Nepali Army has contributed more than 100,000 peacekeepers to a variety of United Nations-sponsored peacekeeping missions such as:

US-Nepal military relations Edit

 
Mahabir Ranger with a US soldier

The US-Nepali military relationship focuses on support for democratic institutions, civilian control of the military, and the professional military ethic to include respect for human rights. The US would support Nepal with arms, ammunition and additional commandos and soldiers if war began with neighboring China, but resisted giving any support if war broke out with India as it is an essential US ally in the Asia-Pacific region against China. Nepal also signed the COMCASA agreement with the US in the 2+2 meeting in September 2018. Both countries have had extensive contact over the years. Nepali Army units have served with distinction alongside American forces in places such as Haiti, Iraq, and Somalia.

US-Nepali military engagement continues today through the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program, Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC) program, Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), and various conferences and seminars. The US military sends many Nepali Army officers to America to attend military schools, such as the Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College. The IMET budget for FY2001 was $220,000.

The EIPC program is an inter-agency program between the US Department of Defense and US Department of State to increase the pool of international peacekeepers and to promote interoperability. Nepal received about $1.9 million in EIPC funding.[when?]

The US Commander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC) coordinates military engagement with Nepal through the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC). The ODC Nepal is located in the American Embassy in Kathmandu.

Units Edit

The first four army units are the Shreenath, Kali Baksh (Kalibox), Barda Bahadur, and Sabuj companies, founded in August 1762 by King Prithvi Narayan Shah with the Chhetri and Thakuri clans, well before the unification of Nepal. The Purano Gorakh Company was founded in February 1763 and is the army's fifth oldest unit.[19]

 
Flag of Purano Gorakh
  • Shree Nath Battalion – established 1762
  • Shree Kali Buksh Battalion – established 1762
  • Shree Barda Bahadur Battalion – established 1762
  • Shree Sabuj Battalion – established 1762
  • Shree Purano Gorakh Battalion – established 1763
  • Shree Devi Datta Battalion – established 1783
  • Shree Naya Gorakh Battalion – established 1783
  • Shree Bhairavi Dal Battalion – established 1785
  • Shree Singhanath Battalion – established 1786 (commando)
  • Shree Shreejung Battalion – established 1783
  • Shree Ranabhim Battalion – established 1783
  • Shree Naya Shree Nath Battalion – established 1783
  • Shree Vajradal Company – established 1806
  • Shree Shree Mehar Battalion – established 1779
  • Shree "The Famous" Mahindra Dal Battalion – established 1844
  • Shree Rajdal Regiment (Artillery) (currently expanded to three additional independent Artillery regiments)
  • Shree Ganeshdal Battalion – established 1846 (signals and communications)
  • Shree Nepal Cavalry – established 1849, Household Cavalry ceremonial unit since 1952
  • Shree Kali Prasad Battalion (Engineers) – established 1863
  • Shree Bhairavnath Battalion – established 1910 (parachute battalion)
  • Shree Bhagvati Prasad Company – established 1927
  • Shree Khadga Dal Battalion – established 1937
  • Shree Parshwavarti Company – established 1936 (served as PM's bodyguard unit and disbanded in 1952)
  • Shree Gorkah Bahadur Battalion – established 1952 (infantry unit, then developed for royal guard duty)
  • Shree Jagadal Battalion (air defence)
  • Shree Yuddha Kawaj Battalion (mechanized infantry)
  • Shree Mahabir Battalion (Rangers Battalion, equivalent to the US Army Rangers (part of the Nepali Army Special Operation Force))
  • Shree Chandan Nath Battalion – established 2004 (infantry unit)
  • Shree Tara Dal Battalion – established 2002 (infantry unit)
  • Shree No 1 Disaster Management Battalion – established 2012
  • Shree No 2 Disaster Management Battalion – established 2012

Schools Edit

  • Nepalese Army Command and Staff College, Shivapuri
  • Nepalese Army War College, Nagarkot
  • Nepalese Military Academy, Kharipati
  • Nepalese Army Recruit Training Center, Trishuli
  • Nepalese Army Jungle Warfare School, Amlekhgunj
  • Nepalese Army High Altitude and Mountain Warfare School, Mustang
  • Nepalese Army Intelligence School, Kharipati
  • Nepalese Army Logistics School, Chhauni
  • Birendra Peace Keeping Operation Training Center, Panchkhal
  • Nepalese Army Para Training School, Maharajgunj
  • Nepalese Army EME school, Kharipati

Women Participation in Nepal Army Edit

The unofficial participation of women in Nepal Army was first during the Anglo-Nepalese War on Battle of Nalapani. Battle of Nalapani was the first battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–1816, fought between the forces of the British East India Company and Nepal, then ruled by the Gorkha Kingdom. Nepalese women were heavily involved in this battle supporting the male Gurkha warriors. With no automatic weapons in hands Nepalese women fought with British troops with stones and woods. According to Nepal Army YouTube channel "Nepali Army" programme Nepali Senama Mahila Sahabhagita (documentary) - Episode 405, the official participation of women in Nepal Army started in 1961 in the post of Nurse. The timeline of official women's participation in Nepal Army is as follow:

  • 1961 - Nurses
  • 1965 - Parachute folding women team
  • 1969 - Medical doctors
  • 1998 - Lawyers
  • 2004 - Engineering
  • 2011 - Aviation

Notable Female Officers of Nepal Army Edit

  • Brigadier General Dr. Radha Shah - First woman to become Brigadier General of Nepal Army
  • Brigadier General Dr. Narvada Thapa - First female staff of Nepal Army to get doctorate degree (P.Hd)
  • Colonel Dr. Sarita K.C - First Nepalese army female personnel to join UN Peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL)
  • Major Kriti Rajbhandari - First woman observer military liaison officer from Nepal Army
  • Colonel Yvetta Rana - First woman officer of Judge Advocate General Department of Nepal Army
  • Lieutenant Colonel Sovana Rayamajhi - First woman officer to join IT Department of Nepal Army
  • Major Niru Dhungana - One of the first female military pilots
  • Major Anita Ale Magar - One of the first female military pilots
  • Major Shristhi Khadka - First woman company commander of Nepal Army

Equipment Edit

The majority of equipment used by the army is imported from other countries. India is the army's largest supplier of arms and ammunition as well as other logistical equipment, which are often furnished under generous military grants.[20] Germany, the United States, Belgium, Israel, and South Korea have also either supplied or offered arms to the Nepali Army.[21]

The army's first standard rifle was the Belgian FN FAL, which it adopted in 1960.[21] Nepali FALs were later complemented by unlicensed, Indian-manufactured variants of the same weapon, as well its British counterpart, the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle.[21] Beginning in 2002 these were officially supplemented in army service by the American M-16 rifle, which took the FAL's place as the army's standard service rifle.[21] Nevertheless, the FAL and its respective variants remain the single most prolific weapon in Nepali army service, with thousands of second-hand examples being supplied by India as late as 2005.[20]

Small arms Edit

Weapon Origin Type Calibre Notes
Pistols
Hi-Power   Belgium Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm FN P-35 variant.[22]
Submachine guns
MP5[20]   West Germany Submachine Gun 9×19mm
Sten[22]   United Kingdom Submachine Gun
Sterling[22]
Uzi[23]   Israel
Rifle and Carbines
INSAS rifle[21]   India Assault rifle 5.56×45mm The Nepali Army had about 25,000 INSAS rifles in 2006.[24]
G36   Germany
M-16   United States Standard service rifle of the Nepali Army.[21]
CAR-15[20] Carbine
M4 carbine Carbine
IMI Galil[20]   Israel Assault rifle
IWI Tavor Assault rifle Used by Army Special Forces, Ranger Battalion.
Tavor X95 Assault rifle Used by Army Special Forces, Ranger Battalion. Often seen with GL40 UBGL, shown to be OTB compatible.
IWI ACE Assault rifle 7.62×39mm Limited use by Military Police.[25]
AKM   Soviet Union Assault rifle Confiscated from Maoist guerrillas during insurgency.[20]
Type 56   China Assault rifle 300 purchased from China in 2010.[20]
L1A2 SLR   United Kingdom Battle rifle 7.62×51mm Unlicensed Indian variant designated 1A1.[21]
FN FAL[21]   Belgium
PSG1[20]   Germany Sniper rifle
Ishapore 2A1   India Bolt-action rifle Indian licensed copy of the No. III Enfield, modified for use with 7.62 NATO. New production action and barrel, recycled buttstock from No. III Enfields.[20]
Machine guns
FN Minimi   Belgium Light machine gun 5.56×45mm 5,500 purchased from Belgium in 2002.[21] Principal LMG/SAW
M249   United States 300 supplied as military aid from the US.[20] Functionally identical to FN Minimi
Bren L4A4[22]   United Kingdom 7.62×51mm Used in outposts and basic automatic fire training
FN MAG[22]   Belgium General Purpose Machine Gun Principal GPMG, used on vehicle mounts.

Heavy weapons Edit

Weapon Origin Type Calibre Notes
Air defence
Bofors L/70[26]   Sweden Anti-aircraft gun 40mm
QF 3.7-inch AA gun[26]   United Kingdom 94mm 45 in service.
Artillery
OTO Melara Mod 56   Italy Pack howitzer 105mm 14 in service.[27]
Mortar
120-PM-43   Soviet Union Mortar 120mm 70 in service[28]
M 29   United States Mortar 81mm [28]

Vehicles Edit

Rank structure Edit

Commissioned officers Edit

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
  Nepali Army[30]
                    No insignia
महारथी (प्रधानसेनापती)
Mahārathī (pradhānasēnāpatī)
रथी
Rathī
उपरथी
Uparathī
सहायक रथी
Sahaayak rathee
महासेनानी
Mahāsēnānī
प्रमुख सेनानी
Pramukh senaanee
सेनानी
Senaanee
सहसेनानी
Sahasēnānī
उपसेनानी
Upasēnānī
सहायक सेनानी
Sahaayak senaanee
अधिकृत क्याडेट
Adhikr̥ta kyāḍēṭa
COAS General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Officer cadet

Other ranks Edit

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
  Nepali Army[30]
            No insignia No insignia
प्रमुख सुवेदार
Pramukh Suvēdār
सुवेदार
Suvēdār
जमदार
Jamadār
हुद्दा
Huddā
अमल्दार
Amaldār
प्यूठ
Piyuth
सिपाही
Sipahi
फलोअर्स
Phaloars
Chief warrant officer Warrant officer first class Warrant officer second class Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private Followers

See also Edit

Notes Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ "Nepali Army | नेपाली सेना". www.nepalarmy.mil.np. 15 February 2018. from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Nepal Army to observe Army Day on Monday". myRepublica. 2 March 2019. from the original on 20 January 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  3. ^ Haviland, Charles (19 May 2006). "Erasing the 'royal' in Nepal". BBC News. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  4. ^ "Thapa to take charge of Nepali Army as acting CoAS". 9 August 2018.
  5. ^ "New chief faces daunting task rebuilding Nepal Army's image". kathmandupost.com.
  6. ^ a b c Adhikari 2015, p. 154.
  7. ^ a b c Adhikari 2015, p. 153.
  8. ^ a b Adhikari 2015, p. 155.
  9. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 149.
  10. ^ Acharya 2012, p. 215.
  11. ^ Nepal 2007, p. 105.
  12. ^ Nepal 2007, p. 106.
  13. ^ Acharya 2012, p. 160.
  14. ^ Oldfield 1880, p. 311.
  15. ^ Nepal 2007, p. 109.
  16. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 164.
  17. ^ . Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on 23 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  19. ^ Nepal Army Day The Kathmandu Post 9 March 2013[dead link]
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j (PDF). Geneva: Small Arms Survey. May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 July 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h i Graduate Institute of International Studies (2003). Small Arms Survey 2003: Development Denied. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 97–113. ISBN 978-0199251759.
  22. ^ a b c d e Hogg, Ian (1991). Jane's Infantry Weapons (17 ed.). Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. p. 747. ISBN 978-0710609632.
  23. ^ Sharma, Haridev (2012). Tripathi, Devi Prasad (ed.). Nepal in Transition: A Way Forward. New Delhi: Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. p. 57. ISBN 978-9381411070.
  24. ^ "Wikileaks news: Why Nepal king Gyanendra shed power". The Economic Times. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  25. ^ "Exercise Shanti Prayas III Closing Ceremony". DVIDS. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  26. ^ a b Pretty, Ronald (1983). Jane's Weapon Systems, 1983–84 (1983 ed.). Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. p. 876. ISBN 978-0-7106-0776-8.
  27. ^ Christopher F. Foss (2001). Jane's Armour and Artillery (2002 ed.). Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. p. 740. ISBN 978-0710623096.
  28. ^ a b c d e "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  29. ^ Leon Engelbrecht (3 January 2011). "South African Arms Exports". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  30. ^ a b Nepali Army. "Nepali Army Rank Structure". Nepalarmy.mil.np. Nepali Army. Retrieved 25 August 2018.

Further reading Edit

  • Acharya, Baburam (2012), Acharya, Shri Krishna (ed.), Janaral Bhimsen Thapa : Yinko Utthan Tatha Pattan (in Nepali), Kathmandu: Education Book House, p. 228, ISBN 9789937241748
  • Adhikari, Indra (2015), Military and Democracy in Nepal, Routledge, ISBN 9781317589068
  • Nepal, Gyanmani (2007), Nepal ko Mahabharat (in Nepali) (3rd ed.), Kathmandu: Sajha, p. 314, ISBN 9789993325857
  • Oldfield, Henry Ambrose (1880), Sketches from Nipal, Vol 1, vol. 1, London: W.H. Allan & Co.
  • Pradhan, Kumar L. (2012), Thapa Politics in Nepal: With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa, 1806–1839, New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company, p. 278, ISBN 9788180698132

External links Edit

  • Official website of the Nepali Army
  • Nepal
  • Background Note: Nepal
  • Prem Singh Basnyat | Nepalese Army In The History Of Nepal
  • The Deft Politicking of Nepal’s Army, 2013
  • Ghimire, S. (2016). Security Sector Reform Organic: Infrastructure for Peace as an Entry Point? Peacebuilding.

nepali, army, nepali, romanized, nēpālī, sēnā, also, referred, gorkhali, army, रख, gōrakhālī, sēnā, gorkhas, land, service, branch, nepali, armed, forces, after, gorkha, kingdom, founded, 1559, army, established, 1560, accordingly, known, gorkhali, army, army,. The Nepali Army Nepali न प ल स न romanized Nepali Sena also referred as the Gorkhali Army ग रख ल स न Gōrakhali Sena see Gorkhas is the land service branch of the Nepali Armed Forces After the Gorkha Kingdom was founded in 1559 its army was established in 1560 and was accordingly known as the Gorkhali Army The army later became known as the Royal Nepali Army RNA following the Unification of Nepal when the Gorkha Kingdom expanded its territory to include the whole country by conquering and annexing the other states in the region resulting in the establishment of a single united Hindu monarchy over all of Nepal It was officially renamed simply to the Nepali Army on 28 May 2008 upon the abolition of the 240 year old Nepalese monarchy and of the 449 year old rule of the Shah dynasty shortly after the Nepalese Civil War Nepali Armyन प ल स न Emblem of the Nepali ArmyFounded1560 1560 CountryNepalTypeArmyRoleLand operationsSize98 000 active 82 000 reserve Part ofNepalese Armed ForcesGarrisonJangi Adda Bhadrakali Kathmandu Bagmati stateNickname s The GurkhasMotto s Better to die than to be a cowardAnniversariesMaha Shivratri 1 2 EngagementsSee list In the Indian subcontinent 1763 Mughal Bengal Subah invasion of Nepal Battle of Sindhuli Battle of Kirtipur Battle of Kathmandu Battle of Bhaktapur Sino Nepalese War Gurkha Sikh War Anglo Nepalese War Nepalese Tibetan War Indian Rebellion of 1857 First Waziristan Campaign Second Waziristan Campaign Third Waziristan Campaign Nepalese Civil War 1996 2006 Outside of the Indian subcontinent World War I see Nepalese casualties Third Anglo Afghan War World War II see Nepalese casualties Somali Civil War Second Sudanese Civil War Sierra Leone Civil War Eritrean Ethiopian War 1999 East Timorese crisis Syrian Civil WarWebsitenepalarmy mil npCommandersChief of Army StaffGeneral Prabhu Ram SharmaVice Chief of Army StaffLieutenant General Saroj Pratap RanaAssistant Chief of Army StaffLieutenant General Sitaram KhadkaNotablecommandersKalu Pande Ram Krishna Kunwar Vamsharaj Pande Abhiman Singh Basnyat Damodar Pande Amar Singh Thapa Nepal Army s Guruju Paltan a ceremonial infantry company in traditional uniformKhukuri Karda and Chakmak Khukuri is the symbolic weapon of the Nepali ArmyThe Nepali Army has participated in various conflicts throughout its history going as far back as the Nepali unification campaign launched by Prithvi Narayan Shah of the Gorkha Kingdom It has engaged in an extensive number of battles within South Asia and continues to take part in global conflicts as part of United Nations peacekeeping coalitions The Nepali Army is headquartered in Kathmandu and the incumbent Chief of Army Staff is General Prabhu Ram Sharma Contents 1 History 2 Organization 2 1 Supreme Command 2 2 The National Defence Council 2 3 Divisions 2 4 Chiefs of the Nepali Army 3 Operations 3 1 Conflicts defending the Kingdom of Nepal 3 2 Battles during the unification of Nepal 3 3 International conflicts 3 4 International operations 3 5 US Nepal military relations 4 Units 5 Schools 6 Women Participation in Nepal Army 6 1 Notable Female Officers of Nepal Army 7 Equipment 7 1 Small arms 7 2 Heavy weapons 7 3 Vehicles 8 Rank structure 8 1 Commissioned officers 8 2 Other ranks 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further reading 13 External linksHistory Edit nbsp Nepali national soldiers by Gustave Le Bon 1885The Nepal unification campaign was a turning point in the history of the Nepali army Since unification was not possible without a strong army the management of the armed forces had to be exceptional Apart from the standard Malla era temples in Kathmandu the army organized itself in Gorkha After the Gorkhali troops captured Nuwakot the hilly northern part of Kathmandu Kantipur in 1744 the Gorkhali armed forces came to be known as the Royal Nepali Army Their performance impressed their enemies so much that the British East India Company started recruiting Nepali troops into their forces The native British soldiers called the new soldiers Gurkhas The Gurkha Sikh War began shortly after in 1809 In 1946 the Royal Nepali Army troops were led by Commanding General Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana at the Victory Parade in London Former Indian Army Chief and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw once stated that If a man says he is not afraid of dying he is either lying or he is a Gorkhali Prior to 2006 the Royal Nepali Army was under the control of the King of Nepal Following the 2006 Democracy Movement Nepali ल कतन त र आन द लन romanized Loktantra Andolan on 18 May a bill was passed by the Nepali parliament curtailing royal power which included renaming the army to simply the Nepali Army 3 In 2004 Nepal spent 99 2 million on its military 1 5 of its GDP Between 2002 and 2006 the RNA was involved in the Nepali Civil War They were also used to quell pro democracy protesters during the 2006 democracy movement Organization EditSee also Nepalese Army Air Service nbsp Nepal Army soldiers on Army DayThe Nepali Army has about 95 000 infantry army and air service members protecting the sovereignty of Nepal In August 2018 The Himalayan Times estimated total army forces to be around 96 000 4 while The Kathmandu Post estimated it to be 92 000 5 Supreme Command Edit The position of the Supreme Commander of the Nepalese Army is the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal Until 2006 the King of Nepal monarchy abolished was in control of all military forces in the country The National Army was renamed from Royal Nepalese Army to Nepalese Army after the recent national conversion from a monarchy to a republic on 4th Jestha 2063 B S The National Defence Council Edit This Council has seven members the Prime Minister the Defence Minister the Chief of the Army Staff Foreign Minister Finance Minister Home Minister and the Chief Secretary The President of Nepal is the Supreme Commander In Chief Divisions Edit The Nepalese Army is divided into eight divisions one each in the seven states and one in the Kathmandu Valley In addition there are at least 7 independent units Army Aviation Directorate Special Forces Brigade VVIP Security Artillery Brigade Signals Brigade Engineers Brigade Air Defense BrigadeChiefs of the Nepali Army Edit For list of Army Chiefs see Chief of the Nepalese Army The Chiefs of the Nepali Army have mostly been drawn from noble Chhetri families from the Gorkha Kingdom such as the Pande dynasty Kunwar family Basnyat dynasty and Thapa dynasty before the rule of the Rana dynasty 6 During the Shah monarchy the officers were drawn from these aristocratic families 6 During the Rana dynasty Ranas claimed the position as their birthright 6 The first army chief of was King Prithvi Narayan Shah who drafted and commanded the army 7 The first civilian army chief was Kalu Pande a Kaji who had a significant role in the unification campaign 7 He was considered head of the army due to his undertaking of army duties and responsibilities not by a formal title 7 Bhimsen Thapa Mukhtiyar from 1806 to 1837 was the first person to be given the title Commander in Chief as head of the army 8 King Rajendra Bikram Shah appointed Bhimsen to the post and praised him for his long service to the nation 9 However on 14 June 1837 the King took over command of all battalions put in charge of various courtiers and became the commander in chief 10 11 Immediately after the incarceration of the Thapas in 1837 Dalbhanjan Pande and Rana Jang Pande were the joint heads of the military administration 12 Rana Jang was removed after three months in October 1837 13 14 15 16 Since the command of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen only seven army chiefs were non Rana Chhetris including Shahs until 1951 8 The commander in chief title was replaced by Chief of the Army Staff COAS from the reign of General Pratap Singh Shah Operations EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Nepali Army news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Conflicts defending the Kingdom of Nepal Edit Battle against Mir Qasim 1763 Battle of Pauwa Gadhi against Captain Kinloch 1767 Anglo Nepali War 1814 1816 First Nepal Tibet War Nepal China War 1788 1792 Nepal Tibet War 1855 1856 Nepali Civil War 1996 2006 Battles during the unification of Nepal Edit Main article Unification of Nepal Battle of Kirtipur Battle of Kathmandu Battle of Bhaktapur Limbuwan Gorkha War Invasion of Doti KingdomInternational conflicts Edit Indian Sepoy Mutiny World War I Casualties Waziristan War which Afghan War 1919 World War II Hyderabad Action 1948 International operations Edit The Nepali Army has contributed more than 100 000 peacekeepers to a variety of United Nations sponsored peacekeeping missions such as United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL UNOSOMII the United Nations Protection Force UNPROFOR UN Operational Mission Somalia II MINUSTAH the United Nations Mission in Haiti UNAMSIL an 800 man battalion was sent to serve in the peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone UNMIS The Nepali Army sent a protection company of 200 personnel for the United Nations Mission In Sudan The Redeployment Coordination Headquarters RCHQ at Kassala was also manned by the Nepali contingent The RCHQ was intended to monitor withdrawals from the eastern sectors of the UNMIS area under the Sudan Comprehensive Peace Accord UNDOF MINUSMA For the first time 17 18 the Nepali Army sent an EOD company of 140 personnel specially dedicated to the improvised explosive device IED and ordnance disposal mission in Mali US Nepal military relations Edit nbsp Mahabir Ranger with a US soldierSee also Nepal United States relations The US Nepali military relationship focuses on support for democratic institutions civilian control of the military and the professional military ethic to include respect for human rights The US would support Nepal with arms ammunition and additional commandos and soldiers if war began with neighboring China but resisted giving any support if war broke out with India as it is an essential US ally in the Asia Pacific region against China Nepal also signed the COMCASA agreement with the US in the 2 2 meeting in September 2018 Both countries have had extensive contact over the years Nepali Army units have served with distinction alongside American forces in places such as Haiti Iraq and Somalia US Nepali military engagement continues today through the International Military Education and Training IMET program Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities EIPC program Global Peace Operations Initiative GPOI and various conferences and seminars The US military sends many Nepali Army officers to America to attend military schools such as the Command and General Staff College and the US Army War College The IMET budget for FY2001 was 220 000 The EIPC program is an inter agency program between the US Department of Defense and US Department of State to increase the pool of international peacekeepers and to promote interoperability Nepal received about 1 9 million in EIPC funding when The US Commander in Chief Pacific Command CINCPAC coordinates military engagement with Nepal through the Office of Defense Cooperation ODC The ODC Nepal is located in the American Embassy in Kathmandu Units EditThe first four army units are the Shreenath Kali Baksh Kalibox Barda Bahadur and Sabuj companies founded in August 1762 by King Prithvi Narayan Shah with the Chhetri and Thakuri clans well before the unification of Nepal The Purano Gorakh Company was founded in February 1763 and is the army s fifth oldest unit 19 nbsp Flag of Purano GorakhShree Nath Battalion established 1762 Shree Kali Buksh Battalion established 1762 Shree Barda Bahadur Battalion established 1762 Shree Sabuj Battalion established 1762 Shree Purano Gorakh Battalion established 1763 Shree Devi Datta Battalion established 1783 Shree Naya Gorakh Battalion established 1783 Shree Bhairavi Dal Battalion established 1785 Shree Singhanath Battalion established 1786 commando Shree Shreejung Battalion established 1783 Shree Ranabhim Battalion established 1783 Shree Naya Shree Nath Battalion established 1783 Shree Vajradal Company established 1806 Shree Shree Mehar Battalion established 1779 Shree The Famous Mahindra Dal Battalion established 1844 Shree Rajdal Regiment Artillery currently expanded to three additional independent Artillery regiments Shree Ganeshdal Battalion established 1846 signals and communications Shree Nepal Cavalry established 1849 Household Cavalry ceremonial unit since 1952 Shree Kali Prasad Battalion Engineers established 1863 Shree Bhairavnath Battalion established 1910 parachute battalion Shree Bhagvati Prasad Company established 1927 Shree Khadga Dal Battalion established 1937 Shree Parshwavarti Company established 1936 served as PM s bodyguard unit and disbanded in 1952 Shree Gorkah Bahadur Battalion established 1952 infantry unit then developed for royal guard duty Shree Jagadal Battalion air defence Shree Yuddha Kawaj Battalion mechanized infantry Shree Mahabir Battalion Rangers Battalion equivalent to the US Army Rangers part of the Nepali Army Special Operation Force Shree Chandan Nath Battalion established 2004 infantry unit Shree Tara Dal Battalion established 2002 infantry unit Shree No 1 Disaster Management Battalion established 2012 Shree No 2 Disaster Management Battalion established 2012Schools EditNepalese Army Command and Staff College Shivapuri Nepalese Army War College Nagarkot Nepalese Military Academy Kharipati Nepalese Army Recruit Training Center Trishuli Nepalese Army Jungle Warfare School Amlekhgunj Nepalese Army High Altitude and Mountain Warfare School Mustang Nepalese Army Intelligence School Kharipati Nepalese Army Logistics School Chhauni Birendra Peace Keeping Operation Training Center Panchkhal Nepalese Army Para Training School Maharajgunj Nepalese Army EME school KharipatiWomen Participation in Nepal Army EditThe unofficial participation of women in Nepal Army was first during the Anglo Nepalese War on Battle of Nalapani Battle of Nalapani was the first battle of the Anglo Nepalese War of 1814 1816 fought between the forces of the British East India Company and Nepal then ruled by the Gorkha Kingdom Nepalese women were heavily involved in this battle supporting the male Gurkha warriors With no automatic weapons in hands Nepalese women fought with British troops with stones and woods According to Nepal Army YouTube channel Nepali Army programme Nepali Senama Mahila Sahabhagita documentary Episode 405 the official participation of women in Nepal Army started in 1961 in the post of Nurse The timeline of official women s participation in Nepal Army is as follow 1961 Nurses 1965 Parachute folding women team 1969 Medical doctors 1998 Lawyers 2004 Engineering 2011 AviationNotable Female Officers of Nepal Army Edit Brigadier General Dr Radha Shah First woman to become Brigadier General of Nepal Army Brigadier General Dr Narvada Thapa First female staff of Nepal Army to get doctorate degree P Hd Colonel Dr Sarita K C First Nepalese army female personnel to join UN Peacekeeping mission UNIFIL Major Kriti Rajbhandari First woman observer military liaison officer from Nepal Army Colonel Yvetta Rana First woman officer of Judge Advocate General Department of Nepal Army Lieutenant Colonel Sovana Rayamajhi First woman officer to join IT Department of Nepal Army Major Niru Dhungana One of the first female military pilots Major Anita Ale Magar One of the first female military pilots Major Shristhi Khadka First woman company commander of Nepal ArmyEquipment EditThe majority of equipment used by the army is imported from other countries India is the army s largest supplier of arms and ammunition as well as other logistical equipment which are often furnished under generous military grants 20 Germany the United States Belgium Israel and South Korea have also either supplied or offered arms to the Nepali Army 21 The army s first standard rifle was the Belgian FN FAL which it adopted in 1960 21 Nepali FALs were later complemented by unlicensed Indian manufactured variants of the same weapon as well its British counterpart the L1A1 Self Loading Rifle 21 Beginning in 2002 these were officially supplemented in army service by the American M 16 rifle which took the FAL s place as the army s standard service rifle 21 Nevertheless the FAL and its respective variants remain the single most prolific weapon in Nepali army service with thousands of second hand examples being supplied by India as late as 2005 20 Small arms Edit Weapon Origin Type Calibre NotesPistolsHi Power nbsp Belgium Semi automatic pistol 9 19mm FN P 35 variant 22 Submachine gunsMP5 20 nbsp West Germany Submachine Gun 9 19mmSten 22 nbsp United Kingdom Submachine GunSterling 22 Uzi 23 nbsp IsraelRifle and CarbinesINSAS rifle 21 nbsp India Assault rifle 5 56 45mm The Nepali Army had about 25 000 INSAS rifles in 2006 24 G36 nbsp GermanyM 16 nbsp United States Standard service rifle of the Nepali Army 21 CAR 15 20 CarbineM4 carbine CarbineIMI Galil 20 nbsp Israel Assault rifleIWI Tavor Assault rifle Used by Army Special Forces Ranger Battalion Tavor X95 Assault rifle Used by Army Special Forces Ranger Battalion Often seen with GL40 UBGL shown to be OTB compatible IWI ACE Assault rifle 7 62 39mm Limited use by Military Police 25 AKM nbsp Soviet Union Assault rifle Confiscated from Maoist guerrillas during insurgency 20 Type 56 nbsp China Assault rifle 300 purchased from China in 2010 20 L1A2 SLR nbsp United Kingdom Battle rifle 7 62 51mm Unlicensed Indian variant designated 1A1 21 FN FAL 21 nbsp BelgiumPSG1 20 nbsp Germany Sniper rifleIshapore 2A1 nbsp India Bolt action rifle Indian licensed copy of the No III Enfield modified for use with 7 62 NATO New production action and barrel recycled buttstock from No III Enfields 20 Machine gunsFN Minimi nbsp Belgium Light machine gun 5 56 45mm 5 500 purchased from Belgium in 2002 21 Principal LMG SAWM249 nbsp United States 300 supplied as military aid from the US 20 Functionally identical to FN MinimiBren L4A4 22 nbsp United Kingdom 7 62 51mm Used in outposts and basic automatic fire trainingFN MAG 22 nbsp Belgium General Purpose Machine Gun Principal GPMG used on vehicle mounts Heavy weapons Edit Weapon Origin Type Calibre NotesAir defenceBofors L 70 26 nbsp Sweden Anti aircraft gun 40mmQF 3 7 inch AA gun 26 nbsp United Kingdom 94mm 45 in service ArtilleryOTO Melara Mod 56 nbsp Italy Pack howitzer 105mm 14 in service 27 Mortar120 PM 43 nbsp Soviet Union Mortar 120mm 70 in service 28 M 29 nbsp United States Mortar 81mm 28 Vehicles Edit Vehicle Origin Type Quantity NotesArmoured carsDaimler Ferret nbsp United Kingdom Scout car 40 28 Ferret Mk4 variant 28 Armoured personnel carriersCasspir nbsp South Africa MRAP 37 29 Aditya nbsp India 124 28 VN 4 nbsp China 63OT 64 nbsp Czechoslovakia Armoured personnel carrier 8WZ551 nbsp China Infantry fighting vehicle 5 Acquired from China in 2005 Rank structure EditMain article Military ranks of Nepal Commissioned officers Edit Rank group General flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet nbsp Nepali Army 30 vte nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp No insigniaमह रथ प रध नस न पत Maharathi pradhanasenapati रथ Rathi उपरथ Uparathi सह यक रथ Sahaayak rathee मह स न न Mahasenani प रम ख स न न Pramukh senaanee स न न Senaanee सहस न न Sahasenani उपस न न Upasenani सह यक स न न Sahaayak senaanee अध क त क य ड ट Adhikr ta kyaḍeṭaCOAS General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Officer cadetOther ranks Edit Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted nbsp Nepali Army 30 vte nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp No insignia No insigniaप रम ख स व द र Pramukh Suvedar स व द र Suvedar जमद र Jamadar ह द द Hudda अमल द र Amaldar प य ठ Piyuth स प ह Sipahi फल अर स PhaloarsChief warrant officer Warrant officer first class Warrant officer second class Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private FollowersOther rank insignia nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Sergeant Major Master Sergeant Sergeant First Class Staff SergeantSee also EditArmed Police Force Nepal Nepal Police List of military operations involving Gurkhas Nepal Army Club Biraj Thapa MagarNotes EditReferences Edit Nepali Army न प ल स न www nepalarmy mil np 15 February 2018 Archived from the original on 1 September 2018 Retrieved 20 January 2021 Nepal Army to observe Army Day on Monday myRepublica 2 March 2019 Archived from the original on 20 January 2021 Retrieved 20 January 2021 Haviland Charles 19 May 2006 Erasing the royal in Nepal BBC News Retrieved 23 September 2006 Thapa to take charge of Nepali Army as acting CoAS 9 August 2018 New chief faces daunting task rebuilding Nepal Army s image kathmandupost com a b c Adhikari 2015 p 154 a b c Adhikari 2015 p 153 a b Adhikari 2015 p 155 Pradhan 2012 p 149 Acharya 2012 p 215 Nepal 2007 p 105 Nepal 2007 p 106 Acharya 2012 p 160 Oldfield 1880 p 311 Nepal 2007 p 109 Pradhan 2012 p 164 In a first NA peacekeepers to dispose explosives under UN mission Archived from the original on 23 October 2014 Retrieved 23 October 2014 NA to deploy 140 soldiers to Mali for peacekeeping News The Kathmandu Post Archived from the original on 23 October 2014 Retrieved 23 October 2014 Nepal Army Day The Kathmandu Post 9 March 2013 dead link a b c d e f g h i j Legacies of War in the Company of Peace Firearms in Nepal PDF Geneva Small Arms Survey May 2013 Archived from the original PDF on 8 July 2014 Retrieved 21 September 2016 a b c d e f g h i Graduate Institute of International Studies 2003 Small Arms Survey 2003 Development Denied Oxford Oxford University Press pp 97 113 ISBN 978 0199251759 a b c d e Hogg Ian 1991 Jane s Infantry Weapons 17 ed Macdonald and Jane s Publishers Ltd p 747 ISBN 978 0710609632 Sharma Haridev 2012 Tripathi Devi Prasad ed Nepal in Transition A Way Forward New Delhi Vij Books India Pvt Ltd p 57 ISBN 978 9381411070 Wikileaks news Why Nepal king Gyanendra shed power The Economic Times 6 September 2011 Retrieved 29 May 2014 Exercise Shanti Prayas III Closing Ceremony DVIDS Retrieved 27 September 2017 a b Pretty Ronald 1983 Jane s Weapon Systems 1983 84 1983 ed Macdonald and Jane s Publishers Ltd p 876 ISBN 978 0 7106 0776 8 Christopher F Foss 2001 Jane s Armour and Artillery 2002 ed Macdonald and Jane s Publishers Ltd p 740 ISBN 978 0710623096 a b c d e Trade Registers Armstrade sipri org Retrieved 20 June 2013 Leon Engelbrecht 3 January 2011 South African Arms Exports Retrieved 5 November 2014 a b Nepali Army Nepali Army Rank Structure Nepalarmy mil np Nepali Army Retrieved 25 August 2018 Further reading EditAcharya Baburam 2012 Acharya Shri Krishna ed Janaral Bhimsen Thapa Yinko Utthan Tatha Pattan in Nepali Kathmandu Education Book House p 228 ISBN 9789937241748 Adhikari Indra 2015 Military and Democracy in Nepal Routledge ISBN 9781317589068 Nepal Gyanmani 2007 Nepal ko Mahabharat in Nepali 3rd ed Kathmandu Sajha p 314 ISBN 9789993325857 Oldfield Henry Ambrose 1880 Sketches from Nipal Vol 1 vol 1 London W H Allan amp Co Pradhan Kumar L 2012 Thapa Politics in Nepal With Special Reference to Bhim Sen Thapa 1806 1839 New Delhi Concept Publishing Company p 278 ISBN 9788180698132External links EditOfficial website of the Nepali Army Official website of the Nepali Army Command and Staff College Nepal Background Note Nepal Nepal List of photographs of 49 Nepali army generals Prem Singh Basnyat Nepalese Army In The History Of Nepal The Deft Politicking of Nepal s Army 2013 Ghimire S 2016 Security Sector Reform Organic Infrastructure for Peace as an Entry Point Peacebuilding Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nepali Army amp oldid 1180118421, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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