Nepali Army
नेपाली सेना
Emblem of the Nepali Army
Founded	1560; 465 years ago (1560)
Country	Nepal
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	98,000
Part of	Nepalese Armed Forces
Army Headquarters	Jangi Adda,Bhadrakali,Kathmandu,Bagmati Province
Nickname(s)	Gorkhali Army
Motto(s)	Better to die than to be a coward
Anniversaries	Maha Shivratri[1][2]
Engagements	See list: In theIndian 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(seeNepalese casualties) Third Anglo−Afghan War World War II(seeNepalese casualties) Somali Civil War Second Sudanese Civil War Sierra Leone Civil War Eritrean−Ethiopian War 1999 East Timorese crisis Syrian Civil War
Website	nepalarmy.mil.np
Commanders
Supreme Commander-in-chief	President of NepalRam Chandra Poudel
Chief of the Army Staff	GeneralAshok Raj Sigdel
Vice Chief of the Army Staff	Nirmal Kumar Thapa
Notable commanders	Kalu Pande Ram Krishna Kunwar Vamsharaj Pande Abhiman Singh Basnyat Damodar Pande Amar Singh Thapa
Insignia
Flag

TheNepali Army (Nepali:नेपाली सेना,romanized: Nēpālī Sēnā), also referred to as theGorkhali Army (गोरखाली सेना,Gōrakhālī Sēnā; seeGorkhas), is thelandservice branch of theNepali Armed Forces. After theGorkha Kingdom was founded in 1559, its army was established in 1560, and initially became known as theGorkhali Army. Later it was known as theRoyal Nepali Army (RNA) following theUnification 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 singleunited Hindu monarchy over all ofNepal. It was officially renamed simply to theNepali Army on 28 May 2008, upon the abolition of the 240-year-oldNepalese monarchy, and of the 449-year-old rule of theShah dynasty, shortly after theNepalese Civil War.

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

The Nepali Army is headquartered inKathmandu and the incumbentChief of Army Staff is GeneralAshok Raj Sigdel.

TheNepal 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 standardMalla-era temples inKathmandu, the army organized itself inGorkha. After theGorkhali troops capturedNuwakot, 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 theBritish East India Company started recruiting Nepali troops into their forces. The native British soldiers called the new soldiers "Gurkhas". TheGurkha-Sikh War began shortly after, in 1809 and theAnglo-Nepalese War in 1814. It became even more involved in theBritish Indian Army until independence, remaining an independent entity (since it was a protected state of theBritish Raj until 1947, though nominal autonomy had been achieved in 1923). In 1946, the Royal Nepali Army troops were led byCommanding GeneralBaber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana at the Victory Parade inLondon.

Prior to 2006, the Royal Nepali Army was under the control of theKing of Nepal. Following the2006 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 theNepali Civil War. They were also used to quell pro-democracy protesters during the 2006 democracy movement.

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

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.

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.

The Nepalese Army is divided into eight divisions, one each in the seven provinces 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

The chiefs of the Nepali Army were mostly drawn from nobleChhetri families from theGorkha Kingdom such as thePande dynasty,Kunwar family,Basnyat dynasty, andThapa dynasty before the rule of theRana dynasty.^[6] During theShah monarchy, the officers were drawn from these aristocratic families.^[6] During the Rana dynasty, the Ranas claimed the position as theirbirthright.^[6] The first army chief of was KingPrithvi Narayan Shah who drafted and commanded the army.^[7] The first civilian army chief wasKalu Pande, aKaji 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 titleCommander-in-Chief as head of the army.^[8] KingRajendra 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 previously under the charge of various courtiers, and became the commander-in-chief.^[10][11] Immediately after the incarceration of theThapas in 1837,Dalbhanjan Pande andRana 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 ofMukhtiyar Bhimsen, only seven army chiefs were non-Rana-Chhetris, includingShahs (Thakuris), until 1951.^[8] The commander-in-chief title was replaced byChief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Singha Pratap Shah in 1979.

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• Battle againstMir 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)

• Battle of Kirtipur
• Battle of Kathmandu
• Battle of Bhaktapur
• Limbuwan–Gorkha War
• Invasion of Doti Kingdom

• Indian Sepoy Mutiny
• World War I (Casualties)
• Waziristan War^[which?]
• Afghan War (1919)
• World War II
• Hyderabad Action (1948)

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

• United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
• UNOSOMII theUnited Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), UN Operational Mission Somalia II,
• MINUSTAH theUnited Nations Mission in Haiti,
• UNAMSIL – an 800-man battalion was sent to serve in the peacekeeping mission inSierra Leone,
• UNMIS – The Nepali Army sent a protection company of 200 personnel for the United Nations Mission In Sudan. The Redeployment Coordination Headquarters (RCHQ) atKassala was also manned by the Nepali contingent. The RCHQ was intended to monitor withdrawals from the eastern sectors of the UNMIS area under the SudanComprehensive Peace Accord.
• UNDOF,
• MINUSMA – For the first time,^[17][18] the Nepali Army sent anEOD company of 140 personnel specially dedicated to the improvised explosive device (IED) and ordnance disposal mission inMali.

The US-Nepali military relationship focuses on support for democratic institutions,civilian control of the military, and the professional military ethic. 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 theInternational 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 theCommand and General Staff College and theUS Army War College. The IMET budget for FY2001 was $220,000.

The EIPC program is an inter-agency program between theUS Department of Defense andUS 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 USCommander in Chief, Pacific Command (CINCPAC) coordinates military engagement with Nepal through theOffice of Defense Cooperation (ODC). The ODC Nepal is located in the American Embassy inKathmandu.

The first four army units are the Shreenath, Kali Baksh (Kalibox), Barda Bahadur, and Sabuj companies, founded in August 1762 by KingPrithvi Narayan Shah with theGurung,Magar,Chhetri andThakuri 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]

• 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 Ranabam Battalion  – established 1847
• Shree Nepal Cavalry – established 1849, Household Cavalry ceremonial unit since 1952
• Shree Durga Bhanjan Campany – established 1862
• 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 theUS 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

• 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

The unofficial participation of women in Nepal Army was first during theAnglo-Nepalese War onBattle of Nalapani. Battle of Nalapani was the first battle of the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814–1816, fought between the forces of theBritish East India Company and Nepal, then ruled by theGorkha Kingdom. Nepalese women were heavily involved in this battle supporting the maleGurkha warriors. With no firearms in hand, Nepalese women fought British troops with stones and wood.

According to the Nepal Army YouTube channel programme Nepali Senama Mahila Sahabhagita (documentary) - Episode 405, the official participation of women in the Nepal Army started in 1961 in the post of Nurse. Now the regular forces also include a significant number of female soldiers holding key appointments and commands.^[20]The timeline of official women's participation in the Nepal Army is as follow:

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

• 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
• Colonel Sovana Rayamajhi - First woman officer (Computer Engineer) to join the Information Technology 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

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.^[21] Germany, the United States, Belgium, Israel, and South Korea have also either supplied or offered arms to the Nepali Army.^[22]

The army's first standard rifle was the BelgianFN FAL, which it adopted in 1960.^[22] Nepali FALs were later complemented byunlicensed, Indian-manufactured variants of the same weapon, as well its British counterpart, theL1A1 Self-Loading Rifle.^[22] Beginning in 2002 these were officially supplemented in army service by the AmericanM-16 rifle, which took the FAL's place as the army's standard service rifle.^[22] 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.^[21]

Weapon	Image	Origin	Type	Calibre	Notes
Pistols
Browning Hi-Power		Belgium	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19mm Parabellum	FNP-35 variant.[23]
Submachine guns
Heckler & Koch MP5[21]		West Germany	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum
Sten[23]		United Kingdom
Sterling[23]
Uzi[24]		Israel
Rifles andCarbines
INSAS[22]		India	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm	The Nepali Army had about 25,000 INSAS rifles in 2006.[25]
Heckler & Koch G36		Germany
M16		United States			Standard service rifle of the Nepali Army.[22]
CAR-15[21]			Carbine
M4 carbine
Daewoo K2[21]		South Korea	Assault rifle
IMI Galil[21]		Israel
IWI Tavor					Used by Army Special Forces, Ranger Battalion.
IWI Tavor X95					Used by Army Special Forces, Ranger Battalion. Often seen with GL40 UBGL, shown to be OTB compatible.
IWI Galil ACE				7.62×39mm	Limited use by Military Police.[26]
AKM		Soviet Union			Confiscated from Maoist guerrillas during insurgency.[21]
Type 56		China			300 purchased from China in 2010.[21]
L1A1 SLR		United Kingdom	Battle rifle	7.62×51mm	Unlicensed Indian variant designated1A1.[22]
FN FAL[22]		Belgium
Heckler & Koch PSG1[21]		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.[21]
Machine guns
FN Minimi		Belgium	Light machine gun	5.56×45mm	5,500 purchased from Belgium in 2002.[22] Principal LMG/SAW
M249		United States			300 supplied as military aid from the US.[21] Functionally identical to FN Minimi
Bren L4A4[23]		United Kingdom		7.62×51mm	Used in outposts and basic automatic fire training
FN MAG[23]		Belgium	General-purpose machine gun		Principal GPMG, used on vehicle mounts.

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

Vehicle	Image	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
Armoured cars
Daimler Ferret		United Kingdom	Scout car	40[29]	Ferret Mk4 variant.[29]
Armoured personnel carriers
Casspir		South Africa	MRAP	37[30]
Aditya		India		~124[29]
VN-4		China		63
OT-64		Czechoslovakia	Armoured personnel carrier	8
WZ551		China	Infantry fighting vehicle	5	Acquired from China in 2005.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Nepali Army[31] v t e
			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
			COAS General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Nepali Army[31] v t e																													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

• Armed Police Force Nepal
• Nepal Police
• List of military operations involving Gurkhas
• Nepal Army Club
• Biraj Thapa Magar

• 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

• Official 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.

• Military of Nepal
• Armies by country
• Gurkhas
• Nepali Army

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