Describing General Bipin Rawat as a "true friend of the Nepal Army," the Chief of the Army Staff in the Nepal Army, General Prabhu Ram Sharma said he was shocked by the tragic accident, and called up General Rawat's family over phone on Wednesday evening to offer condolences, a statement issued by the Nepal Army said.

The Nepal Army on Thursday expressed grief over the demise of Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, who was killed a day earlier in a chopper crash along with 12 others in the state of Tamil Nadu.

In a statement, the Nepal Army expressed its condolences over the death of Rawat, who was also also Nepal's Honorary Chief of the Army Staff, his wife Madulika and the 11 other military personnel.

General Rawat enjoyed close and cordial ties with Nepal. On March 29, 2017, he was conferred with the title of honorary general of the Nepal Army by President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

General Sharma also offered his condolences to the Indian Army and General Rawat's family by phone and a letter on Wednesday evening, said the statement.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed anguish over the tragic demise of General Bipin Rawat, the first Chief of the Defence Staff, who died in a helicopter crash, and extended his heartfelt condolences to the Indian government and the bereaved families.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife and several defence officials in a helicopter crash. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the Indian Armed Forces," Deuba said in a tweet

General Rawat was conferred with the honorary title of Nepal Army by President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on March 29, 2017. The following year, he visited Kathmandu as Chief Guest for Nepal Army Day.

Senior Nepal Army General Bal Krishna Karki will be attending Gen. Rawat's funeral ceremony in New Delhi.

Hailing from Uttarakhand, General Rawat used to speak the Nepali language very fluently. Nepal's PM Deuba saddened by General Bipin Rawat's demise; Army Chief calls him 'true friend of Nepal Army'

Describing Gen. Rawat as a "true friend of the Nepal Army," the Chief of the Army Staff in the Nepal Army, General Prabhu Ram Sharma said he was shocked by the tragic accident, and called up General Rawat's family over phone on Wednesday evening to offer condolences, a statement issued by the Nepal Army said.

Gen. Rawat took charge as India's first Chief of Defence Staff on December 31, 2019, after serving as the Army Chief for a full three-year term.

The Mi-17V5 helicopter of the Indian Air Force (IAF) carrying the 63-year-old tri-services chief crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, killing 13 of the 14 people on board, including his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel.