Army Chief Calls for Shared Understanding on National Security

Kathmandu, Jan 21 — Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Ashok Raj Sigdel has emphasized the need for a shared understanding among stakeholders on Nepal’s national security agenda, citing the increasingly complex and multi-dimensional nature of current international and regional security challenges.

Speaking at the seminar “The Role of the Defence University in Nepal’s National Security, National Unity and Prosperity”, organized by the Infrastructure Development Committee of the National Defence University, CoAS Sigdel highlighted that weak multilateral alliances, misuse of information technology, and limited decision-making capacities of smaller nations are placing additional pressure on national security.

He noted that Nepal’s geopolitical location, fluid political landscape, migration trends, dependence on foreign employment, declining agriculture, and rising imports are adding to economic and social security complexities. Sigdel stressed the importance of analyzing potential impacts on national and internal security, along with planning short-, medium-, and long-term strategies for effective security management.

“National security today goes beyond traditional military defense; it is closely linked to social stability, good governance, economic prosperity, diplomacy, technology, and all matters affecting national interest,” CoAS Sigdel said. He further highlighted that a coherent security policy can strengthen all relevant agencies, harmonize defense, internal security, public safety, foreign affairs, and economic policies, and enhance resilience during internal and external challenges.

Other speakers at the seminar included Major General Bishnu Raut, who updated on the near-final stage of the Defence University’s curriculum development, and Dr. Shambhuram Singhada, who emphasized the structured and disciplined nature of security forces. Foreign affairs expert Dr. Nishchal Nath Pandey noted the Nepal Army’s role in maintaining stability during the Gen-Z movement. Conflict management expert Dr. Pitambar Bhandari stressed that the Defence University should have dedicated funding for research, while Prof. Dr. Mina Devi Baidya highlighted its role in cultivating strategic leadership. Defence University project chief Binaya Rana advocated linking Nepal’s historical legacy with modern strategic studies.

The Defence University, being constructed in Kavre’s Banepa Municipality–13 and 14 at a cost of Rs 8.63 billion, aims to begin operations from July, offering a three-semester program covering 15 subjects focused on national security and strategic studies.