Military of Nepal
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Nepal's military consists of an army of about 40,000 troops formerly organized into seven infantry brigades including a Royal Palace brigade. The remaining brigades have been disbanded and the army is being retrained and redeployed to deal with the insurgency. There are 36 separate companies located throughout the country. The Air Wing consists of both helicopters and fixed wing transports with limited ground support capability. Training assistance is funded by an annual International Military Education and Training Program (IMET) grant, with training assistance provided by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the Supreme Commander of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA). General Pyar Jung Thapa is the Chief of Army Staff. The RNA has contributed more than 36,000 peacekeepers to a variety of United Nations-sponsored peacekeeping missions such as UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN Protective Force (UNPROFOR), UN Operational Mission Somalia II (UNOSOMII), and UN Mission in Haiti (UNMIH). Currently, Nepal is sending an 800-man battalion to serve in the peacekeeping mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).
The U.S.-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. Both countries have had extensive contact over the years. RNA units have served with distinction alongside American forces in places such as Haiti, Iraq, and Somalia.
U.S.-Nepali military engagement continues today through IMET, Enhanced International Peacekeeping Capabilities (EIPC), and various conferences and seminars. The U.S. military sends many RNA officers to America to attend military schooling such as the Command and General Staff School and the U.S. Army War College. The IMET budget for FY2001 was $220,000.
The EPIC program is an interagency program between the Department of Defense and the Department of State to increase the pool of international peacekeepers and to promote interoperability. Nepal received about $1.9 million in EPIC funding.
Commander in Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC) coordinates military engagement with Nepal through the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC). The ODC Nepal is located in the American Embassy, Kathmandu.
In November 2001, the Nepalese armed forces began military operations against the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).
Statistics
Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 6,674,014 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 303,222 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $57.22 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.1% (FY02)
References
Some information in this article has been taken from the CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.
Gurkhas
Nepal is also notable for the Gurkhas. Significant sections of the British Army and Indian Army are recruited from this ethnic group. This arrangement comes from the days of the East India Company's rule of India when Company troops tried to invade Nepal and were beaten back. Both sides were impressed with the other, and Gurkhas were recruited into the Company's forces. The Ghurkhas remained loyal during the Indian Mutiny of 1858 and were kept on in the Indian Army thereafter. Upon Indian independence in 1947, some units went to British service and some to Indian service, with a Tripartite Agreement signed between the three nations. The Gurkhas are feared troops, and their signature weapon is the extremely effective kukri.