Nepali Army

The **Nepali Army** (Nepali: नेपाली सेना, <small>romanized:</small> _Nēpālī Sēnā_), technically the **Gorkhali Army** (गोरखाली सेना, _Gōrakhālī Sēnā_; see _Gorkhas_), is the land service branch of the Nepalese Armed Forces. During the period of the Nepali unification campaign, it was known as the _Gorkhali Army_ and later as the _Royal Nepali Army_ following the establishment of a Hindu monarchy in Nepal. It was officially renamed to the Nepali Army on 28 May 2008, following the abolition of the 240-year-old Shah dynasty shortly after the Nepali Civil War.

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, Nepal and the incumbent Chief of Army Staff is General Prabhu Ram Sharma.

## History

The uniting of Nepal was the major start of the army. Since uniting would be hard without a strong army, management had to be very good. Other than temples in Kathmandu, the army organized in Gorkha. After Gorkhali troops captured Nuwakot (a hilly part of north Kathmandu) in 1744, the Gorkhali forces became the Royal Nepali Army.

Their performance was so impressive that the British East India Company started recruiting Nepali troops into their army. British troops called them "Gurkhas". The Nepal–Sikh war came shortly in 1809, and the Anglo-Nepalese War in 1814. It became more involved in the British Indian Army until independence, remaining independent (since it was a protectorate of the British Raj until 1947, though autonomy had been granted in 1923). In 1946, the Royal Nepali Army troops were led by Commanding General Baber Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana at the Victory Parade in London.

Prior to 2006, the Royal Nepali Army was under the King of Nepal. Following the 2006 Democracy Movement () on 18 May, a bill was passed by the Nepali parliament removing the monarchy, which included renaming the army to the Nepali Army. 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 handle protesters during the 2006 democracy movement.

## Infobox (military unit)

- **unit name**: Nepali Army
- **image**: Nepali_Army_Unit_Insignia_Image.png
- **image size**: 200px
- **caption**: Emblem of the Nepali Army
- **country**: Nepal
- **type**: Army
- **role**: Land warfare, Land operations
- **size**: 98,000 Active duty, active-duty
- **command structure**: Nepalese Armed Forces
- **garrison**: Jangi Adda, Bhadrakali, Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, Bagmati Pradesh
- **garrison label**: Garrison
- **motto**: Better to die than to be a coward
- **colors label**: Colours
- **anniversaries**: Maha Shivratri
- **website**: [https://www.nepalarmy.mil.np/ nepalarmy.mil.np]
- **current commander**: General, Gen. Prabhu Ram Sharma
- **commander1 label**: Chief of Army Staff (Nepal), Chief of Army Staff
- **commander2**: Lieutenant General Bal Krishna Karki
- **commander2 label**: Vice chief of Army Staff
- **commander3**: Lieutenant General Saroj Pratap Rana
- **commander3 label**: Assistant Chief of Army Staff
- **native name**: नेपाली सेना