His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is the Supreme Commander of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) while Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba serves as Minister of Defense. General Prajwalla S.JB. Rana 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 Nepal.
Military branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49:
6,108,424 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49:
3,174,809 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males:
287,032 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $44 million (FY96/97)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 0.9% (FY96/97)