5 May, 2007 - His Majesty the King granted an audience to Lieutenant General Deepak Kapoor, the Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) of the Indian Army on Thursday, May 3.

Lt. General Deepak Kapoor’s visit to Bhutan is the first visit to any foreign country after he assumed the post of the Vice Chief in January of this year. He was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Kirti Kapoor on the three-day visit.

His Majesty the King expressed his happiness with the strong and intimate ties between Bhutan and India and also the close

cooperation and friendly relations between the Royal Bhutan Army and the Indian Army. His Majesty the King hosted a lunch for the General and his wife at the Dechenchholing palace, the same day.While in Bhutan, the General called on the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Royal Bhutan Army, Goongloen Wogma Batoo Tshering. Speaking to Kuensel, Goongloen Wogma Batoo Tshering said that the visit of the Vice Chief would further strengthen the existing cooperation and close bond of friendship between the two armies.

A veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, Lt. General Deepak Kapoor has served in many important posts in the Indian Army, in a career spanning over four decades. He represented India as the Chief Operations Officer for all United Nations Peace Keeping Forces deployed in Somalia for which he was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal in January 1996.

Lt. General Kapoor was a commander of the Brigade actively involved in operations on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and also commanded an elite division, part of the Strike Corps, during Operation PARAKRAM – a major military exercise launched after the December, 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament.

In addition, Lt. General Kapoor was deeply involved in the successful counter insurgency operations in the Indian state of Assam and also served as a Corps Commander on the Indo-China border, earning him the Ati Vishist Seva Medal in January, 2006.

He also headed the Army Training Command at Shimla as well as the Northern Army. For his relentless efforts during this period, Lt. General Kapoor was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in January of this year.

Among other honors, Lt. General Kapoor has also been appointed as the Honorary Aide-De Camp (ADC) to the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of India, the President of India. He is also the senior Colonel Commandant of the Regiment of Artillery.

As the Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kapoor has played an instrumental role at the highest level in the Indian Army.

Lt. General Deepak Kapoor left Bhutan from Haa on May 4.