In a media interview the defence minister of Nepal exacerbated the spat with an attempt to incite the Gorkha soldiers who serve in the Indian Army. In doing so, he is trying to harm the special bond that exists between India and Nepal. India, Nepal, and UK had signed the tripartite agreement in 1947, according to which 1, 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 Gorkha Rifles joined the Indian Army and 2, 6, 7 and 10 Gurkha Rifles joined the British Army. Over the years, UK has reduced the complement of Gurkhas substantially. India, on the other hand, has increased the number of Gorkha units, with new raisings from time to time. According to an IDSA article of 2017, there are approximately 1,27,000 pensioners (90,000 of the Indian Army and 37,000 of the Central and state governments as well as paramilitary), in Nepal. Some members of the Communist Party in Nepal have tried in the past to strike at this special bond. The institutional strength of the Army and the qualities of the soldiers ensured that they have weathered through crises like the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, and the occasional standoff in the past. In today’s hyperactive social media environment, extra precautions against disinformation would be in order. An outreach to the pensioner community, to sensitise them about the vested interests, may also help.