Indian Army chief Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday embarked on a week-long visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, the first ever trip by an army chief to both West Asian states that is expected to significantly boost security ties.
This is Naravane’s third foreign tour this year with diplomatic overtones, following his visits to Myanmar along with foreign secretary Harsh Shringla in October, and to Nepal in November.
“The visit is historic in the sense that it will be the first time an Indian Army chief is visiting the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the Indian Army said in a statement.
Naravane will meet his counterparts and the senior military leadership of the two countries during the tour that will end on December 14. The army chief will be in the UAE during December 9-10, and is scheduled to meet senior military officials to discuss ways to enhance India-UAE defence relations, the statement said.
He will travel to Saudi Arabia for the second leg of the tour during December 13-14 to take forward the “excellent defence cooperation” between the two countries through multiple meetings with senior functionaries of the security establishment, the statement said. Naravane will also exchange views on various defence-related issues.
