Gen Mubeen's visit to boost defence ties: India
India yesterday said the current visit of Bangladesh Army chief Gen Md Abdul Mubeen to the country has a “major significance in the burgeoning defence cooperation between the two countries.”
Gen Mubeen's visit to India from November 28 to December 2 “assumes special significance in the light of improving military cooperation between the two countries in consonance with our growing relationship with Bangladesh,” said an official statement here.
During the visit, Gen Mubeen is scheduled to interact with Indian Defence Minister AK Antony, National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, the chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, the three service chiefs, the defence secretary and other members of Indian Armed Forces hierarchy.
“Maintenance of enhanced military-to-military contacts with Bangladesh by the Indian Army is mutually beneficial to the strategic interests of both the neighbours,” the statement said.
Gen Mubeen will visit Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata and important training establishments and field formations of the Indian army.
“India-Bangladesh relations are multifaceted and founded on historical linkages. The successful culmination of recent visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Bangladesh in September has contributed significantly to the consolidation of the existing ties and given a further boost to the cordial relations between both the nations.
“The high-level visit of both army chiefs in 2008, 2010 and 2011 has boosted our military-to-military relations,” it said.
It said “military-to-military cooperation between Bangladesh and the Indian armed forces encompasses exchange of high and medium level visits, availing of training courses in each other's training institutions, witnessing of designated exercises by military observers from both sides, exchange of war veterans, UN peacekeeping operations, sharing experience in disaster management, sports and adventure activities.”
The visit, said the statement, “will further cement our defence relationship with Bangladesh and add impetus to ongoing defence cooperation.”
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