Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi concludes visit to UAE and Sri Lanka
New Delhi, Jan 9: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi has concluded his official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sri Lanka from January 5 to 8, aimed at strengthening defence cooperation, enhancing military-to-military engagement and deepening India’s strategic partnerships in West Asia and the Indian Ocean Region.
During his visit to the UAE from January 5 to 6, General Dwivedi held wide-ranging discussions with senior leadership of the UAE Armed Forces, including the Commander of the UAE Land Forces.
The talks focused on expanding defence cooperation, improving interoperability and exploring opportunities for joint training and professional military exchanges. The Army Chief was briefed on the organisation, roles and operational capabilities of the UAE Land Forces and visited key military establishments, where he interacted with officers and troops. He also addressed officers at the UAE National Defence College, highlighting the importance of strategic dialogue, leadership development and shared perspectives on regional and global security challenges.
General Dwivedi also met India’s Ambassador to the UAE, Dr Deepak Mittal, to discuss issues related to defence diplomacy and bilateral cooperation.
From January 7 to 8, the COAS was in Sri Lanka, where he held discussions with senior military and civil leadership, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary. The talks covered training cooperation, capacity building, defence education and regional security issues. As part of India’s defence capacity-building efforts, General Dwivedi addressed officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College and interacted with officers and trainees at the Army War College, Buttala. During the visit, he laid the foundation stone of a Sports Complex, handed over ambulance vans, and presented 20 Mahindra Scorpio vehicles and simulators to the Sri Lanka Army to strengthen its operational and training capabilities. The Army Chief also paid homage at the IPKF War Memorial, honouring the sacrifice of Indian soldiers, and met India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha. The visit helped advance defence and military-to-military cooperation with both countries through enhanced strategic dialogue, expanded professional military education exchanges and concrete capacity-building initiatives. It underscored India’s commitment to being a reliable defence partner and to promoting peace, stability and cooperative security in the Indian Ocean Region and West Asia.
