New Delhi, Jan 4: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday embarked on an official two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), marking a significant step in bolstering bilateral military and strategic cooperation. Following the UAE, he is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from January 7 to 8, as part of his foreign tour.
The UAE visit underscores growing defence collaboration under the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which has strengthened in recent years through joint initiatives, high-level exchanges, and professional military cooperation. On arrival, Gen Dwivedi will be received with a Guard of Honour by the UAE Land Forces and will call on senior UAE military leadership, including the Commander of the UAE Land Forces. He will also visit key military establishments and the UAE National Defence College, addressing officers and interacting with troops to further defence cooperation, strategic understanding, and professional military exchanges.
The visit follows recent collaborative engagements, including the second edition of the joint military exercise ‘Desert Cyclone-II’ in Abu Dhabi from December 18 to 30. The exercise focuses on urban warfare, sub-conventional operations, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, and integration of unmanned systems, enhancing interoperability between the Indian Army and UAE Land Forces. Previous reciprocal visits, including those of Maj Gen Yousef Maayouf Saeed Al Hallami, Commander of UAE Land Forces, have further strengthened bilateral defence relations.
During his Sri Lanka visit, Gen Dwivedi will be accorded a Guard of Honour and meet senior military and civil officials, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Defence Secretary. He will engage in discussions on training cooperation, capacity building, and regional security, address officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, and visit the Army War College, Buttala. He will also pay homage at the IPKF War Memorial, honouring Indian soldiers’ sacrifices.
Gen Dwivedi’s visits reflect India’s commitment to deepening defence partnerships, fostering mutual trust, and enhancing interoperability with friendly nations across West Asia and the Indian Ocean region.
