Indian Army chief arrives today

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will visit Sri Lanka for four days from today as part of efforts to strengthen military cooperation between the two countries, the Defense Ministry said yesterday.

The Army chief is scheduled to meet the political and military brass of Sri Lanka during the visit, his first as Chief of Army Staff, IANS reported. “The visit assumes significance in the light of India’s persistent efforts to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and military cooperation based on mutual interests and understanding,” a Ministry statement said. The Indian Army has been catering not only to the training requirements of its Sri Lankan counterparts, including imparting specific tailor-made training in different fields, but also providing military hardware, it said. During the visit, Gen. Rawat will inaugurate a communication laboratory at the School of Signals in Kandy. The institute was conceptualised and established by the Indian Army to train Sri Lanka Army Signal Corps personnel. Gen. Rawat will also visit Sri Lanka’s military academy at Diyatalawa as part of an exchange of best practices related to pre-commissioning training followed by the two armies. Apart from interacting with the senior leadership of the three defence services, the Army chief will meet regional military commanders in Kandy and Trincomalee.

“The visit is yet another milestone in reaching out to our immediate neighborhood and taking forward military-to-military cooperation to the next level,” the statement added.