Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi embarks on a 4-day visit to France

New Delhi: Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Sunday left for France for a four-day visit to boost bilateral military cooperation and get a first hand experience on some of the cutting edge military technologies that the European nation possesses.

Coming close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tour to France, the Army Chief ‘s visit includes a trip to the prestigious Military School and Institution Complex in Paris, where he will be briefed on Future Combat Command.

The Army chief will also deliver a talk on India’s strategic vision at the French Joint Staff College, highlighting the evolving nature of modern warfare.

Gen Dwivedi will be briefed at the Technical Section of the French Army (STAT) and visit the Battle Lab Terre at Versailles, says a Defence Ministry spokesperson.

On Feb 25, the Army Chief will travel to Marseille, where he will visit the 3rd Division of the French Army and will be briefed on the mission and role of the 3rd Division, the bilateral exercise Shakti, India-France training cooperation, and the French Army modernisation programme (Scorpion).

The following day, he will visit Carpiagne to witness a dynamic demonstration of the Scorpion Division with live firing exercises.

The Army Chief will end his visit with a the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial on Feb 27 where he will lay a wreath in honour of the fallen Indian soldiers who participated in World War I. Later in the day, he will deliver a talk at the École de Guerre, the French Joint Staff College, highlighting the evolving nature of modern warfare and India's strategic vision.

“General Dwivedi’s visit aims to strengthen the military collaboration between India and France, exploring new avenues of cooperation and enhancing strategic partnerships between the two nations' armed forces,” the spokesperson said.

During his visit to France earlier this month, Prime Minister Modi reached out to the French industry leader inviting them to participate in defence manufacturing business in India, strengthening the Indo-French strategic partnership.