Indian Army chief to visit Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat will embark on a visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan starting from Tuesday with a high-level military delegation, an official statement said.

Gen Rawat will be the first head of the Indian Army to visit Turkmenistan.

Reaching Kazakhstan on Tuesday, he is slated to meet the Defence Minister, Chairman of the National Security Committee, Vice Minister of Defence and Aerospace Industry along with the Commander-in-Chief of Land Forces.

The delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana where he will inaugurate an Indian Military Art Room.

Gen Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan, where he will hold talks with the Minister of Defence and Secretary, the National Security Council, the First Deputy Minister, the Chief of General Staff and the commanders of Land, Naval and Air Defence forces.

The delegation will also visit the Military Institute and Military Academy of Turkmenistan.

"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement added.

Gen Rawat will conclude his two-nation visit on Sunday.

--IANS

ao/ksk/mr