Marseille [France], February 26 : Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited the French Army's 3rd Division at Fort Ganteaume, where he was briefed on its role and the future roadmap for joint training between India and France, including Exercise SHAKTI, set to take place in France later this year.
As part of his visit, the Army Chief will also witness a dynamic demonstration of the Scorpion Division, featuring live firing exercises on Wednesday, according to an official statement from the Ministry of Defence.
Exercise SHAKTI is an annual joint military drill conducted by the armies of both nations to enhance interoperability and coordination in tactical operations.
"Exercise SHAKTI is an annual joint exercise held between the armies of the two nations aimed at promoting synergy in joint tactical operations and enhancing interoperability," the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) wrote in their X post .
According to a statement from the Ministry of Defence, General Dwivedi arrived in France on an official visit from February 24 to 27 as part of efforts to "bolster" India-France defence cooperation.
On Tuesday, he travelled to Marseille to gain insights into the mission and role of the 3rd Division, India-France training cooperation, and the French Army's modernisation programme, 'Scorpion.'
"The following day, General Dwivedi will visit Carpiagne to witness a dynamic demonstration of the Scorpion Division with live firing exercises," the MoD statement added.
Earlier, on Monday, the COAS met senior French military officials at Les Invalides. The day began with a Guard of Honour, followed by discussions with General Pierre Schill, Chief of Staff of the French Army. "The aim of the meeting will be to foster stronger military ties between the two nations," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
During his visit, General Dwivedi also toured the Ecole Militaire, a prestigious military academy in Paris, where he was briefed on the Future Combat Command (CCF). Additionally, he visited the Technical Section of the French Army (STAT) and the Battle Lab Terre in Versailles to learn about ongoing developments in military technology.
On Thursday, the COAS will visit the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial to lay a wreath in honour of Indian soldiers who fought in World War I. Later, he will deliver a talk at the Ecole de Guerre, the French Joint Staff College, on modern warfare and India's strategic vision.
The visit comes days after India and France held a Bilateral Dialogue on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation in Paris on February 14. The discussions covered nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons-related developments, outer space security, AI in the military domain, lethal autonomous weapons, and multilateral export control regimes.
"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 MoD stated.
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