As a part of Defence Expo 2022, the second India-Africa Defence Dialogue was organised in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, said the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday.
The Defence Secretary held a number of bilateral meetings with delegations from African nations here.
A bilateral meeting was conducted with Lt Gen Isman Mohamed Hassan Karar, Secretary General MoD, Sudan. Lt Gen Rashad Abdelhamid Ismail Abdalla, Sudan Army Chief was also present. The ongoing defence cooperation issues and potential areas for future cooperation were discussed.
"A Zambia delegation led by Mr Norman Chipakupaku, Permanent Secretary, MoD Zambia met Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. Issues relating to training and capacity building were discussed, in addition to the review of ongoing bilateral defence cooperation," read an official statement.
Dr Ajay Kumar also met the Niger delegation led by Brigadier General Diddilli Amadou, Secretary General of the Defence Minister, Niger. Potential areas for defence cooperation between the two nations were deliberated.
"A Mali delegation led by Maj Gen Sidiki Samake, Secretary General of the Department met the Defence Secretary. They discussed potential defence cooperation including defence industrial cooperation issues," added the statement.
With an aim to give impetus to the defence sector, India's "biggest ever" defence exhibition - DefExpo 2022 will begin in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on October 18.
This is the 12th edition of the event that has been organised on the theme 'Path to Pride'.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will grace the inaugural ceremony today.
Addressing the curtain raiser press conference in Gandhinagar on Monday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, that the DefExpo 2022 will showcase the growing prowess of the domestic defence industry, calling it one of the major drivers of the nation's resolve to achieve 'Make in India, Make for the World'.
"The biennial exhibition has been organised to support, showcase and forge partnerships for the Indian aerospace and defence manufacturing sectors with Indian as well as global customers to achieve the overall objective of catering to domestic requirements while fulfilling the needs of friendly foreign countries," Singh said.
The Defence Minister termed DefExpo 2022, exclusively for Indian companies, as a humble tribute of an 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' to Mahatma Gandhi who he called the "pillar of the Swadeshi movement".
( With inputs from ANI )
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