New Delhi: In line with the overall policy of increasing military reach in Africa, where China has made major strategic inroads, the army is set to hold an Africa-India field training exercise and a major conference in Pune this month.
Senior army officers took 10-day leave on Friday. AFINDEX The exercise, in which contingents from nine countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) will participate, will begin on March 21. Eleven other countries, including Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Morocco, are sending observers to the exercise, which is being held for the second time after 2019.
The first Africa Heads of State Conference, in turn, will be held on March 28 with the exercise in Pune. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to address the conference, for which 10 chiefs have already confirmed their participation, while another 12 are sending their representatives.
while India does not have China’s economic and military means, New Delhi relies on its longstanding ties with several African countries. India Africa Defense MinisterThe conclave, for example, was held during DefExpo in Lucknow in 2020. This was followed by the India Africa Defense Dialogue during the DefExpo in Gandhinagar last year.
“There has been a very concrete outreach to Africa over the past three years. The upcoming exercise and conclave will build on the initiatives taken to strengthen India-Africa Relations, It also aims to help in capacity-building of African forces in a collaborative manner, said an official.
Senior army officers took 10-day leave on Friday. AFINDEX The exercise, in which contingents from nine countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) will participate, will begin on March 21. Eleven other countries, including Congo, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Morocco, are sending observers to the exercise, which is being held for the second time after 2019.
The first Africa Heads of State Conference, in turn, will be held on March 28 with the exercise in Pune. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to address the conference, for which 10 chiefs have already confirmed their participation, while another 12 are sending their representatives.
while India does not have China’s economic and military means, New Delhi relies on its longstanding ties with several African countries. India Africa Defense MinisterThe conclave, for example, was held during DefExpo in Lucknow in 2020. This was followed by the India Africa Defense Dialogue during the DefExpo in Gandhinagar last year.
“There has been a very concrete outreach to Africa over the past three years. The upcoming exercise and conclave will build on the initiatives taken to strengthen India-Africa Relations, It also aims to help in capacity-building of African forces in a collaborative manner, said an official.
