The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Upendra Dwivedi, has recently concluded his official visit to the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening defence cooperation, military-to-military engagement and strategic partnerships across West Asia and the Indian Ocean Region.

During his visit to the UAE, the COAS held wide-ranging discussions with senior leadership of the UAE Armed Forces, including the Commander of the UAE Land Forces. The interactions focused on enhancing interoperability, expanding joint training initiatives and strengthening professional military exchanges. He also received briefings on the organisation and operational capabilities of the UAE Land Forces and visited key military establishments.

General Dwivedi addressed officers at the UAE National Defence College, highlighting the importance of strategic dialogue and leadership development in addressing regional and global security challenges. He also interacted with the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Dr Deepak Mittal, on issues related to defence diplomacy.

In Sri Lanka, the COAS held substantive discussions with senior military and civil leadership, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary. The talks focused on training cooperation, capacity building, defence education and regional security dynamics.

He addressed officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College and interacted with trainees at the Army War College, Buttala, where he laid the foundation stone for a sports complex and handed over ambulance vans, vehicles and simulators to enhance training and operational capability.

The COAS also paid homage at the IPKF War Memorial, honouring the sacrifice of Indian soldiers and underscoring the deep historical and people-to-people ties between the two nations.

The visit strengthened strategic dialogue, expanded professional military education exchanges and reinforced India’s position as a reliable defence partner committed to peace, stability and cooperative security in the region.