New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Sunday began a six-day visit to Indonesia to explore ways to further expand bilateral defence cooperation.
In Jakarta, Gen Chauhan is scheduled to call on Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and will hold wide-ranging talks with his Indonesian counterpart Gen Agus Subiyanto.
The Chief of Defence Staff is also expected to meet senior officials of Indonesian armed forces including the chiefs of Indonesian Army, Navy and Air Force.
Gen Chauhan is also scheduled to travel to Bandung and Surabaya and undertake visits to key defence industry establishments, shipyards in these cities with a view to bolstering defence industry cooperation, officials said.
He will also meet senior representatives from key Indonesian defence companies as well as interact with various defence think-tanks, they said.
“This visit of CDS to Indonesia highlights the growing defence engagement between India and Indonesia and will also serve to follow up on the defence related outcomes of the State visit of President Prabowo Subianto to India in January,” according to an official readout.
“The visit is aimed at further deepening cooperation between India and Indonesia, Comprehensive Strategic Partners, in the realm of defence collaboration,” it said.