Army chief to visit Algeria in boost to bilateral defence partnership

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will embark on an official visit to Algeria next week, marking his first overseas tour after the successful Operation Sindoor.

The visit underscores the Indian Army’s expanding role in advancing New Delhi’s strategic partnerships abroad.

The trip follows recent high-level engagements, including visits by the President and the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to Algiers, which laid the groundwork for deeper bilateral cooperation.

According to a statement from the Indian Army, during his stay, General Dwivedi is expected to focus on strengthening Army-to-Army ties, expanding training exchanges, and exploring avenues for defence capability development. With Algeria operating largely similar equipment, India is well placed to share operational expertise, extend maintenance and training support, and promote collaboration in defence technologies. Both sides are also likely to examine prospects for industrial partnerships in modernisation, logistics, and equipment support.

The Army chief will also share India’s approach of “zero tolerance” towards terrorism and exchange views on regional and global security challenges — aimed at building trust, interoperability, and practical cooperation. India sees Algeria as a key partner in its outreach to Africa and the Mediterranean. As a security anchor in the Sahel, an energy powerhouse with significant oil, gas, and rare earth reserves, and a modernised military, Algeria holds a pivotal position in advancing peace and stability in the wider region, the Indian Army added.

By reinforcing shared values of sovereignty, non-alignment, and South–South cooperation, General Dwivedi’s visit is expected to give fresh momentum to India-Algeria defence ties and chart a long-term roadmap for security collaboration, the statement further said.