Argentina's Ministry of Defence on Thursday inked a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on productive cooperation and acquisition of Light and Medium Utility Helicopters for its armed forces. According to a statement from the Bengaluru-based PSU, the LoI was signed by Argentina's Defence Minister Jorge Taiana and HAL Chairman and Managing Director CB Ananthakrishnan.
According to reports, Ananthakrishnan and other senior company officers briefed the visiting dignitaries on various activities of HAL and a presentation was given on the occasion. During the day-long programme, Taiana and his team viewed the flying display of various HAL products at HAL Airport. The team also paid a visit to LCA and Helicopter Divisions and evinced keen interest in HAL products, as per an official press release.
What Argentinean Defence Minister said?
The day was exciting, according to the Argentinean minister of defence, and it was a start towards a robust and expanding partnership with HAL. Argentinian Defence Minister and his team viewed the flying display of various HAL products at HAL Airport. The team also paid a visit to LCA, Helicopter Divisions and evinced keen interest in HAL products.
Argentina's Defence Minister Taiana on Monday arrived in New Delhi on a four-day visit. Taiana on Tuesday held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Rajnath Singh and announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between both countries and the signing of a Specific Agreement on Academic Cooperation for peacekeeping.
Taiana also invited Rajnath Singh to the II Latin American Conference of United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (ALCONU) that will take place in Argentina on September 12. “We are here to perfect and deepen the agreements we have and sign some others. One of them is a Memorandum of Understanding that is richer in content and concrete possibilities than the one currently in force. I think we have a concrete opportunity in the field of Defense, where we can give a quality leap in cooperation between the two countries,” Argentina's Defence Minister Taiana said in a press statement.
India-Argentia relations
It should be mentioned here that India-Argentina relations are cordial and encompass political, economic, scientific and technological cooperation including Antarctic research and cultural cooperation. Bilateral relations between Argentina and India, have existed for decades. Argentina has an embassy in Delhi and a Consulate General in Mumbai whilst India has an embassy in Buenos Aires. Both countries are members of G20, Group of 24 and Group of 77.
