Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande on Sunday left for Bangladesh on a three-day visit to further enhance bilateral defence and security cooperation, his first visit abroad after taking the reins of the 1.2 million-strong force. Gen Pande's travel to the neighbouring country comes less than a month after Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen visited India, during which both sides appreciated the "trust and mutual respect" in the fast-expanding ties.
The Chief of Army Staff is scheduled to hold one-on-one meetings with the three service chiefs of Bangladesh besides meeting senior leaders of the country, officials said. Gen Pande will also pay tributes to the fallen heroes of the Bangladesh Liberation War at a memorial.
He is also scheduled to interact with members of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support and Training Operations (BIPSOT), the officials said. In March last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had travelled to Bangladesh to attend events organised to mark the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of the War of Liberation of that country.
(PTI Inputs)
Also Read | J&K: Indian Army foils infiltration bid along LoC in Poonch; patrolling intensified