Gen. Naravane holds talks with top Saudi generals; discusses ways to enhance defence cooperation
Riyadh, Dec 13: Indian Army chief General M M Naravane on Sunday met top Saudi generals and discussed issues of common interest and ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation during his historic visit to the Gulf Kingdom.
Gen Naravane, who arrived in Saudi Arabia on the second leg of his two-nation visit that included the United Arab Emirates, is the first-ever head of the Indian Army to travel to the two strategically important Gulf countries.
"COAS discussed issues of bilateral defence cooperation with General Fahd Bin Abdullah Mohammed Al-Mutir, Commander Royal Saudi Land Forces," the Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information said in a tweet on Sunday.
He also received a Guard of Honour at headquarters of the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
Gen Naravane also called on Chief of General Staff Gen. Fayyadh bin Hamid Al-Ruwaili and discussed issues of mutual interest and defence cooperation, it said in another tweet.
"During the meeting, they discussed issues of common interest in addition to means of enhancing bilateral cooperation," state-run Saudi Press agency reported
Gen Naravane also interacted with Lt Gen Mutlaq bin Salim bin Al-Azima, the Commander of the Joint Forces of Saudi Arabia, and exchanged views on defence cooperation, the Indian Army said in a tweet.
Gen Naravane earlier visited the UAE where he discussed bilateral defence cooperation and issues of mutual interest with the UAE's Commander of the Land Forces Major General Saleh Mohammed Saleh Al Ameri.
His visit is seen as a reflection of India's growing strategic ties with the two countries and is expected to further open up new avenues for cooperation in the defence and security sphere.
Gen Naravane's visit comes in the midst of fast-paced developments in the Gulf region including normalisation of Israel's relations with several Arab countries as well as situation arising out of the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Ahead of his visit to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the Army said in a statement in New Delhi that "During the visit, he will be meeting his counterparts and senior military leadership of these countries. The visit is historic in the sense that it will be the first time an Indian Army chief is visiting the UAE and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."
Gen. Naravane's visit to the Gulf region comes days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's trips to Bahrain and the UAE during which he called on top leaders of the two countries.
In the last few years, India's ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE have witnessed a major upswing. Last month, the Army chief travelled to Nepal on a three-day visit that had significant diplomatic overtone.
In October, Gen. Naravane travelled to Myanmar along with Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on a very crucial visit during which India decided to supply an attack submarine to the Myanmar Navy besides agreeing to further deepen military and defence ties.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
