Indian Army Chief General Manoj Kumar Pande visits Bangladesh to boost defence ties

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande started his two-day visit to Bangladesh today (June 5). The General will be in the neighbouring country till June 6 and the main agenda of his visit is to further enhance Indo-Bangladesh defence ties. The Chief of Army Staff will also meet the top military leadership of the Bangladesh defence forces.

General Manoj Pande will on the second day of his visit (June 6) review the Passing out Parade (POP) of the 84th Long Course at the Bangladesh Military Academy, Chattogram. The Army chief will also award the "Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy," established for the finest international cadet (from friendly foreign countries), of the graduating course from BMA, during the parade.

This year's inaugural trophy will be given to Tanzanian officer cadet Everton. The Bangladesh Trophy and Medal, which was established at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) Dehradun in December 2021 for the best foreign cadet graduating course, is the corresponding award in India. The Army Chief will evaluate the Passing Out Parade (POP) and award the Bangladesh Medal and Trophy on June 10, 2023, at the IMA Dehradun.

The Indian Army chief also has other engagements during the two-day visit like formal interactions with Bangladesh Army Chief of Army Staff General Sheikh Mohammad Shafiuddin Ahmed and the Principal staff officer of the Armed Forces division. General Manoj Pande will also be briefed by senior Bangladesh military officers on bilateral cooperation and related issues.

General Pande had also visited Bangladesh in July 2022, on his first foreign visit after he took over as the Indian Army Chief while the Bangladesh Army chief visited India in April 2023 and reviewed the Passing out Parade at Officers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai.

According to senior defence officers, frequent visits by military leaders of both countries and joint military exercises contribute to enhancing military-to-military relations between both countries.

India and Bangladesh have had close and friendly ties with each other since the liberation of the country in 1971 when the Indian Army decimated the Pakistan Army leading to a humiliating loss of the latter. India defeated Pakistani forces in East Pakistan, which became Bangladesh.