With eye on expanding defence ties in Africa, Army Chief Gen Dwivedi to visit Algeria soon

New Delhi: Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Algeria in the coming week.

This will be his first overseas visit after the triumph in Operation Sindoor, underscoring the Army’s growing role in strengthening India’s strategic engagements abroad.

The visit also follows the recent tours of the President of India and the Chief of Defence Staff to Algeria, which laid the foundation for deeper cooperation.

Sources confirmed that the core of this visit lies in the defence cooperation.

The Army Chief is expected to discuss strengthening Army-to-Army ties, expanding training exchanges, and enhancing capability development initiatives. With Algeria operating predominantly similar equipment, India is well positioned to share operational expertise, provide maintenance and training support, and promote collaboration in defence technologies.

The two sides are also expected to explore opportunities for defence industrial partnership, particularly in areas of modernisation, logistics, and equipment support.

Gen Dwivedi will also share India’s strategic vision of zero tolerance for terrorism and exchange perspectives on regional and global security challenges.

“These deliberations are expected to contribute to building trust, interoperability, and practical cooperation between the two militaries,” said an Army spokesperson.

It is pertinent to note that India views Algeria as a natural partner in its outreach to Africa and the Mediterranean, given its pivotal role as a gateway to the Maghreb–Sahel–Mediterranean region.

Algeria’s position as a security anchor for the Sahel, an energy powerhouse with oil, gas, and rare earth reserves, and its robust and modernised military make it a vital partner in advancing peace and stability in the wider region.

Algeria, as a regional leader in the Maghreb–Sahel has a strong position in the African Union and the Non-Aligned tradition. India’s outreach aims to deepen trust, expand defence and training cooperation, and diversify Algeria’s partnerships in line with mutual interests.

Gen Dwivedi’s forthcoming visit is thus expected to inject fresh momentum into India–Algeria relations, reinforcing shared values of sovereignty, non-alignment, and South–South cooperation, while anchoring long-term defence and security collaboration between the two armies.

–IANS