Army Chief to Visit Australia to Boost Defence Ties
General Upendra Dwivedi to hold high-level talks, review joint exercises and cooperation
- Army Chief to visit Australia from February 16 to 19
- Meetings planned with Australian defence leadership
- Focus on training, joint exercises and capacity building
- Visit includes tribute at Australian War Memorial
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 14th Feb: Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will undertake an official visit to Australia from February 16 to 19 to further strengthen defence cooperation and deepen strategic convergence between the two countries.
During the visit, the Army Chief will hold extensive interactions with senior leadership of the Australian Defence Forces, focusing on expanding army-to-army engagements in areas such as training, joint exercises, professional exchanges and capacity building.
In Sydney, General Dwivedi will meet senior officials of Forces Command, Special Operations Command and the 2nd Division. Troops of the 2nd Division regularly participate in the bilateral Army exercise AUSTRAHIND, the next edition of which is scheduled to be held in India later in 2026.
In Canberra, the Army Chief will receive a ceremonial Guard of Honour and hold talks with Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of the Australian Army. Both officers are alumni of the US Army War College Class of 2015.
The meeting will be followed by a round table discussion at the Australian Defence Forces Headquarters on defence cooperation, modernisation and future operational concepts. The Army Chief will also interact with the Commander of the Australian Defence College and address officers at the Australian Command and Staff College.
General Dwivedi is also scheduled to call on the Chief of Defence Forces and the Secretary of the Department of Defence. He will visit the Headquarters Joint Operations Command to receive a briefing on the integrated and multi-domain operational framework of the Australian Defence Forces.
As part of the programme, the Army Chief will lay a wreath at the Australian War Memorial to pay homage to fallen soldiers. He will also meet Indian defence veterans living in Australia.
The visit is expected to reinforce the shared commitment of India and Australia to enhance defence cooperation and contribute jointly to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
