NE NEWS SERVICE
GANDHINAGAR, OCT 19
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted the Indian Ocean Region Plus (IOR+) Conclave on the sidelines of 12th DefExpo in Gandhinagar, on Tuesday.
Interacted with Paraguay’s Vice Minister of Defence, Dr. Gladys Arsenia Ruiz Pecci in Gandhinagar today. pic.twitter.com/5q0kYGayTa
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
Along with the IOR+ Conclave, the Defence Minister held bilateral meetings with delegation leaders from Bangladesh, Angola, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Paraguay, who are attending the DefExpo.
Happy to have met the Defence Minister of South Africa, Ms Thandi Modise on the sidelines of #DefExpo22 today. pic.twitter.com/fH7JVFAkxw
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
In the course of the meetings, Rajnath Singh met with Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Security Advisor to Prime Minister of Bangladesh; Joao Ernesto Dos Santos, Minister of National Defence and Homeland Veterans of Republic of Angola; Thandi Modise, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Republic of South Africa; Gladys Arsenia Ruiz Pecci, Vice Minister of Defence, Paraguay and Gilbert Kabanda Kurhenga, Minister of National Defence and War Veterans, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Met with the Defence Minister of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dr. Gilbert Kurhenga Kabanda in Gandhinagar today. pic.twitter.com/LqvEfAiLsI
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
The entire spectrum of defence cooperation was discussed during the meetings, with focus on identifying avenues to expand mutually beneficial collaboration.
Delighted to meet the Defence Minister of Mongolia, Gen. Saikhanbayar on the sidelines of IOR Plus Defence Ministers’ Conclave in Gandhinagar. pic.twitter.com/LYi7ZV0qjm
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
Defence Secretary holds bilateral meetings with delegations from African nations
Wonderful interaction with Angola’s Defence Minister, Mr. Joao Ernesto dos Santos on the sidelines of #DefenceExpo2022 pic.twitter.com/tH3Fvfuc9t
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
As a part of DefExpo 2022, the 2nd India-Africa Defence Dialogue was organised in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Tuesday. The Defence Secretary held a number of bilateral meetings with delegations from African nations on this day.
Had a good meeting with Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, the Security Advisor to Bangladesh PM, on the sidelines of #DefenceExpo2022 pic.twitter.com/W2PHU0ivij
— Rajnath Singh (मोदी का परिवार) (@rajnathsingh) October 19, 2022
A bilateral meeting was conducted with Lt Gen Isman Mohamed Hassan Karar, Secretary General MoD, Sudan. Lt Gen Rashad Abdelhamid Ismail Abdalla, Sudan Army Chief was also present. The ongoing defence cooperation issues and potential areas for future cooperation were discussed.
Had excellent meeting with Mali delegation led by Maj Gen Sidiki Samake, Secretary General of the Department and their Air Chief on the sidelines of #DefExpo2022 Discussed potential defence cooperation including defence industrial cooperation pic.twitter.com/OEbfbBIJTv
— Ajay Kumar (@drajaykumar_ias) October 19, 2022
A Zambia delegation led by Norman Chipakupaku, Permanent Secretary, MoD Zambia met Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar. Issues relating to training and capacity building were discussed, in addition to the review of ongoing bilateral defence cooperation.
Dr Ajay Kumar also met the Niger delegation led by Brigadier General Diddilli Amadou, Secretary General of the Defence Minister, Niger. Potential areas for defence cooperation between the two nations were deliberated.
A Mali delegation led by Maj Gen Sidiki Samake, Secretary General of the Department met the Defence Secretary. They discussed potential defence cooperation including defence industrial cooperation issues.
India announces ‘India-Africa Security Fellowship Programme’
The India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD) was held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Tuesday. The Gandhinagar Declaration, adopted as the outcome document of the second edition of the IADD, charted out new areas for enhancing the India-Africa defence and security partnership.
During the IADD, in keeping with the new proposals of the Gandhinagar Declaration, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the ‘India-Africa Security Fellowship Programme’ and released its brochure by handing it over to Director General, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA).
MP-IDSA, the knowledge partner for the IADD, will host the Fellowship Programme. The fellowship will give an opportunity to African scholars to pursue research on defence and security issues in India. The fellows would be attached with the MP-IDSA for a period of 1-3 months. A stipend would also be provided to the scholar.
Further details of the application procedure may be gathered from the MP-IDSA website (https://www.idsa.in/).
