Article Posted on : - Oct 18, 2011

Vice Chief of Defence Staff (VCDS), UK ,Gen Sir Nicholas Houghton KCB CBE during laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi on Monday. A PTI Photo .

NEW DELHI (PTI): Aiming to enhance mutual defence ties, British Vice-Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton has begun a three-day visit here.

During his visit, Gen Houghton met Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju and Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma and discussed issues of mutual cooperation and ways for further enhancing defence ties between the two countries.

Gen Houghton will also meet the Chairman Chief of Staff Committee Admiral Nirmal Verma to further enhance the scope of joint military exercises between the two nations, Defence Ministry officials said here.

The visit takes place at a time when the multi-billion dollar deal for procuring Medium-Multi Role Combat Aircraft for Indian Air Force (IAF) is in the final stages.

Out of the six initial contenders, the last round of the deal has two European firms.

While France is offering Rafale fighters jets, EADS- a consortium of four European countries including Britain, has pitched in with Eurofighter Typhoon.

Military relations between the two countries have been gaining strength with institutionalized military exercises.

India and the UK had recently conducted a counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism warfare in Salisbury.