Article Posted on : - Oct 27, 2021

NEW DELHI (PTI): Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday held extensive talks with Gen Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the Chief of the General Staff of the British Army, on ways to further deepen bilateral military cooperation.

The visiting British military official held separate talks with Gen Rawat and Gen Naravane.

It is learnt that the situation in Afghanistan also figured in the meetings.

"General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, Chief of the General Staff, #BritishArmy called on General Bipin Rawat #CDS and exchanged views on further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between two countries," the Army tweeted.

It said Gen Carleton-Smith also held talks with Gen Naravane with a focus on enhancing the bilateral cooperation between two armies.

The British military commander's four-day visit to India came days after the UK's foreign Secretary Liz Truss visited the country.

Earlier, Gen Carleton-Smith laid a wreath at the National War Memorial. He was also accorded a guard of honour at the South Block lawns.

India and the UK are currently carrying out a tri-services wargame in the Arabian Sea, billed as the most ambitious exercise by the two countries ever.

The UK's Carrier Strike Group (CSG) led by its largest warship HMS Queen Elizabeth and several other frontline ships of the two navies are participating in the week-long 'Konkan Shakti' exercise that began on October 21.

The UK is only the third country after the US and Russia with which India is conducting a tri-services exercise.