India Aims To Expand Defense Co-op With Dhaka

New Delhi, March 18, IRNA -- Aiming to expand defense cooperation between New Delhi and Dhaka, Air Force (IAF) Chief N A K Browne will be on a four-day visit to Bangladesh from Sunday during which he will hold talks with political leadership and the top military brass. 'During this defense cooperation visit to reinforce defense ties, the Air Chief would call on the President of Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman, and the Prime Minister and Defense Minister Begum Sheikh Hasina Wajed,' pti reported quoting IAF officials as said here. The IAF Chief will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues on the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries and outline further areas of defence relations as a part of broader military engagements, they said. To discuss the scope for widening the existing bilateral and defence cooperation with Bangladesh, Air Chief Marshal Browne would meet its three service chiefs, General Mohammad Abdul Mubeen, Air Marshal S M Ziaur Rahman and Vice Admiral Zahir Uddin Ahmed. He would also outline further areas of defense co-operation as part of broader military engagements, the officials said. The Air Chief, besides visiting the Army, Air and Naval Headquarters, would also visit the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) located at Dhaka. India has a long standing defense cooperation with Bangladesh under which its officer cadets are sent to National Defense Academy (NDA) and Indian Military Academy (IMA) for training and to attend courses. /end