New Delhi: Chief of Army Staff Gen MM Naravane on Wednesday began a two-day visit to Italy with an aim to further expand bilateral strategic cooperation. Gen Naravane arrived in Italy from the UK on the second leg of his two-nation tour. "General MM Naravane #COAS arrived at #Italy on a two-day visit. The visit aims to further strengthen strategic and defence cooperation between both the countries," the Army tweeted.
Officials said the Army Chief will be holding important discussions with the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Staff of the Italian Army in Rome. He is also scheduled to inaugurate an Indian Army memorial in the famous town of Cassino. The memorial has been built to pay homage to Indian soldiers who lost their lives during World War II. Gen Naravane's visit to Italy came days after Indian naval ship INS Tabar and Italian frigate ITS Antonio Marceglia carried out a two-day-long maritime partnership exercise in the Tyrrhenian sea.
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The exercise on July 4 and 5 covered a wide range of naval operations, including air defence procedures, replenishment at sea, communication drills and cross-deck helo operations by day and night, an Indian Navy spokesperson said. "The exercise was mutually beneficial in enhancing interoperability and towards consolidating combined operations against maritime threats," he said. PTI
