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Download PDF Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed flies to India on a six-day visit today, seeking to boost military relations between the two neighbours.
The army chief was scheduled to visit India in January last year but deferred his tour plan several times due to domestic engagements.
Gen Moeen, the first Bangladesh army chief to visit India, is likely to meet President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Anthony, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan and chiefs of the three forces.
Intelligence sharing, border security and connectivity will feature high in his high-level meetings in New Delhi. He is also likely to discuss the possibility of joint-exercises, training assistance and arms exports.
While the issue of security-information exchange may top the agenda, talks on a more formal bilateral mechanism to institutionalise the security relationship will also figure prominently.
Gen Moeen will be given a ceremonial guard of honour when he arrives at defence ministry headquarters at South Block in New Delhi.
Later Indian Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor will present him with six horses. The animals, priced at $850,000, will be used to begin the military’s equestrian sports, such as show jumping. The horses will be trucked in to the Bangladesh border and handed over to the authorities here.
The two sides are also likely to discuss the Dhaka-Kolkata rail link that has been stalled for over a year now due to disputes over security measures on the border. Border security will also come up in meetings.
Indo-Bangla relations have warmed up over the last year since the caretaker government took charge in January in 2007. Indian assistance in post-Sidr rehabilitation and reconstruction and greater trade have also boosted confidence between the countries.
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