Army Chief Gen Rawat on 5-day Maldives visit from Sunday

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat will travel to the Maldives on a five-day visit beginning Sunday with a key focus on boosting India's overall defence and security cooperation with the strategically located island nation.

Official sources said Gen Rawat will hold wide-ranging discussions with Maldivian Defence Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid and Chief of Defence Forces of Maldives Gen Abdulla Shamaal and explore ways to further deepen bilateral military cooperation.

The Army Chief will also call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The focus of Gen Rawat's visit to the Maldives will be to further expand bilateral military engagement, the sources said.

In Maldivian capital city of Male, Gen Rawat will also deliver a lecture on India's security perspective for the region.

It will be Gen Rawat's first foreign visit after taking charge as Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) from outgoing IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa on Friday.

Defence and security ..