General Upendra Dwivedi, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), is currently on an official visit to France from February 24 to 27. The primary objective of this visit is to bolster India-France defence cooperation by strengthening military collaboration and exploring new avenues of cooperation between the two nations’ armed forces.
On February 24, General Dwivedi met with senior French military officials at Les Invalides in Paris. The day began with a Guard of Honour, followed by discussions with General Pierre Schill, the French Army Chief. These discussions aimed to foster stronger military ties between India and France. Additionally, General Dwivedi visited the Ecole Militaire, where he was briefed on the Future Combat Command (CCF), and also received briefings at the Technical Section of the
On February 25, General Dwivedi traveled to Marseille to visit the 3rd Division of the French Army. During this visit, he was briefed on the mission and role of the 3rd Division, the bilateral exercise SHAKTI, India-France training cooperation, and the French Army’s modernisation programme known as Scorpion. The following day, he visited Carpiagne to witness a dynamic demonstration of the Scorpion Division with live firing exercises.
The visit concludes on February 27 with General Dwivedi laying a wreath at the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial in honor of Indian soldiers who fought in World War I. Later that day, he will deliver a talk at the Ecole de Guerre, the French Joint Staff College, focusing on the evolving nature of modern warfare and India’s
