India, Algeria agree to expand defence cooperation at first joint commission meeting
New Delhi: India and Algeria have agreed to further expand their defence cooperation following the inaugural meeting of the Joint Commission held in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The meeting, co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), and Kaid Nour Eddine, Chief of Staff of the Algerian Naval Forces, focused on enhancing collaboration across a range of key areas. These included military training, joint exercises, medical cooperation, and defence industry engagement.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), both sides also signed the Rules of Procedure to oversee the implementation of bilateral defence cooperation, establishing a structured framework to guide future Joint Commission meetings and initiatives.
The Indian delegation included representatives from the armed forces, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, the Department of Defence Production, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Armed Forces Medical Services, and the Ministry of External Affairs, reflecting a whole-of-government approach to defence collaboration.
The MoD noted that defence ties between India and Algeria have gained momentum since the signing of a Defence Memorandum of Understanding in 2024, supported by a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries.
As part of his visit, Maj Gen Eddine paid homage to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. The Algerian delegation is also scheduled to engage with Indian defence industry stakeholders to explore avenues for deeper cooperation.
(DD News)
