Pune to host India-Africa Army Chiefs conclave, joint military exercise
Army Chiefs or their representatives from 21 African countries will attend the event and 24 African militaries are being represented by their contingents or teams of observers.
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AFINDEX 2023 will commence with an opening ceremony at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh. (File photo: Twitter/@adgpi) Pune will host two strategically important events to boost defence ties between India and African nations – the India-Africa Army Chiefs Conclave on March 28-29 and the 10-day Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX 2023) from March 21. Officials said the events will strengthen the military ties between the countries.
Army Chiefs or their representatives from 21 African countries will attend the event and 24 African militaries are being represented by their contingents or teams of observers. The second edition of AFINDEX will enable the participating contingents to hone their tactical skills, drills and procedures in joint operations for peacekeeping under United Nations mandate. The exercise will also create synergy and better understanding with armies of African nations and promote Indian defence industries.
The Army Chiefs’ Conclave, to be held at Hotel JW Marriot, will include talks by renowned speakers on the issues of India-Africa Defence partnership, Indian defence industry potential and contribution towards regional security. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be the chief guest.
The focus of the event will be on joint training and strengthening of existing defence ties among various nations and to evolve an institutionalised framework for better and efficient military-to-military cooperation to address emerging global challenges. “The conclave will send a strong message to all participating nations of the intent and commitment of India and Africa towards regional cooperation in the emerging world order,” an official said.
The participants will be given an exposure to the Indian defence industry and the ongoing impetus under various mechanisms like Make In India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Visits and interaction with various defence production industries and African representatives are also planned during the conclave.
Meanwhile, AFINDEX 2023 will commence with an opening ceremony at the Foreign Training Node in Aundh. A comprehensive validation exercise has also been scheduled on the theme ‘Humanitarian Mine Actions and Peacekeeping Operations’ under the UN mandate.
The joint exercise will promote the idea of Africa-India Militaries for Regional Unity (AMRUT) and will focus on incorporating the current dynamics of UN peacekeeping operations through practical and comprehensive discussions and tactical exercise. The collective effort will also focus on achieving the desired interoperability and cohesive operational ability of the troops from all participating nations thus reducing the risk of life and property during peacekeeping operations, officials said.
The inaugural edition of AFINDEX was held at the FTN in March 2019. India has been one of the biggest contributors of troops to the UN Peacekeeping Operations all over the world and the Indian Army is also considered to be one of the expert agencies in mine removal operations. Some war-torn countries in Africa face the problem of landmines and Unexploded Ordnance, often referred to as UXO. The joint exercise with India will benefit the participating countries greatly and the Indian Army will also learn from their experiences, officials said. The exercise is also being looked at as a key element of India’s diplomatic ties with African nations.
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