Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visits 3rd Division of French Army at Fort Ganteaume
Marseille: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi paid a visit to the French Army’s 3rd Division at Fort Ganteaume. While there, he received an update on the division’s duty and the future strategic plan for India-France joint training, which includes the upcoming Exercise SHAKTI in France later this year.
According to a Ministry of Defense release, the Army Chief will also see a dynamic presentation of the Scorpion Division during his visit, which will include live shooting drills on Wednesday.
Every year, the forces of both countries participate in Exercise SHAKTI, a combined military exercise designed to improve coordination and interoperability in tactical operations.
“Exercise SHAKTI is an annual joint exercise held between the armies of the two nations aimed at promoting synergy in joint tactical operations and enhancing interoperability,” the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) said in its X post.
In an attempt to “bolster” India-France defense collaboration, General Dwivedi traveled to France on an official visit from February 24 to 27, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defense.
He visited Marseille on Tuesday to learn more about the French Army’s modernization initiative, “Scorpion,” India-France training collaboration, and the purpose and function of the 3rd Division.
“The following day, General Dwivedi will visit Carpiagne to witness a dynamic demonstration of the Scorpion Division with live firing exercises,” the Ministry of Defense said.
The COAS met with top French military officials at Les Invalides earlier on Monday. A Guard of Honor kicked off the day, and then talks with French Army Chief of Staff General Pierre Schill took place. The Defense Ministry stated in a statement that the meeting’s goal would be to strengthen military relations between the two countries.
During his visit, General Dwivedi also received an overview of the Future Combat Command (CCF) at the Ecole Militaire, a renowned military college in Paris. To understand more about current advancements in military technology, he also traveled to Versailles to see the Battle Lab Terre and the Technical Section of the French Army (STAT).
In remembrance of Indian troops who served in World War I, the COAS will lay a wreath at the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial on Thursday. He would later speak on India’s strategic vision and modern warfare at the French Joint Staff College, the Ecole de Guerre.
The visit follows the February 14 Bilateral Dialogue on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation between France and India. Developments in nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, space security, artificial intelligence in the military, deadly autonomous weapons, and multilateral export control regimes were all topics of debate.
“General Dwivedi’s visit aims to strengthen the military collaboration between India and France, exploring new avenues of cooperation and enhancing strategic partnerships between the two nations’ armed forces,” the Ministry of Defense said.
