A UAE Army delegation began Thursday six-day visits to Indian Army training establishments “with the aim of enhancing defence cooperation engagements between the two armies,” the UAE Ministry of Defence here announced.

The delegation will also attend the inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks (AAST) on 25th and 26th March, the announcement said, UAE national news agency WAM reported.

The delegation arrived in India Monday and embarked Tuesday on its official program of visiting Army establishments in Maharashtra state. Local establishments which will receive the delegation include the School of Artillery, the Armoured Corps Centre and School, the Mechanised Infantry Centre and School, the National Defence Academy, the Command Hospital of the Army Southern Command, the Army Institute of Physical Training, the Military Intelligence School and Depot and the Bombay Engineers Group and Centre.

Among the private companies heavily involved in infrastructure development with a defence dimension to be visited by the UAE team are Larsen and Toubro Limited and Tata Motors Limited in Pune.

“The agenda for the inaugural AAST include issues related to military training, increase in course subscription in Indian Army establishments, conduct of bilateral exercises and enhancing defence technical cooperation,” the UAE Ministry of Defence said.

The Staff Talks will take place at the College of Military Engineering, a technical and tactical engineering training institution of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers.