Chief of Army Staff departs for US to discuss various security issues

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Manoj Pande on Monday morning departed on a significant official tour to the U.S.

The Ministry of Defence said that the COAS will be in the US from February 13 to 16.

The ministry said that during his visit, the COAS will exchange ideas on crucial topics such as the ‘Transformation in the Indian Army,’ ‘Global Threat Perception,’ ‘Transformation to Army-2030/2040,’ ‘Human Resource Challenges,’ ‘Future Force Development and Modernisation,’ and ‘Co-Production and Co-Development Initiatives.’

“These discussions are aimed at sharing insights, ideas, and best practices between the two armies,” the ministry said.

It said that the visit underscores the deepening military cooperation and strategic partnership between India and the U.S, aiming to further strengthen defence cooperation and foster stronger bonds between the armies of both nations.

The ministry said that the COAS will engage in high-level discussions and interactions with General Randy George, United States Chief of Staff of the Army (CSA) and other senior military leaders.

It said that General Randy George, US CSA, had recently visited India for the Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference (IPACC) that was jointly hosted by the Indian Army and the US Army. The conference was attended by 18 Chiefs of Armies and 12 countries represented by Heads of Delegations.

“Highlights of the tour include a prestigious US Army Honour Guard ceremony, a solemn laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery, and a comprehensive tour of the Pentagon,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that these engagements symbolise the respect and mutual commitment towards global peace and security shared between the two countries.

The ministry said that the visit includes the ‘Army Geospatial Centre’ at Fort Belvoir, the ‘National Defence University’ at Fort McNair, and interactions with leadership at Headquarters 1 Corps.

“The COAS will also engage with units at the forefront of military innovation and strategy, including the Stryker Unit, 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, the 1st Special Forces Group at Seattle and the Defence Innovation Unit in San Francisco,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that a visit to the California National Guard is also planned which highlights the comprehensive nature of the visit aimed at exploring avenues for more significant training, co-development and co-production engagements.

It said that during IPACC, General Randy George and General Manoj Pande will also engage in constructive dialogue, addressing a wide range of issues related to military cooperation, synergising approaches to HADR, increasing military exchange endeavours and other issues of mutual interest.

“Their interactions, including a joint press conference, underscore the deepening cooperation and collaborative spirit between the military leadership of the two nations, setting a positive backdrop for General Pande's current visit to the United States,” the ministry said.

The ministry said that COAS’s visit is another milestone in the Indo-US defence relationship, reflecting a mutual desire to enhance military collaboration, exchange strategic perspectives on global threat perceptions, and work together toward future force development and modernisation.

“The engagements between General Manoj Pande and senior leadership of the United States Army are poised to yield substantive outcomes, fostering an environment conducive to shared security interests and defence cooperation,” the ministry said.