Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 15 April, the visit of the Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces of the Indian Armed Forces, General Manoj Pande, to Uzbekistan began, Dunyo news agency reported.

A high-ranking representative of the Indian Army was received at the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan.

During the meeting with the First Deputy Minister of Defense - Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, Major General Shukhrat Halmukhamedov, the parties discussed the prospects for military cooperation between the two countries, as well as the progress of the fifth stage of joint military exercises, which began today at the Termez training ground.

After the negotiations, members of the Indian delegation visited the State Museum of the Armed Forces and got acquainted with the historical exhibits stored there.

It is expected that during his visit, General Manoj Pande will take part in the opening of an information technology laboratory created with the assistance of India at the Academy of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan. He will observe the fifth Uzbek-Indian military exercise “Dustlik-2024” at the Termez training ground and will visit ancient Samarkand.

The Army General of the Indian Armed Forces will also pay tribute to the memory of former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri and visit Victory Park in Tashkent, noting Uzbekistan’s worthy contribution to the victory in World War II.

Indian media note that the visit of General Manoj Pande to Uzbekistan will be an important step in strengthening defense cooperation between Tashkent and Delhi.