Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi To Visit Algeria, First Overseas Tour After Operation Sindoor

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will travel to Algeria next week on his maiden overseas visit following the successful completion of Operation Sindoor.

The visit highlights the Indian Army’s growing role in advancing New Delhi’s strategic partnerships abroad.

The trip comes close on the heels of recent high-level engagements, including the President and the Chief of Defence Staff’s (CDS) visits to Algiers, which paved the way for closer bilateral defence cooperation.

According to a statement from the Indian Army, General Dwivedi’s agenda will centre on strengthening Army-to-Army ties, enhancing training exchanges, and identifying avenues for capability development.

With Algeria operating largely similar defence equipment, India is seen as well positioned to provide operational expertise, training, and maintenance support, while exploring collaborations in defence technology, logistics, and modernisation.

The Army chief is also expected to share India’s approach of “zero tolerance” towards terrorism and hold discussions on regional and global security dynamics.

The aim, officials said, is to foster trust, interoperability, and practical cooperation between the two militaries.

According to a report by Bharat Sakti, for decades, Algeria sourced the bulk of its military hardware from Moscow. But with Russia’s defence industry stretched by the Ukraine war, Algiers has begun diversifying.

Its leadership has already engaged with India, the US, and European partners for modernisation, AI-enabled defence platforms, and logistics support.

This pivot coincides with New Delhi’s efforts to showcase Indian manufacturers such as Bharat Forge, Larsen & Toubro, and HAL as competitive suppliers of affordable, high-quality equipment.

Algerian Army Chief Lieutenant General Said Chengriha’s recent India visit, which included tours of private-sector defence plants, reflected this interest.

Beyond arms sales, India’s engagement is also shaped by strategy.

Algeria sits at the crossroads of the Maghreb, Sahel, and Mediterranean, giving it both regional clout in the African Union and a pivotal role in security across North Africa.

For New Delhi, securing a long-term defence relationship here means not just business but also a foothold in a region critical for energy security, counter-terrorism, and geopolitical balancing.

By reinforcing common values of sovereignty, non-alignment, and South–South cooperation, General Dwivedi’s visit is expected to provide fresh momentum to India–Algeria defence ties.

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