Indian navy chief in Bangladesh on a 4-day visit

Indian navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi today began a four-day visit to Bangladesh aimed at consolidating bilateral defence relations and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.

Admiral Tripathi is scheduled to hold discussions with his counterpart Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, chief of Bangladesh Navy, in Dhaka and review the passing-out parade scheduled at Bangladesh Naval Academy at Chattogram on July 4, an Indian Navy statement said.

During the visit, the Indian navy chief would also hold bilateral discussions with chiefs of Bangladesh Army and Air Force, the Principal Staff Officer Armed Forces Division, and senior leadership of the Bangladesh government, it said.

He would also address participants at the National Defence College, Dhaka, and visit a few key defence facilities, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

This is Admiral Tripathi's first official visit abroad after he took charge as Indian navy chief two months ago.

The visit comes more than a week after Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India during which both sides vowed to expand the overall defence and strategic ties.

Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through port calls, bilateral naval exercises, along with capacity-building, capability enhancement and training initiatives, according to the statement.

"The visit of the Chief of Naval Staff will further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship between the navies of both countries," it added.