Indian Military

[OUTLOOK] Bangladesh Army Chief Gen Mohd Abdul Mubeen today visited Leh in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir state. In Leh, he was briefed by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen S K Singh about the deployment of Indian armed forces in high altitude areas, their operational characteristics and the terrains there. Raised after the Kargil war, the Leh-based 14 Corps looks after the Army operations in Ladakh region along with the Line of Control with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control with China.

However, Gen Mubeen’s planned visit to the Siachen Glacier could not take place due to bad weather.

In Leh, Gen Mubeen, who was accompanied by his wife Begum Syeda Sarifa Khanom and a delegation of four Bangladesh Army officers, was received by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 14 corps Lieutenant General S K Singh, a defence spokesman told PTI here. The visiting General also visited Shanti Stupa, an iconic landmark in Leh city, where he interacted with the Head Lama who briefed him on the rich cultural heritage of the region and presented traditional Buddhist scarfs to the Bangladesh Army delegation, the spokesman said.

“This visit to Leh has played a significant role in promoting and strengthening the bonds of friendship, mutual trust and confidence between the two armies and the countries,” the spokesman added. The Bangladeshi Army Chief is on a six-day visit to India from March 14 to 20.

During the visit, Mubeen has held discussions with the Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor and is likely to meet several other top political and military leaders in the next few days including the other two services chiefs. He will also visit key military training establishments and field formations in Jaipur, Ajmer and Kolkata.

Later in the day, Mubeen returned to New Delhi and held a meeting with Defence Minister A K Antony at South Block where the two discussed issues of mutual interest, South Asian security situation and future areas of cooperation between the armed forces of the two nations, defence ministry officials said.