Algiers – The Minister Delegate to the Minister of National Defense and Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, General Saïd Chengriha, was received on Friday by the Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, General Anil Chauhan, during the third day of his official visit to India, according to a statement from the Ministry of National Defense.
The same source noted that “at the outset, General Chengriha visited the War Memorial in the Indian capital, New Delhi. After listening to explanations about the history of this landmark, he laid a wreath of flowers and observed a minute of silence in tribute to the heroes commemorated by the memorial.”
Following this, at the headquarters of the Indian Defence Staff, “General Chengriha was welcomed by General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff. After the welcoming ceremony, both parties held bilateral talks focused on enhancing military cooperation between the two countries. These discussions later expanded to include delegations from both sides, with the presence of Indian military leadership, members of the Algerian military delegation, and the Algerian Ambassador to India, Mr. Ali Ashoui, to assess the state of bilateral military cooperation between Algeria and India—two nations bound by strong and distinctive ties characterized by a shared history of mutual support and solidarity,” the statement added.
During the meeting, General Chengriha delivered a speech expressing his “appreciation and gratitude for the warm welcome he and his accompanying delegation received,” hoping that this visit would deepen the existing cooperation between the two countries.
He stated: “I am pleased to express my deep gratitude for the hospitality and warm reception we have experienced since arriving in the historic land of India, hoping that this visit will serve as an opportunity to exchange views on issues of mutual interest and lay the groundwork for enhanced bilateral military cooperation.”
Referring to the “proud shared history” between the two nations, Chengriha highlighted that “these historical ties have contributed to building a strong friendship that has evolved over time to encompass various political, economic, and defense-related fields.”
He continued: “Indeed, Algeria considers India a model of renaissance and progress in various domains, from technology to industry, which opens up opportunities for our two countries to explore ways to strengthen our bilateral relations and consolidate our military cooperation.”
Chengriha also took the opportunity to recall the “shared history uniting the two countries, particularly their steadfast and common positions within the Bandung Process and the Non-Aligned Movement framework.” He emphasized that “Algeria and India belong to the African and Asian worlds, sharing deep-rooted commonalities stemming from their struggles against colonialism. India was among the first countries to support the Algerian people’s fight for independence, while Algeria has consistently supported India on the international stage. These historical bonds have built a robust friendship that has grown over time to encompass diverse political, economic, and defense areas.”
For his part, General Anil Chauhan expressed his “joy at hosting General Chengriha,” praising “the level of bilateral relations between the two countries and his desire to elevate them even further in the future.”
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties exchanged symbolic gifts, as stated in the Ministry of National Defense’s press release.
Article written by Nor Eleslam for dzwatch.dz.
