Indian Chief looks at closer ties

Honour guard: CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy with visiting Chief of the Indian Army Staff Gen Joginder Jaswant Singh.Photo by Cpl Cameron Jamieson

By Cpl Cameron Jamieson

INDIA’s Chief of the Army Staff, General Joginder Jaswant Singh, has made strengthening the ties between the armies of India and Australia a high priority during his recent official visit to Australia.

The first Sikh to command the second largest Army in the world, Gen Singh is a third generation Army officer with extensive counter-insurgency experience.

While his trip to Australia was reciprocal to a visit by CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy to the previous Indian Chief of the Army Staff last year, Gen Singh was keen to use the occasion to enhance the military cooperation between the two countries.
“Both our countries have much in common,” Gen Singh said.

“We are both democracies, and we are interested in peace and stability in the Southeast Asian region. We want to ensure that we enhance our military cooperation so we can better understand each other. That will allow us to operate in UN-mandated operations together if required, and we feel that there is a lot we can gain from each other’s experience in areas such as low-intensity conflict, counter terrorism operations and disaster management.”

Gen Singh said India and Australia’s history of operational cooperation, such as when the two armies fought together at Gallipoli in WWI and in North Africa during WWII, would enhance the modern interaction between the two armies.

“We can look forward to an era where we can have better cooperation on a military-to-military basis,” Gen Singh said.

“I have recommended that our Special Forces learn to work with each other so that we are prepared for any future contingencies. Other joint training is also feasible as India already trains with a number of other countries.”

Gen Singh said he was impressed with the openness and directness of the briefings he and his staff received during his visit.

“I feel that the Australian Army is very professional and well led,” he said. “All the briefings I received were to the point and effective, and my staff and I have been able to exchange a lot of ideas and experiences during our visit.”

CA Lt-Gen Leahy said he welcomed the opportunity to develop the relationship with the Indian Army.

“The Australian Army has a long history of working with the Indian Army on operations,” Lt-Gen Leahy said.

“We fought side by side with them during World War I and II. We have much to learn from them and we have much that we can pass on to them.

“I look forward to working more closely with the Indian Army in the future and further strengthening the bond between the two countries.”

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