General Upendra Dwivedi Concludes Strategic Defence Visits to UAE and Sri Lanka

NEW DELHI, January 9, 2026 — General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), has successfully wrapped up a high-profile four-day official tour of the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.

Spanning from January 5 to 8, the visit was designed to bolster India’s military-to-military engagements and solidify strategic partnerships within West Asia and the Indian Ocean Region. In the UAE, General Dwivedi engaged in extensive talks with the leadership of the UAE Armed Forces and the Commander of the Land Forces, focusing on interoperability, joint training, and professional exchanges.

He also delivered a keynote address at the UAE National Defence College, highlighting the necessity of strategic dialogue in addressing global security challenges.The second leg of the tour took the Army Chief to Sri Lanka from January 7 to 8, where the focus shifted toward capacity building and regional security dynamics.

Demonstrating India’s role as a key security partner, General Dwivedi handed over 20 Mahindra Scorpio vehicles, simulators, and ambulance vans to the Sri Lanka Army to enhance their operational and training infrastructure.

During his time there, he laid the foundation stone for a new sports complex at the Army War College in Buttala and paid a solemn tribute at the IPKF War Memorial.

These interactions with the military leadership in Colombo underscored a shared commitment to stability and defense education, further cementing the deep-rooted ties between the two neighboring nations.