Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane held a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Zambia Mr Norman Chipakupaku in New Delhi on October 20, 2023. During the meeting, both sides underlined the historic and longstanding relationship between the two countries and looked forward to deepening the bilateral defence ties. The MoU on Defence Cooperation signed between India and Zambia in 2019 provides a framework for collaboration in various areas of defence.
The Defence Secretary assured the Zambian side of cooperation in military training and capacity building of the country’s defence forces through various military courses and deputation of Indian training teams.
Shri Giridhar Aramane highlighted the performance capabilities of Indian defence industries in the varied gamut of operations under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Zambian Permanent Secretary extended his appreciation towards the advancement of Indian defence industries and looked forward to their support through high-quality and cost-effective equipment for the modernisation of Zambian defence forces. Both sides also agreed to explore opportunities for collaboration in the manufacturing of small arms, ammunition and other defence equipment in Zambia.
A 15-member delegation led by Permanent Secretary, MoD Zambia is on a visit to India from October 15-22, 2023. The delegation has visited various establishments of the Indian Armed Forces as well as manufacturing facilities of various Indian defence industries, both public and private.