NEW DELHI, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat Tuesday embarked on a six-day tour of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
General Rawat, who is leading a high-level military delegation, will first go to Kazakhstan, where he will meet the defense minister, chairman of the National Security Committee, junior defense minister and the commander-in-chief of Land Forces during his three-day stay.
In a statement, the Indian Defense Ministry said that General Rawat and his delegation will also visit the elite Air Assault Brigade and National Defence University in capital Astana, where he shall be inaugurating an Indian Military Art Room.
General Rawat will leave on Friday for Turkmenistan -the first by an Indian Army chief to that country.
During the visit, General Rawat will be meeting the minister of defense and secretary of the National Security Council, the first deputy minister, the chief of general staff and commanders of land, naval, air and air defense forces of Turkmenistan, the statement said.
"The visit to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is yet another outreach initiative to engage with our extended neighbourhood and strengthen the existing defence cooperation with the two nations," the statement said.
