Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi received a warm welcome from India’s Ambassador to France, Sanjeev Singla, in Paris ahead of his scheduled discussions with his French counterpart on bilateral defense cooperation and global security challenges.

General Dwivedi’s visit, from February 24 to 27, aims to strengthen military collaboration between India and France, building upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to France, where he co-chaired the AI Action Summit in Paris.

Starting with a Guard of Honour, the Indian Army chief’s agenda includes high-level discussions with CEMAT (Chef d’Etat-Major de l’Armee de Terre) General Pierre Schill to enhance military ties. His visit also features a tour of the prestigious École Militaire in Paris, where he will be briefed on Future Combat Command (CCF), along with a visit to the Technical Section of the French Army (STAT) and the Battle Lab Terre at Versailles.

On February 25, General Dwivedi will travel to Marseille to visit the third Division of the French Army, where he will receive briefings on its mission, the bilateral exercise SHAKTI, India-France training cooperation, and the French Army’s modernization programme, Scorpion.

The following day, he will witness a live demonstration of the Scorpion Division’s capabilities, including live firing exercises at Carpiagne.

On February 27, General Dwivedi will pay tribute to Indian soldiers who fought in World War I by laying a wreath at the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial. Later, he will address officers at the Ecole de Guerre, the French Joint Staff College, focusing on modern warfare and India’s strategic vision.