India and South Africa have commenced their inaugural Army-to-Army Staff Talks in New Delhi. The discussions are focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, emphasizing increased training exchanges and collaborative capacity-building initiatives between the two nations’ armed forces.
Both sides held discussions on avenues of enhancing bilateral defence cooperation through expanding training exchanges and joint capacity building, marking a significant step forward in strengthening military-to-military ties.”
The Army-to-Army talks came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and global issues of mutual interest. The South African delegation also visited the Indian Army’s AI infusion initiatives and the 505 Army Base Workshop, gaining insights into technology-driven transformation and indigenous defence capabilities, according to the Indian Army.
“They affirmed that the close and longstanding relations between India and South Africa is rooted in shared historical struggles, strong cultural affinities, robust economic ties, and deep people-to-people connections,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) mentioned in a statement.
“Delighted to meet President Cyril Ramaphosa on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Delhi. We reviewed the full breadth of the India-South Africa Strategic Partnership including: The India-SACU trade agreement. Mining and critical minerals. Infrastructure. Food security. DPI and emerging technologies. Skilling. Our partnership is rooted in history and firmly focused on the future. We will work closely for Africa’s progress, the priorities of the Global South and a more balanced global order,” PM Modi posted on X, following the meeting.
