UK defence chief Stuart Peach to visit India this week to strengthen security partnership

New Delhi: Britain’s Chief of the Defence Staff, air chief marshal Stuart Peach, is visiting India this week and will meet Indian ministers and military officers to further reinforce the bilateral defence and security partnership. Under the umbrella of the 2015 Defence and International Security Partnership, Stuart will meet Indian ministers and officers, a British high commission statement said. [caption id=“attachment_3831515” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of British air chief marshal Stuart Peach. Reuters[/caption] His meetings will cover the growing strategic defence relationship through the recently established Capability Partnerships, the threat of terrorism and extremism faced globally, multinational cooperation, upcoming exercises and UN Peacekeeping, the statement said. Stuart, the most senior military officer in the UK Defence Forces, last visited India in April 2015 as Britain’s Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. Ahead of his visit, Stuart said: “I very much look forward to visiting India again. It is not only our shared history and democratic values that bind us together; but increasingly it is the threats and challenges to these values, that we face in an ever changing global environment, that bring us closer together, making the UK and India truly strategic defence partners. “Whether standing shoulder to shoulder in countering terrorism and violent extremism, undertaking UN Peacekeeping operations, or forging ahead on developing advanced equipment programmes, the UK-India partnership is an enviable one internationally. “I intend to ensure that my visit demonstrates further that the UK’s commitment to India and our relationship is undisputed, now and for the future.” Stuart will visit New Delhi and Kolkata over four days. In addition to official calls and engagements, he will pay his respects to the 74,000 Indians who served and died in the World War I by laying a wreath at India Gate. UK’s Secretary of State for Defence Michael Fallon visited New Delhi in April 2017. Stuart will also touch upon the defence industry and the UK’s support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.