Indian army chief looks to bolster defence ties with Saudi, UAE

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Naravane is in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh till December 8, where he is meeting the country's military top brass before moving on to the UAE.

Various Indian news outlets have claimed Gen Manoj's visit is testament to India's commitment to warming ties between India and the Gulf countries.

His visit comes close on the heels of a visit by Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to Bahrain and the UAE from November 24-26.

In Riyadh, his engagements include an address at the Saudi National Defence College. While in the UAE, he will look to bolster defence ties which have been expanded in recent years.

The two west asian nations are home to nine million Indian expatriates in the region.

The trip also comes against the backdrop of the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan normalising relations with Israel and Iran’s efforts to position itself as a key player in West Asia. India has welcomed the normalisation of ties between Arab states, saying that such moves are in line with its efforts to back peace and development in West Asia.