Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana: India, Iran expanding bilateral military cooperation to newer domains in future

NEW DELHI: New Delhi [India], April 25 (ANI): India and Iran have a “comprehensive partnership” based on strong “mutual trust” and work is underway to expand bilateral “military cooperation” to newer domains in the future, said Lieutenant General Dinesh Singh Rana, Director General of Defence Intelligence Agency at Iran Army Day celebrations on Monday.

The programme organised on the occasion of Iran Army Day in India was addressed by the Director General (DG) of the Defence Intelligence Agency Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana. In his address, Rana said that India and Iran are further working toward expanding bilateral military cooperation to newer domains in the near future.

“I am sanguine that our friendship will continue to grow and become stronger in the coming years,” he added.
Lieutenant General Dinesh Singh Rana, who was the chie guest at the event, said that India and Iran share a millennia-long history of interactions.

He added, “Indian and Iranian culture and religious traditions have grown and evolved over the years. Iran and India have a comprehensive partnership based on strong mutual trust and defence cooperation being a significant part of the same.”

Lt Gen Rana also highlighted that besides professional training military courses, a number of Iranian naval delegations have visited various Indian naval training establishments in the past.

“In recent times, the defence engagement between both countries has grown. A number of professional military courses are being attended by both sides, thus increasing the number of interactions,” he said.

Also, Iranian Defence Minister Mohammed Reza Gharaei will visit India to attend the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting, which is scheduled to be organised in the coming week, Iran’s ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, said.

Addressing the event titled ‘Iran Army Day’ in Delhi, Elahi said, “I also hope that with the visit of the Honorable Minister of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Defence Ministers’ Meeting, the defence relations between the two countries will be further developed and strengthened in a dynamic bilateral and multilateral format,” adding, “I re-emphasise the message of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran which is peace, friendship and cooperation based on mutual respect.”

At the event, the Iranian Ambassador pointed out the fundamental principles of the military defence strategy of the country.

He said the military doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran is totally defensive and based on active deterrence. The Islamic Republic of Iran has proven that it is not belligerent, but it resolutely suppresses any aggression.

Elahi further stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasised the security of West Asia by the countries of the region and considers the presence and interference of other powers to be the cause of instability in the region.

Addressing the event, he said there is the sensitive and geopolitical position of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the turbulent region of West Asia has increased the importance of the armed forces in maintaining the stability and security of this region.

The occupation of the Palestinian and the displacement of its oppressed people, the huge energy resources of the Persian Gulf and foreign interference in this region, during the past century, have always made the West Asian region full of instability and crisis, Elahi added. (ANI)