UNI

New Delhi, Jun 5: Continuing bilateral cooperation in defence between India and Oman, Major General Said Bin Nasser Bin Sulaiman Al Salmi, Commander of the Royal Army of the Sultanate of Oman, commenced his weeklong visit to India on Monday.

Gen Al Salmi, who leads a five-member Omani Army delegation, called on Army Chief General JJ Singh and Naval Chief, and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Arun Prakash at South Block here. He was was briefed on India's security perspective at the Army HQs, an official spokesman said.

Earlier, the Omani General laid a wreath at 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' this morning. Later, he was accorded a Guard of Honour on the lawns of South Block.

Gen Al Salmi also called on Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt.

Gen Al Salmi and his delegation will be visiting Jammu & Kashmir, the Para Training School at Agra, the Ammunition Factory at Kirkee and other training establishments in Ahmednagar and Devlali before concluding their visit on June 11.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had visited Muscat in March last and the first ever visit by an Indian Army Chief to Oman had taken place in July last year.

A Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation was also signed between the two countries during the visit here of Omani Defence Minister Sayyid Badr bin Saud bin Hareb Al Busaidi in December last year. This MoU includes exchange of expertise in military training, exchange of observers for attending military exercise, exchange of formal visits, and utilisation of courses and programmes.

Subsequently, Omani military observers have attended 'Exercise Desert Strike' in Rajasthan in November last year.

Oman has requested assistance in training their personnel in equitation -- the art and practice of riding a horse.

Officers from Oman are trained both at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the National Defence College, New Delhi.