Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande interacts with IPACC counterparts, discusses ways to enhance defence cooperation

New Delhi [India]: Indian Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande on Monday interacted individually with Chiefs of Armies who arrived here to attend the Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference 2023, officials said on Monday.

According to the officials of the Indian Army, the Army Chief interacted individually with them to deliberate on ways for further enhancing the Defence Cooperation between the respective Armies.

“The chiefs he met included Gen Morishita Yasunori of Japan, Gen Simon Stuart, Australian Army, US Army chief Gen Randy George, Vietnam Peoples’ Army’s Dy Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Mguyen Doan Anh & Lt Gen Peter Mbogo Njiru, Commander, Kenyan Army,” officials said.

“Discussions on a collaborative approach for strategic & constructive partnership to promote peace & stability in the Indo-Pacific region were also carried out during the interactions,” they added.

The armies of India and the United States will host the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC), the 47th annual Indo-Pacific Army Management Seminar (IPAMS), the 9th Senior Enlisted Forum at the Manekshaw Center in the national capital from September 25-27.

The gathering is notably the largest conference for land forces (army, marines, etc.) in the region.

The objective of these meetings is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship. Senior land commanders will have a venue to share opinions and ideas as well as grow and deepen their connections through this, the official release of the US embassy said.

This year’s conference’s theme is “Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.”

There will be both larger plenary sessions and more intimate break-out sessions at the conference. Participants will take part in vibrant conversations on subjects including peacekeeping operations, humanitarian aid/disaster relief, leadership development, and women’s emancipation as well as hear from eminent guest speakers.

Participation in IPAMS has grown from nine nations at the first conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1977, to 31 nations in Seoul, Korea in 2017.

IPACC is now held every two years and is co-hosted by the United States Army and the hosting country. IPAMS is the longest-running land forces conference held every year. In 2014, the SELF was added allowing senior enlisted members to experience the same fellowship, discussion and sharing opportunities, but from a different perspective, the US Embassy release read.

An opening ceremony will kickstart at 9:30 am on September 26 at the Manekshaw Center, preceded by a joint press conference at 9 am with the Indian Army Chief, General Manoj Pande, and General Randy George, US Army Vice Chief of Staff.