Ghana and India to strengthen military co-operation

Accra, May 17, GNA - A 16-member Military delegation from the Indian National Defence College on Monday paid a courtesy call on Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, to strengthen the bond of military co-operation between the two countries.

The delegation, which was led by Major General Ashok Vasudeva, Commandant of the College, is on a week's study tour of the country to learn at first hand about its socio-economic and the political systems. As part of the tour, the delegation would also call on the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance and Economic Planning to listen to a brief on Ghana's domestic and foreign policies as well as the economic policies of the Government.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr Addo Kufuor commended India for her numerous assistance to Ghana and also for giving training support to Ghanaian Military Officers over the years.

He said since 1971 Ghanaian Military Officers had been attending the Defence College in India to upgrade their skills in various disciplines to enable them to perform their domestic and foreign tasks more efficiently.

Major General Vasudeva said their visit to the country was that of a reunion since it would support the already existing good ties between the two nations.

He said he was optimistic that the visit would further enhance the military co-operation between Ghana and India.

The delegation would visit the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Centre at Teshie and the Kofi Annan ICT Centre near the State House as well as the Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo in the Eastern Region. 17 May 04