Indian Army Chief’s 4-day Algeria visit underscores India’s expanding Africa outreach, focusing on defence cooperation, joint training and industrial collaboration as Algeria diversifies away from Russian arms, marking a milestone in bilateral ties.
New Delhi: In a move that highlights New Delhi’s expanding outreach in Africa, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi has embarked on a four-day official visit to Algeria from August 25 to 28. The visit comes soon after the successful conclusion of Operation Sindoor, underlining how India is building on operational readiness at home to strengthen its defence diplomacy abroad. The visit, officials said, aims to reinforce defence and security engagement, with a focus on Army-to-Army cooperation, exchange of views on regional and global security challenges, and exploring avenues for defence-industrial collaboration.
High-Level Meetings on the Agenda
During his stay, General Dwivedi will hold discussions with Algeria’s top military leadership, including General Saïd Chanegriha, Chief of Staff of the People’s National Army, and Lieutenant General Mostefa Smaali, Commander of the Algerian Land Forces. He is also scheduled to visit key Algerian defence institutions such as the School of Command and Major Staff at Tamentfoust and the Cherchell Military Academy, as well as pay homage at the Martyrs Memorial in Algiers. Officials noted that the outreach is expected to bolster institutional linkages and provide a platform to chart future areas of cooperation.
A Growing Strategic Connect
The visit comes less than a year after India and Algeria signed a Memorandum in Defence Cooperation on 3 November 2024 during the visit of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan. President Droupadi Murmu also paid a state visit to Algeria in October 2024, signalling high-level political intent to strengthen ties with the North African nation.
Earlier this year, a defence seminar in Algiers (30 July–1 August 2025) showcased Indian defence capabilities, ranging from UAVs and radars to surveillance platforms. The event provided Algerian officials an opportunity to interact directly with Indian defence firms.
Algeria’s Diversifying Defence Partnerships
For Algeria, the outreach reflects a conscious shift away from decades of near-exclusive reliance on Russian military supplies. With Moscow’s capacity to deliver major defence contracts affected by the Ukraine war, Algiers is actively seeking new partners. In January 2025, it signed a military cooperation MoU with the United States, adding to the agreement with India.
Algeria has also significantly expanded its defence budget in recent years — surpassing $18 billion in 2023, the highest in Africa — to modernise its armed forces with advanced systems, including drones, surveillance platforms, and precision-guided weapons.
India’s Africa Footprint
For New Delhi, engaging Algeria is part of a broader strategy to expand its defence and strategic footprint in Africa at a time when China has been stepping up its presence across the continent. Algeria, the largest country in Africa, also offers India a potential gateway to the Sahel, a region of growing geopolitical importance where terrorism and instability remain major concerns. “Algeria’s push to diversify its defence ties dovetails with India’s own aspiration to emerge as a reliable security partner and exporter of indigenous systems,” a senior defence and security establishment official said.
Setting the Stage for Deeper Ties
Beyond military exchanges, officials believe the visit could pave the way for collaboration in areas such as joint training, capacity building, and co-production of defence systems. Maritime security cooperation in the Mediterranean and wider Indo-Pacific could also emerge as a future focus.
The timing of the visit is seen as significant. Coming in the wake of Operation Sindoor, the Army Chief’s trip sends a clear signal of New Delhi’s intent to back military diplomacy with sustained engagement abroad.
What’s Next from Here?
India and Algeria first established friendly ties soon after Algeria’s independence in 1962. Analysts note that this ongoing visit presents India with an important opportunity to establish itself as a long-term and credible partner in the North African security landscape.
As General Dwivedi carries out his engagements in Algeria this week, the expectation is that the groundwork will be laid for a more structured defence partnership — one that reflects the evolving realities of Algeria’s strategic recalibration and India’s growing global ambitions.