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The tour comes as India seeks to deepen its ties with the Arab world amid normalisation of Israel's relations with several Gulf countries in the wake of Tel Aviv's decision to suspend its controversial plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.
"General MM Naravane, the Chief of Army Staff, has proceeded on a visit to the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from December 9 to 14," the Indian Army said in a statement.
In the first leg of his visit, General MM Naravane will be in the UAE from December 9 to 12, where a meeting with senior military officials and bilateral defence cooperation talks are on the agenda, the Indian Army said.
After wrapping up his UAE tour, General Naravane will be in Saudi Arabia from December 13 to 14. "He will take forward the excellent defence cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and India through multiple meetings with senior functionaries of the security establishment and exchange views on various defence related issues," the Army said.
"General Maravane will visit the headquarters of Royal Saudi land force, the Joint force command headquarters and King Abdul Aziz Military Academy," the statement added.