US Army Chief arrives in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 16 : The US Chief of Army Staff, General George W Casey, who is on a three-day visit to India, received a ceremonial welcome here today.

Casey was received by Chief of Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor and is scheduled to visit the Siachen Glacier base camp near Leh.

That apart, the defence establishment will hold a lengthy discussion with General Casey on the emerging security scenario in South Asia, particularly in the wake of heightened tension along the Pak-Afghan border.

General Casey is expected to hold talks with the top brass of the Indian defence forces on ways to further enhance bilateral military relations between New Delhi and Washington.

Besides meeting and discussing issues of mutual interest with Defence Minister A K Antony, General Casey would also hold talks with General Kapoor and would be given a presentation on the security scenario in South Asia.

Siachen has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since the mid 1980s when India sent its troops to the 72-km-long Glacier to pre-empt a Pakistani move to send Japanese trekkers to the snowy heights ranging from 18,000 feet to 22,000 feet.

General Casey will also deliver a lecture on land power in 21st Century at the National Defence College here.

He will visit some military bases outside Delhi before concluding his stay in India on October 18.

ANI