Indian team completes training of Malagasy special forces in Madagascar

Antananarivo [Madagascar], March 30 (ANI): A five-member Indian mobile training team on Tuesday completed imparting a 14-day special training to 50 Malagasy Special Forces in the port city of Antsiranana.
The Malagasy special forces consisted of both the navy and army forces of Madagascar, according to a press statement.
"A 5 member @indiannavy mobile training team completed imparting 2 weeks training to 50 Malagasy Special Forces in port city Antsiranana. It reflects growing defence ties between the two Indian Ocean neighbours India & Madagascar under PM @narendramodi's vision of SAGAR," tweeted India in Madagascar and Comoros.
The Indian Navy mobile training team was deployed in Madagascar for capacity building and training of the Malagasy Special Forces for two weeks from March 14 to 28, 2021.
According to the release, Madagascar's Minister of National Defence Major General Leon Jean Richard Rakotonirina, thanked the Indian government, especially Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and India's Ambassador to Madagascar Abhay Kumar in a video message, for making this training possible, which will help Madagascar in protecting its coasts.
"It is unprecedented in the history of our nation that land and marine forces did joint training. The focus of this training is to reform Malagasy forces and to build their capacity to protect the island and its natural resources and biodiversity," he said.
The five-member mobile training team left Madagascar today onboard the Indian Navy Ship (INS) Jalashwa which had brought humanitarian aid for Madagascar.
Ambassador Abhay Kumar had handed over 1,000 tonnes of rice and 100,000 HCQ tablets on behalf of the Indian government last week to Madagascar Prime Minister Christian Ntsay, brought onboard INS Jalashwa to deal with the drought situation in south Madagascar. (ANI)