Dehradun. As part of the defence cooperation with Middle Eastern nations, the Indian Military Academy (IMA) would for the first time be imparting training to personnel of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) army.

As part of the programme a 20-member UAE contingent has reached here, IMA spokesman Lt Col Amit Dagar said.

The seven-week training, between July 18 and August 31, would involve various drills, the bedrock of discipline in the armed forces, he said.

The army has been facilitating this kind of training engagements with a large number of militaries with this interaction among troopers enhancing the relations between the two countries, the spokesman said. The UAE had participated in the 2017 Republic Day parade as a leading contingent.