Dubai: India and Iran would conduct a joint military exercise as part of defence co- operation between the two countries, Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendra Singh said.

"The Indian Navy has conducted a number of joint military war games with many neighbouring and friendly countries and is to conduct such a military exercise with the Iranian Naval force in the future," he said during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Navy Commander Rear Admiral Abbus Mohtaj in Tehran on January 21.

"I have come to foster Navy co-operation with the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said and called for further consolidation of bilateral relations as well as expansion of mutual co-operation between the two sides.

Admiral Singh, who also inspected Iranian Naval forces in Bandar Abbas, said educational, technical and military co-operation are most important in helping to enhance the level of defence co-operation between Iran and India.

Highlighting cultural and historical ties between the two nations, he underlined the need to expand such friendly ties in all fields, including political and economic.

Mohtaj, during his meeting with Admiral Singh, said "We can benefit from Indian educational and technical experiences."

The Indian Navy chief was in Iran at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart. This was for the first time in the past five years that a commander of the Indian armed forces visited Iran.

PTI