India and Algeria held their inaugural Joint Defence Commission meeting in New Delhi on May 5, 2026, advancing bilateral defence ties, the Ministry of Defence said. The talks focused on enhancing cooperation in training, joint military exercises, medical collaboration, and defence industry partnerships.

The two sides signed the Rules of Procedure to govern the implementation of defence cooperation, establishing a framework for future commission meetings and institutionalizing collaboration mechanisms. The agreement follows a 2024 Defence Memorandum of Understanding and reflects growing strategic engagement.

The meeting was co-chaired by Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Amitabh Prasad and Algeria’s Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces, Major General Kaid Nour Eddine. The Indian delegation included representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Integrated Defence Staff, DRDO, Defence Production, Armed Forces Medical Services, and the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Algerian delegation paid tribute to Indian martyrs at the National War Memorial ahead of the talks and is scheduled to meet Indian defence industry stakeholders during the visit. The next steps in the defence dialogue will be determined through follow-up consultations between the two nations.