The Indian Special Forces are in demand these days.

After the US Special Forces, it is the famed British Special Air Service forces who want to join hands with their Indian counterparts to participate in mountain and jungle warfare exercises.

The two countries are working out a schedule for this

The Indo-British special forces exercises schedule, along with boosting services-to-services exchanges and bilateral cooperation, will be chalked out during the four-day visit of the British Chief of Defence Staff Sir Michael Walker to India from Monday.

Walker will hold discussions with the all the three service chiefs General N C Vij, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy and Admiral Madhvendera Singh, Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and will also call on Defence Minister George Fernandes and Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani.

A defence ministry spokesman said the two sides will also draw up the schedule for Indo-British training exercises for the spring of 2004 and exchange of cadets and students of defence colleges and staff.

This is the first high-level visit here by a British defence officer after New Delhi announced its intention to buy 66 British Aerospace Hawks Advance Jet Trainer for the Indian Air force at a cost of Rs 8,000 crores.