Sri Lanka-India ties strengthened in high-level defence talks

The Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, arrived in Sri Lanka, yesterday (January 7) for a two-day official visit and paid a courtesy call on Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), at his office in Colombo.

The Deputy Minister extended a warm welcome to General Dwivedi and engaged in cordial discussions with him. During the deliberations, both sides reaffirmed the historical, cultural, and civilizational ties between India and Sri Lanka.

On behalf of the President and the people of Sri Lanka, the Deputy Minister of Defence expressed sincere appreciation to the Government of India for its substantial and multifaceted support during the recent disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah. He noted that India’s timely assistance, including the deployment of disaster relief teams and the provision of humanitarian aid, played a vital role in the country’s relief and recovery efforts. These teams continue to provide relief and support rebuilding initiatives. He also expressed appreciation for operational cooperation with Indian defence forces, which has led to successful interceptions of narcotics and other transnational crimes in the maritime domain.

The discussions also covered ongoing and future defence cooperation in the areas of advanced technology, capacity building, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

General Dwivedi commended the strong national unity and resilience demonstrated by the government and people of Sri Lanka in responding to the recent disaster. He reaffirmed India’s firm commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Sri Lanka across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. He reiterated India’s readiness to continue extending support in humanitarian assistance, disaster response, training, and capacity-building initiatives, thereby further strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional stability, resilience, and security.

In addition, the Chief of the Indian Army emphasized the importance of fostering people-to-people bonds at all levels—junior, middle, and senior leadership—to build enduring trust and transparency between the two nations. He also stressed the importance of joint training and exchange programmes to enhance disaster-response mechanisms from the national to the tactical level, fostering a common understanding during emergency situations.

The meeting served as a strong reaffirmation of the enduring friendship and collaborative partnership between Sri Lanka and India, underscoring their shared commitment to regional stability and security.

Senior officials of the Indian Army, the Defence Adviser, and officials from the High Commission of India were also present at the meeting.