Sri Lanka, India strengthen defence, maritime and anti-drug cooperation
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks today (September 9) on strengthening defence, economic, maritime and regional cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo this morning during the Indian Defence Minister’s official visit to Sri Lanka.
Rajnath Singh is visiting Sri Lanka with the aim of further strengthening cooperation between the two countries. His visit is significant as it marks the first official visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years.
During the meeting, President Dissanayake and the Indian Defence Minister held extensive discussions on further strengthening the existing defence, economic, maritime and regional partnership between India and Sri Lanka, as well as their historic relations, in a mutually beneficial manner.
President Dissanayake also explained Sri Lanka’s ongoing national programme to combat dangerous drugs.
Noting that the Indian Ocean has become a hub for drug trafficking, the President said Sri Lanka expects India’s support in its efforts to combat narcotics.
He also expressed confidence that India would extend its full support to bring back Sri Lankan drug traffickers who are currently imprisoned in India.
The President expressed special appreciation for the assistance provided by India whenever Sri Lanka faced difficulties in the recent past.
President Dissanayake said Sri Lanka would continue to support efforts to maintain peace in the Indian Ocean region.
He said Sri Lanka makes decisions by considering both national and regional interests. He added that as a sovereign state, Sri Lanka enters into various agreements with countries around the world while remaining mindful of regional security.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh appreciated Sri Lanka’s contribution towards maintaining the Indian Ocean region as a peaceful zone free from conflict.
President Dissanayake also expressed special appreciation for the contribution made by the Indian Armed Forces towards rebuilding infrastructure in Sri Lanka damaged by Cyclone Ditwah.
He expressed confidence that the new agreements exchanged during the meeting would help strengthen the capacity of Sri Lanka’s armed forces and further improve defence cooperation between the two countries.
Rajnath Singh said Sri Lanka holds a very special place in India’s “Neighbourhood First” foreign policy.
He also appreciated the steps taken under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the past two years to strengthen relations between Sri Lanka and India.
Special attention was also given to the fisheries issue during the discussions.
The two sides discussed obtaining India’s support to protect fishing, which is an important livelihood for Sri Lankan fishermen, and working together to resolve the issue.
Following the discussions, three new agreements aimed at further expanding cooperation between the two countries were exchanged in the presence of President Dissanayake and the Indian Defence Minister.
The agreements cover the modernisation and upgrading of L70 gun systems for the Sri Lanka Air Force, academic cooperation between the National Defence College of India and the National Defence College of Sri Lanka, and bilateral cooperation between the Sri Lanka Cadet Corps and the Indian National Cadet Corps.
The agreements were exchanged by Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha.
Meanwhile, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh joined via online technology for the opening of three Bailey bridges installed in the Kurunegala and Batticaloa districts under a grant from the Government of India.
The bridges were constructed on the Panseeyagama–Kurunegala, Kebellawa–Kurunegala and Palugamam–Batticaloa roads.
They were opened to the public as part of a rehabilitation assistance programme provided by India to restore essential road links following Cyclone Ditwah.
Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage and Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Indika Wijegunawardana were also present.
A high-level Indian delegation also attended the event, including Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain and Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs Prasanna Shrivastava.
Senior officials from India’s Ministries of Defence and External Affairs were also present.