Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
India and Sri Lanka have moved to deepen defense cooperation with three new agreements covering military equipment, training, and institutional exchanges, underscoring the growing strategic importance of bilateral security ties.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh signed the agreements during his visit to Colombo on September 9, his first visit to Sri Lanka by an Indian defense minister in nearly four decades. The agreements cover the upgrading of L70 guns for the Sri Lankan Air Force and cooperation between the National Cadet Corps and the two countries’ National Defense Colleges.
The agreements build on the broader defense cooperation framework established during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2025 visit to Sri Lanka, when seven MoUs, including an overarching defense agreement, were signed.
During Singh’s meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the two sides discussed defense, maritime security, economic ties, and regional cooperation. Sri Lanka also sought India’s support for its campaign against drug trafficking, while Dissanayake reiterated Colombo’s position that its territory would not be used for activities detrimental to India’s security.
The discussions also highlighted the sensitive fisheries dispute in the Palk Strait, with Colombo seeking Indian support for protecting the livelihoods of Sri Lankan fishermen affected by bottom-trawling practices.
India’s broader role as a regional partner was reinforced through its post-cyclone assistance to Sri Lanka. The two sides also inaugurated three Bailey bridges constructed by Indian defense personnel under India’s relief efforts.
The arrival of Indian Navy frigate INS Udaygiri in Colombo alongside Singh’s visit added a maritime dimension to the engagement. Taken together, the developments indicate that defense cooperation is increasingly linked with disaster response, maritime security, and wider regional stability.
