Colombo: Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake affirmed that Sri Lankan territory will not be used for activities inimical to India’s security interests during high-level bilateral talks with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Colombo. The declaration highlights growing maritime and defense alignment between the two neighboring nations amid broader security dynamics in the Indian Ocean region.
To deepen operational and institutional cooperation, the two nations signed three key defense agreements under an official Indian grant framework. A primary component involves upgrading six L70 air defense guns operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force to bolster the protection of vital infrastructure assets. Additional MoUs establish formal academic exchanges between the National Defence Colleges of both countries and formalize cadet interactions through the National Cadet Corps youth exchange program.
Alongside the signing of military agreements, the leaders virtually inaugurated three Bailey bridges constructed across Sri Lanka by the Indian Armed Forces. The meeting reflected mutual commitment toward strengthening regional defense readiness, enhancing knowledge sharing between defense institutes, and expanding long-term strategic cooperation across South Asia.
