India-Sri Lanka Defence Dialogue Discusses Enhancing Maritime Security
Sri Lanka's defence ministry claimed that the two countries looked into measures to deepen their bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the field of maritime security.
The discussions were held during this week’s Sri Lanka-India Defence Dialogue in Colombo.
Following the signing of the first-ever defense collaboration between India and Sri Lanka on April 5, this was the first high-level meeting.
According to the Defence Ministry, visiting Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh headed the Indian team, while Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) led the Sri Lankan delegation.
Strengthening bilateral defense cooperation, improving maritime security, and investigating new opportunities for cooperation in training and strategic engagement were the main topics of the high-level discussion.
According to the statement, senior officials from both sides took part in the talks, which reaffirmed Sri Lanka and India's long-standing defense cooperation.
Additionally, the Indian Defense Secretary had separate meetings with Thuyacontha and Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), the Deputy Minister of Defense.
Nearly 40 years after the Indian Peace Keeping Force's intervention in the island nation strained relations, India and Sri Lanka signed their first-ever defense partnership agreement on April 5. The agreement was forged during discussions between visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
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Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had stated at the time that the deal will institutionalize the current military engagement and open the door for more structured cooperation, including possible cooperation in the defense industry.