Sri Lanka has assured India that it will never allow its territory to be used for activities that threaten Indian security interests. The two countries signed three defence agreements during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Colombo.
The assurance was given by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who also serves as the country’s Defence Minister. He reiterated the position during talks with Singh, referring to his earlier discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The statement came against the backdrop of China’s expanding presence in the Indian Ocean region.
One of the three agreements covers the upgrade of six L70 air defence guns used by the Sri Lankan Air Force. The work will be carried out under a Government of India grant.
India originally supplied Sri Lanka with 24 of the Swedish-origin 40mm anti-aircraft guns between 2000 and 2006. Eighteen of them have already been serviced in recent years.
The L70 gun is also used by the Indian Army and Indian Air Force to protect ground assets from incoming drones and aircraft. India used the system during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan last May.
Another agreement will strengthen academic cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the National Defence Colleges of India and Sri Lanka.
The third agreement formalises cooperation between the two countries’ National Cadet Corps and supports their youth exchange programme.
During the visit, Singh and Dissanayake also virtually inaugurated three Bailey bridges constructed by the Indian Defence Forces.
