Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has conveyed his condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the demise of the Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces General Bipin Rawat.
“It is with profound sorrow that I convey my deepest condolences to the Government and the people of India on the loss of a distinguished son of the nation, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces, his spouse Madhulika Rawat and 11 staff members in a tragic aircraft crash yesterday,” PM Rajapaksa said in his statement.
General Rawat, his wife and the other staff members died after the helicopter they were travelling in crashed in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday (Dec. 08).
“The Government and the people of Sri Lanka join me in conveying our profound sympathy to the bereaved families on their irreparable loss,” the statement read further.
“Gen. Rawat will be long remembered by Sri Lanka as an exceptional friend who contributed immensely to the enhancement of Sri Lanka-India defence cooperation.”
