Sri Lanka, India underscore shared commitment to regional stability and security

The Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), at his office in Colombo.

The Chief of the Indian Army arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (07), on a two-day official visit.

The Deputy Minister extended a warm welcome to General Dwivedi and engaged in cordial discussions with him. During the deliberations, both sides reaffirmed the historical, cultural, and civilizational ties between India and Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, on behalf of the President has expressed sincere appreciation to the government of India for its substantial and multifaceted support during the recent disaster caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

He further noted that India’s timely support, including the deployment of disaster relief teams and the provision of humanitarian aid assistance, played a vital role in the country’s relief and recovery efforts. These teams continue to provide relief and support rebuilding efforts. He further expressed appreciation for the operational cooperation with the Indian defence forces, which has led to successful interceptions of narcotics and other transnational crimes in maritime domains.
 
The discussions also encompassed ongoing and future defence cooperation in the fields of advanced technology, capacity building, and knowledge sharing initiatives, the Ministry noted.

General Dwivedi admired the strong national unity and resilience shown by the government and people of Sri Lanka in responding to the recent disaster, according to the statement. He reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Sri Lanka across the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

General Dwivedi also reiterated India’s readiness to continue extending support in humanitarian assistance, disaster response, training, and capacity building initiatives, further strengthening bilateral ties and promoting regional stability, resilience, and security.

Moreover, the Chief of the Indian Army emphasized the significance of fostering people to people bonds at all levels through junior, middle, and senior leadership to build enduring trust and transparency between the two nations.

Furthermore, he stressed the importance of joint training and exchange programmes to enhance the disaster response mechanism, spanning from the national to the tactical level, to foster a common understanding during emergency situations.

This meeting was a strong reaffirmation of the enduring friendship and collaborative partnership between Sri Lanka and India, underscoring the shared commitment to regional stability and security, the Defence Ministry statement added.

Senior officials of the Indian Army, the Defence Adviser, and officials from the High Commission of India were also present at the meeting.