Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s armed forces. During his visit, he announced an AI lab for the Lankan Army, highlighted maritime cooperation, and oversaw the signing of three defence MoUs.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and announced that the two countries will work together to establish an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab for the Sri Lankan Army.
Commitment to Capacity Enhancement
Speaking at a deck reception onboard INS Udaygiri in Colombo as part of his three-day visit to the island nation, Singh said India remained committed to supporting Sri Lanka’s defence capability enhancement and responding to the requirements and priorities of its armed forces. “Let me reiterate that India remains a committed partner for the capacity enhancement of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. Going ahead, we will also be working together for creation of an Artificial Intelligence Lab for Sri Lankan Army for its capability enhancements,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister said capacity building has remained a strong pillar of bilateral defence cooperation and emphasised India’s continued efforts to support the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in line with their requirements and priorities. “Capacity building has always been a strong pillar of our bilateral defence cooperation. It has been our constant endeavour to respond to Sri Lanka Armed Forces requirements and keeping in mind your interests and priorities,” he added.
Maritime Cooperation and Symbolic Gestures
The Defence Minister also highlighted the importance of maritime cooperation between the two countries, saying it was an area where India and Sri Lanka foresee closer and deeper engagement. “Given the salience of maritime cooperation, it is undoubtedly an area where we foresee a closer and deeper engagement,” he said.
He also said the visit of INS Udaygiri to Sri Lanka symbolised India’s commitment to working closely with its neighbouring country. “The visit of INS Udaygiri is a symbol of our commitment and desire to work shoulder to shoulder with our Sri Lankan friends for the welfare of our countries and our people,” Singh said.
The Indian Navy ship has also carried defence equipment and components as part of assistance provided by India under its Defence Diplomacy initiative. The assistance includes spares for the Indra MK 2 radar for the Sri Lankan Air Force, spares for the Sri Lankan Navy Ship SAYURA and inflatable targets for the Sri Lankan Navy.
Formal Agreements Solidify Ties
Earlier in the day, Singh held “extremely productive and fruitful discussions” with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, following which the two countries concluded three Memoranda of Understanding in the defence domain. The three MoUs cover the upgradation of L-70 guns for the Sri Lankan Air Force, cooperation between the National Cadet Corps (NCC) of India and Sri Lanka, and cooperation between the National Defence College (NDC) of India and NDC Sri Lanka.
Singh’s remarks come during his three-day visit to Sri Lanka, which began on Tuesday, as India and Sri Lanka seek to further deepen their traditionally close bilateral ties, with defence and maritime cooperation emerging as key areas of focus. The Defence Minister’s emphasis on capacity building, maritime cooperation and capability enhancement underscores India’s continued engagement with the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and its commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. (ANI)
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