Source Hindustan Times
COLOMBO — In a significant reaffirmation of bilateral trust, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has categorically assured New Delhi that his country will not allow its soil to be used for any activities that threaten India’s security interests. The pledge was made on Wednesday during a high-stakes meeting with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is currently on a landmark three-day official visit to the island nation.
Singh’s diplomatic mission is historically notable; it marks the first time an Indian defence minister has traveled to Sri Lanka in 38 years, signaling a renewed momentum in defense and maritime cooperation between the two neighbors.
During their extensive discussions, President Dissanayake underscored Colombo’s commitment to prioritizing regional stability. The assurance comes at a critical juncture for New Delhi, which has maintained a vigilant eye on the Indian Ocean Region amid growing concerns over China’s expanding strategic and naval footprint. Over the past few years, the docking of Chinese research and space-tracking vessels—such as the Yuan Wang 5 and Shi Yan 6—at Sri Lankan ports has been a persistent irritant in India-Sri Lanka relations. Dissanayake’s guarantee serves to directly address these maritime anxieties, reinforcing a moratorium Colombo placed on foreign research vessels earlier this year.
“Sri Lanka would never allow its territory to be used for activities inimical to India’s security interests,” Dissanayake stated, echoing similar promises he made to Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly after assuming office.
Beyond verbal commitments, the meeting yielded tangible results that cement the operational partnership between their armed forces. The two nations signed three key defense memorandums of understanding (MoUs). Central to these agreements is India’s commitment to fund and execute the modernization of six L70 air-defense guns previously supplied to the Sri Lanka Air Force, a move designed to fortify the island’s critical national assets. The other two MoUs formalize academic knowledge-sharing between the National Defence Colleges of both countries and establish a robust youth exchange program between their respective National Cadet Corps (NCC).
The leaders also focused on strengthening domestic infrastructure, virtually inaugurating three Bailey bridges constructed by the Indian Armed Forces to enhance local connectivity in rural Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, President Dissanayake took the opportunity to express deep gratitude for India’s prompt humanitarian assistance. He specifically thanked New Delhi for launching ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’—a massive relief and rehabilitation package deployed in the aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Ditwah.
For his part, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the two nations as “civilisational twins” and close “maritime partners.” He emphasized that India considers its ongoing support to Sri Lanka not as a strategic favor, but as a natural responsibility naturally aligned with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Sri Lanka’s geographic location positions it astride the vital sea lanes that carry the bulk of the Indian Ocean’s commercial traffic. The engagements in Colombo highlight a mutual desire to transform this shared geography into shared prosperity, ensuring that the maritime environment remains secure and insulated from wider geopolitical turbulence.
