Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka will be an important milestone in strengthening the ties between the two countries.
During his two-day visit on September 2 and 3, Singh will hold talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. He will also visit Nuwara Elia and Trincomalee.
The visit is aimed at reviewing the entire gamut of India’s defence ties with Sri Lanka and reaffirming India’s commitment to furthering the existing warm and friendly relations between the two countries.
India has been expanding its overall strategic ties with Sri Lanka in recent years amid concerns over China’s attempts to increase its influence over the island nation.
In August last year, India handed over a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft to Sri Lanka to help the country meet its immediate security requirement. India has also been providing various capacity building measures to the Sri Lankan defence forces, including providing indigenously constructed Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs).
The visit of Rajnath Singh is a significant step in further strengthening the defence ties between India and Sri Lanka. It is also a message to China that India will not allow any country to undermine its security interests in the region.
