Rajnath Singh in Sri Lanka for first defence minister visit in 38 years

Rajnath Singh has begun a three-day Sri Lanka visit centred on defence and maritime cooperation. The landmark trip, the first by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years, signals closer regional engagement.

In Short

• Singh is leading senior Defence and External Affairs officials on the trip
• He will meet Sri Lankan leaders and members of the Indian diaspora
• Colombo accorded him a traditional welcome at Bandaranaike International Airport

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday on a three-day visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in defence and regional maritime security. He is leading a high-level delegation of senior officials from the Defence and External Affairs ministries.

Ahead of the visit, Singh said he was "looking forward to a productive engagement with the leadership of Sri Lanka during the visit". He also said Sri Lanka was one of India’s most important partners under the Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR initiatives, alongside the two countries’ longstanding partnership and deep historical and civilisational ties.

Singh was received at the Bandaranaike International Airport by Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence Maj Gen (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, the Ministry of Defence said. The ministry added that he received a warm and traditional welcome from the Sri Lankan side, reflecting the close and enduring ties between the two countries.

During the visit, Singh will also interact with the Indian diaspora. He said, "Besides our longstanding partnership as well as deep historical and civilisational ties, Sri Lanka is one of our most important partners under the Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR initiatives." This is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years.

Coinciding with Singh’s visit, the Indian Navy’s INS Udaygiri, an advanced indigenous stealth guided-missile frigate, arrived at Colombo port on Tuesday. The Sri Lanka Navy said the frigate was received in keeping with naval traditions. It said Sri Lanka Navy personnel will visit the ship for capability familiarisation, knowledge sharing and onboard training.

The crew of INS Udaygiri will also take part in goodwill events with the Sri Lanka Navy and visit tourist and cultural sites. Singh’s visit and the arrival of the frigate underline the focus on India-Sri Lanka defence ties, maritime cooperation and wider engagement between the two sides.

With PTI Inputs

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