India-Sri Lanka Defence Interactions

India-Sri Lanka Defence Interactions to Rise after the Inaugural Defence Dialogue

Posted on: February 03, 2012

In the recently concluded Annual Defence Dialogue, India and Sri Lanka have discussed areas of bilateral defence cooperation and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. The inaugural Annual Defence Dialogue was chaired by Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and his Indian counterpart Shashikant Sharma co-chaired the meeting. Delegates from both nations as well as Defence Ministry officials and member of the Armed Forces were also a part of this meet in New Delhi.

While various issues relating to bilateral defence interactions came up for discussion, the regional security situation including issues of maritime security in the Indian Ocean region dominated the inaugural Annual Defence Dialogue. The two Defence Secretaries extensively reviewed the state of their defence cooperation and agreed to strengthen their current defence ties, especially in the field of training and service exchanges. 

The Sri Lankan delegation comprised Defence Secretary Rajapaksa who was assisted by Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam and senior officials of the Sri Lankan Army, Navy, Air Force and Police. Both the Defence Secretaries also held a meeting with India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony in South Block. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa also met India's National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai. 

India and Sri Lanka have already held several exchange programs and exercises in the past and aim to enhance the importance of defence and security in the Indian Ocean Region. India and its defence establishment already offer training opportunities for officer cadets of Sri Lankan armed forces at the National Defence Academy (NDA) and Indian Military Academy (IMA) and other military institutions. 

India has been trying to reconsolidate defence ties with Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka in 2010. A high-level India-Sri Lanka talks were held in order to enhance the defence cooperation. India has been treading carefully to build its defence ties with Sri Lanka after 2010. During the time of the conflict, India had restricted military assistance to non-lethal aspects such as enhancing the Armed forces' maritime and aerial domain awareness. When Sri Lanka sought arms from other countries including Pakistan, New Delhi enabled Colombo to seal a $300 million armaments deal with its old ally Moscow. Even India has supplied two warships, hand-held missiles, air defense radar and other weaponry to the island nation in the past.

After India and Sri Lanka restored defence ties in 2010, they conducted joint naval exercises in September 2011. The six-day exercise, code named SLINEX-11 included 16 warships, the new stealth frigate INS Shivalik, a Rajput-class destroyer and a missile corvette from the Indian side. As for Sri Lanka, they showcased two large off-shore patrol vessels, one fast-missile vessel, two fast gun boats and six fast-attack craft. Since the inaugural defence dialogue in New Delhi has been a success, it has already been decided that the next annual defence dialogue meeting will be held in Colombo in January 2013.

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