India, Sri Lanka review implementation of bilateral defence cooperation roadmap

New Delhi: India and Sri Lanka have reviewed progress under their bilateral defence cooperation framework, reaffirming their commitment to deepen military ties as both countries continue to expand security collaboration in the strategically significant Indian Ocean region. The review took place during a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday between the defence secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, and Sri Lanka’s defence secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (retired).

The discussions focused on assessing the implementation of the India-Sri Lanka Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan and identifying ways to strengthen cooperation in areas of shared strategic interest, according to India’s Ministry of Defence.

Although the ministry did not disclose specific outcomes of the meeting, the engagement reflects the growing momentum in India-Sri Lanka defence relations following the landmark bilateral defence agreement signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo in April 2025. That agreement established an institutional framework for long-term military cooperation between the two neighbours, covering areas such as military training, maritime security, defence dialogue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and interoperability.

The latest review is part of regular consultations intended to translate the broader political understanding into practical cooperation. Defence exchanges between the two countries have intensified in recent years through high-level visits, joint exercises, naval engagements and capacity-building initiatives.

India has steadily expanded its defence partnership with Sri Lanka as part of its wider maritime strategy in the Indian Ocean, where New Delhi seeks to enhance regional security cooperation while promoting a stable, rules-based maritime environment. Sri Lanka occupies a strategically important location along some of the world’s busiest sea lanes, making defence engagement between the two countries increasingly significant.

Military cooperation between the two neighbours today spans multiple domains. Indian military institutions regularly train Sri Lankan officers, while the two armed forces conduct bilateral exercises, including the Army exercise “Mitra Shakti” and the naval exercise “SLINEX”, aimed at improving interoperability and operational coordination. The two sides also cooperate on maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, disaster response and efforts to combat transnational threats such as smuggling and illegal fishing.

The relationship has gained additional strategic importance following Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and New Delhi’s emergence as Colombo’s principal first responder during the country’s financial emergency in 2022. Since then, defence cooperation has increasingly complemented broader political and economic engagement between the two countries.

For India, closer security ties with Sri Lanka also align with its “Neighbourhood First” policy and the broader MAHASAGAR vision – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions – which emphasizes collaborative maritime security across the Indian Ocean. The framework seeks to strengthen partnerships with neighbouring littoral states while enhancing regional resilience against both conventional and non-traditional security challenges.