India and Sri Lanka have taken a historic step toward boosting bilateral relations by signing a major defence cooperation agreement, the first of its kind between the two countries.
This comes nearly 40 years after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed to Sri Lanka during the civil war.
The agreement, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Colombo and conversations with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, represents a shared strategic vision and growing interdependence in security and development issues.
The pact is part of a wider framework of ten major agreements focusing on defence, energy, digital cooperation, and health, aimed at deepening the partnership between the two neighbouring countries.
The first-ever framework MoU on defence cooperation includes joint military exercises, training programmes, and high-level exchanges.
It reinforces the idea that the security of both countries is interconnected.
PM Modi highlighted the sensitivity of Sri Lanka towards India’s security concerns.
President Dissanayake reassured that Sri Lankan soil will not be used against India.
A ground-breaking ceremony was held virtually. This will aid in Sri Lanka’s energy security, Multi-product energy pipeline project, Tripartite MoU involving India, Sri Lanka, and UAE.
Other agreements were signed on grid connectivity, Renewable Energy Initiatives, Health & Medicine, Regional Support & Development.
