India, Sri Lanka agree for greater defence cooperation

COLOMBO: India and Sri Lanka Monday agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation in the defence sector, including training Sri Lankan military personnel, as foreign secretary Sanjay Mitra called on President Maithripala Sirisena.

Mitra arrived on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka on Sunday during which he will participate in several high level defence cooperation meetings.

He will also meet his counterpart Hemasiri Fernando and chief of defense staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, besides visiting the central town of Kandy and the north central town of Anuradhapura.


India and Sri Lanka have agreed for enhanced cooperation in the areas of security and defence including regional security, said a statement from the president Sirisena's office.

The statement came after Sirisena's meeting with Mitra here this morning, it said.

India has agreed to train Sri Lankan defence personnel, it added.

Training of Sri Lankan defense personnel in India became an explosive issue during former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jeyalalitha's time.

She had demanded the expulsion of two Sri Lankan officers from the Defence Staff Services College in Wellington in the State.