Sri Lanka will never allow its territory to be used against India's security interests

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reiterated that Sri Lanka will never allow its territory to be used for any activities inimical to India's security interests. Reaffirming Colombo's security commitments during a bilateral meeting in Colombo today, President Dissanayake also recalled his previous interactions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed gratitude for India's assistance under Operation Sagar Bandhu following Cyclone Ditwah, alongside New Delhi's comprehensive rehabilitation package for the island.

According to a media release issued by the Indian government, the meeting between President Dissanayake and visiting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh covered the full spectrum of bilateral relations, with both sides reaffirming their roles as civilisational twins, close neighbours, and maritime partners. Conveying greetings from Prime Minister Modi, Minister Singh emphasised that India regards providing support to its neighbour not as a favour, but as a core responsibility as a first responder.

The bilateral engagement also saw both leaders virtually inaugurate three Bailey Bridges constructed by the Indian Defence Forces, alongside the exchange of key memoranda of understanding. These include an Indian grant-funded project to upgrade six L70 air defence guns for the Sri Lanka Air Force, academic cooperation between the National Defence Colleges of both countries, and a formalised youth exchange programme between their National Cadet Corps.