India continuing training of Sri Lankan military personnel

India said Monday it will continue to provide defence training to the Sri Lankan military personnel as a part of India’s short- and long-term training programs to military personnel from Sri Lanka and other neighboring countries.

India’s Defence Minister A.K. Antony in a written statement to the Lok Sabha has said that training exchanges are conducted between Armed Forces personnel of India and various neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka.

“Short-term and long-term training programmes, in technical and non-technical streams are conducted for Armed Forces personnel of foreign countries including Sri Lanka in different States of the country, where defence educational and training establishments are located, depending on the training requirements,” Defence Minister has said. He was responding to a query from two parliamentarians, P. Lingam and Prabodh Pandain whether India is still training Sri Lankan military personnel despite the objections from the Tamil Nadu state’s politicians.

Responding to the queries on protests in Tamil Nadu state against the central government training Sri Lankans, the Minister has said the Indian government is pursuing an approach keeping in view all aspects of national interest.

The Indian Government in July this year caved into the pressure from anti-Sri Lankan Tamil Nadu politicians and decided to send back nine Sri Lankan Air Force officers who have arrived in the Tambaram Air Force station in Chennai for a nine month-long training as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries.

Later the Government moved the Sri Lankan personnel to a different location in Bangalore.

In October India’s Defence Ministry has asked the Indian Navy to hold joint exercises with Sri Lanka in future away from the coasts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.

However, the Indian Government has reiterated that it will continue to provide training to Sri Lankan defence personnel at India’s defence facilities despite the opposition from the Tamil parties in the state of Tamil Nadu.