Defence ties should be further strengthened – Indian Defence Secy

The prevailing good defence relationship between India and Sri Lanka should be further expanded and strengthened, Indian Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar said.

While appreciating the good bilateral relations between the two countries he said the Defence Dialogue between India and Sri Lanka should be further expanded to include Army and Navy, the Indian Defence Secretary said, when he called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday.

The decision to institute the mechanism of an annual Defence Dialogue was agreed during the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Mahinda Rajapaksa in June this year, following which a programme has been launched to improve defence relations between the two countries.

It was agreed that the two countries would have a joint naval exercise in Sri Lankan waters in 2011.

The Indian Defence Secretary informed President Rajapaksa that India would offer 1,400 training placements for the Sri Lankan security service personnel.

Sri Lanka and India also reviewed major ongoing projects including reactivation of Palaly airport as a regional civil aviation hub and of Kankesanthurai harbour for regional and domestic trade and commerce.

On behalf of the Indian Air Force, he accepted the invitation to participate in the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Sri Lankan Air Force next year.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa welcomed the continuing good relations between Sri Lanka and India and welcomed the initiatives to strengthen cooperation in defence relationship between the countries.

The Indian Defence Secretary emphasised the importance of ways of increasing service-to-service cooperation between the two countries.

Before leaving for Sri Lanka, the Indian Defence Secretary had told Indian media that it was important for India and Sri Lanka to have a framework for peacetime relationship. So far the two countries have had a wartime relationship, he had said. The Indian Defence Secretary met External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday. He had extended an invitation to Defence Secretary to visit India.

During his visit, the Indian Secretary also paid homage to the valiant Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) troops killed by the LTTE by laying a wreath at the IPKF memorial at Pelawatte whlst yesterday afternoon he visited the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura. Later today Kumar is scheduled to visit the Sri Lanka Air Force Base in Katunayake before departure to India.

The Indian delegation headed by the Defence Secretary comprised Smitha Nagaraj – Joint Secretary (PIC), MOD, Shri T.S. Tirumurti – Joint Secretary (BSM), MEA, Maj. Gen. Sumer Singh – ADG MO(A), IHQ MOD (Army), Radm A. Chawla – ACNS (FCI) IHQ MOD (Navy), AVM B.S. Dhanoa – ACAS (INT), Air Headquarters and DIG K.R. Suresh – Director (OPS) CG HQ.