Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi met and held diplomatic talks with Sri Lanka’s defence officials during his four-day visit to the island nation. The key purpose of the Navy Chief’s official visit is to further expand bilateral defence ties with Sri Lanka in the maritime domain.
He met and interacted with Maj Gen KP Aruna Jayasekera, Deputy Minister of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary Defence, VAdm Kanchana Banagoda, Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, Air Marshal VB Edirisinghe, Commander of Sri Lanka’s Air Force, and Lt Gen Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lankan Army.
“Discussions underscored the shared resolve of India & Sri Lanka to expand defence collaboration and enhance interoperability across Services. The engagements reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening military-to-military ties, promoting capacity building & fostering greater coordination in the Indian Ocean Region. Focus areas included advancing naval cooperation, bolstering maritime security, and exploring avenues of joint training and operational synergy,” wrote the official X account of the Indian Navy, sharing information about the Navy Chief’s meeting with the island nation’s defence officials.
Admiral Tripathi also laid a wreath at the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial in Colombo on Monday.
The wreath laying was India’s gesture of highlighting its commitment to preserving peace, promoting regional harmony & strengthening the spirit of friendship with Sri Lanka and the wider IOR, the post further added.
Admiral Tripathi’s visit to Sri Lanka comes amid concerns in India over China's continuous attempts to expand its strategic influence in the island nation. The Indian Navy regularly interacts with the Sri Lankan Navy through the medium of annual defence dialogue and staff talks. The navies of both countries also hold the Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise (SLINEX), passage exercises, and regularly engage in training and hydrography exchanges.
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