Colombo, Sep 2026 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo, with the two leaders reaffirming their commitment to strengthening cooperation between India and Sri Lanka and working for the welfare, development and prosperity of their people.
During the meeting, Singh conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warm greetings to the Sri Lankan President and extended felicitations on the successful completion of two years of his government. The two sides also discussed issues concerning regional safety, security, peace and prosperity, highlighting the importance of continued cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, and other senior officials were present during the meeting.
Sharing details of the interaction on X, Singh described his meeting with Dissanayake as “warm and extremely productive”. He said India and Sri Lanka, as “civilisational twins, close neighbours and maritime partners”, would continue to work together for the development of both countries and the welfare of their people.
Singh also stressed the importance of joint efforts to ensure safety, security, peace and prosperity across the region. His remarks underline the growing significance of the India-Sri Lanka partnership in the Indian Ocean region, particularly in the areas of defence and maritime security.
The Defence Minister, who arrived in Colombo on Tuesday for a three-day official visit, also interacted with members of the Indian community in Sri Lanka. During the interaction, he highlighted the important role played by the Indian diaspora in strengthening the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
“India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis,” Singh said in his post on X, describing the Indian community as a bridge between the two nations.
Singh’s visit is focused on deepening bilateral defence and maritime cooperation. Before departing for Colombo, he had said that he looked forward to productive discussions with Sri Lankan leaders on issues of mutual interest.
The Defence Minister was warmly received at Bandaranaike International Airport by Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.) and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.
According to India’s Ministry of Defence, Singh’s visit is expected to further strengthen the traditionally close and friendly relationship between India and Sri Lanka, particularly in mutually beneficial areas such as defence and maritime cooperation.
India and Sri Lanka share deep civilisational, cultural and people-to-people ties, with their multifaceted partnership extending to regional security, defence, economic and trade cooperation. The relationship received significant impetus during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, when India provided extensive assistance to the island nation.
India also emerged as one of the first responders following Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka in 2025, extending assistance to support relief and recovery efforts.
The Ministry of Defence said these engagements reflect India’s continued commitment to its “Neighbourhood First” policy and Prime Minister Modi’s vision of MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
