For the first time, India and Sri Lanka inked an ambitious defence cooperation pact, marking a major milestone in deepening strategic bilateral ties. The pact, which is one of seven key agreements signed by two nations, underscores belief that their security is interlinked and mutually dependent.
Key Highlights
Historic Agreement:
- First-ever framework MoU for defence cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
- Signed following high-level delegation talks, including discussions at the Prime Minister level.
- Signifies a major strategic step nearly four decades after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) intervention in Sri Lanka.
Objectives of the Defence Pact:
- Formalization: Establish joint military exercises, training programs, and high-level personnel exchanges.
- Strategic Goals: Enhance mutual trust, cooperation, and preparedness by creating a structured roadmap for defence collaboration.
- Countering External Influence: Part of India’s broader efforts to counter growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean region.
- Regional Policy Alignment: Supports India’s Neighbourhood First policy and aligns with the vision under ‘MAHASAGAR’.
Additional Bilateral Agreements
Alongside defence pact, India and Sri Lanka signed multiple memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across various sectors to promote deeper economic, digital, and cultural ties:
Energy & Infrastructure:
- Trincomalee Energy Hub: Cooperation on developing Trincomalee as a strategic energy hub.
- Renewable Energy & Grid Connectivity: Initiatives to enhance renewable energy trade and expedite grid interconnections.
- Solar Initiatives: Inauguration of a project to supply solar rooftop systems to nearly 5,000 religious institutions across Sri Lanka with India’s credit assistance of $17 million; expected to generate 25 MW of green power.
Financial & Digital Integration:
- Implementation of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Sri Lanka.
- Sharing of digital solutions from India to support Sri Lanka’s digital transformation.
Social & Regional Development:
- Framework to facilitate India’s grant assistance for the development of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province.
- A support package of about 2.4 billion Sri Lankan rupees announced for the social and economic development of Sri Lanka’s eastern regions.
- Enhanced connectivity through agreements on ferry and aviation services aimed at improving people-to-people ties.
Health & Regulatory Cooperation:
- A MoU between India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health & Mass Media to collaborate in health and medicine.
- The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission and Sri Lanka’s National Medicines Regulatory Authority entered into an MoU to harmonize pharmacopoeial standards and practices.