New Delhi
Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, paid tribute to Indian soldiers at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and reviewed a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block, highlighting the deep defence ties between India and Sri Lanka. In a post on X, the Indian Army stated that the ceremonies honored shared military values and strong camaraderie between the two nations.
Last month, further reinforcing bilateral cooperation, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met a delegation of Sri Lankan parliamentarians visiting India for the PRIDE Capacity Building Program. He appreciated their condemnation of terrorism and condolences over the Pahalgam terror attack. Jaishankar also discussed India's Neighbourhood First policy, stressing the importance of people-to-people ties in regional development and reiterated India’s commitment to Sri Lanka’s progress.
This meeting followed Operation Sindoor, India’s military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. India targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, killing over 100 terrorists from groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
India and Sri Lanka share a 2,500-year-old civilizational bond, now reflected in strategic initiatives like the MAHASAGAR vision. India supports Sri Lanka through over 700 annual scholarships, 400 training slots under ITEC, and a cooperation program to train 1,500 Sri Lankan civil servants. In 2024, special training courses were also held for diplomats, officials, and over 2,000 teachers, strengthening educational and technical collaboration under India’s ‘Study in India’ program.