Colombo [Sri Lanka], September 9 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday received a Guard of Honour in Colombo after laying a wreath at the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial, paying homage to Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.
In a post on X, Singh said that his tribute was to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, saying their supreme sacrifice would always be remembered by the nation and continue to inspire future generations.
“Visited to the IPKF memorial in Colombo and paid homage to our valiant soldiers who laid down their lives in the call of duty. The nation will never forget their supreme sacrifice. They will remain a source of inspiration for the generations to come,” the post read.
The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed in Sri Lanka in 1987 under the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord to disarm the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and help restore peace, particularly in the Jaffna Peninsula. The force operated in challenging counter-insurgency conditions until its withdrawal in March 1990.
The tribute came during Singh’s three-day visit to Sri Lanka, with defence and maritime cooperation forming key areas of focus as India and Sri Lanka seek to further deepen their traditionally close bilateral ties.
Earlier, Singh said India and Sri Lankan ports could become “engines of shared economic growth”, with maritime industries emerging as drivers of future prosperity for both nations and the wider region.
Addressing Sri Lanka’s military leadership at the Ministry of Defence on ‘India-Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’, Singh said the future of bilateral ties should rest on the premise that “proximity creates interdependence”, which in turn opens up “immense opportunities for a shared evolution” between the two maritime neighbours.
Singh also addressed the long-standing fishermen dispute between the two countries, saying he was aware of the challenges faced by fishermen on both sides. He called for resolving fisheries disputes “in a mutually beneficial manner”, while keeping in view relevant laws and geographic jurisdictions.
During his visit, Singh also held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo and conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to him.
“As civilised twins, close neighbours, and maritime partners, India and Sri Lanka have reaffirmed our commitment to continue working together for the development of our countries and the well-being of our people. Likewise, we have reaffirmed our resolve to work together for the security, safety, peace, and prosperity of our region,” Singh said in a post on X.
Addressing Dissanayake, Singh reaffirmed India’s commitment to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Sri Lanka during difficult times and described the bilateral relationship as one of “hearts and souls”.
“India has always been the first responder during the difficult times, and I assure you that we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Sri Lankan friends. We strongly believe that real friends stand by each other in thick and thin. Our relationship is of hearts and souls,” Singh said.
Singh recalled India’s response following Cyclone Ditwah last year, when New Delhi launched ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ to support Sri Lanka.
He said concerted efforts by the Indian Armed Forces and Sri Lankan government agencies helped save lives, restore connectivity and deliver relief and medical assistance.
He also said Sri Lanka remains central to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and its vision of ‘MAHASAGAR’—Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
On economic ties, Singh said India is among Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners and its largest investor and expressed New Delhi’s keenness to further enhance trade and investment linkages. He also said India looks forward to moving “expeditiously” on the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA).
Singh said India’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka is “people-centric” and based on Colombo’s priorities and requirements, with Indian-assisted projects covering major sectors across all districts of the island nation.
Marking a significant diplomatic milestone, Singh’s visit makes him the first Indian Defence Minister to travel to Sri Lanka for official defence-level discussions in nearly 40 years, following then Defence Minister KC Pant’s visit in 1988. (ANI)