Colombo: India will assist Sri Lanka in establishing an Artificial Intelligence facility for the Sri Lankan Army, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced during his three-day visit to Colombo, adding a new technology dimension to the growing India-Sri Lanka defence partnership.
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The proposed facility will strengthen cooperation between the two countries in emerging military technologies and capability development, moving bilateral defence ties beyond conventional training and equipment.
The AI initiative comes as armed forces globally are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence into surveillance, intelligence analysis, decision-making, logistics and battlefield awareness.
For Sri Lanka, assistance from India could provide access to expertise and institutional capabilities as it develops its own military applications of emerging technologies.
For India, meanwhile, such cooperation strengthens its role as a security and technology partner in the Indian Ocean, rather than simply an equipment supplier.
The AI facility is one element of a broader push to deepen India-Sri Lanka cooperation across defence, maritime security, connectivity and regional security.
During Singh's visit, India and Sri Lanka also reaffirmed their commitment to working together as close neighbours and maritime partners to promote regional peace and security.
The two countries' strategic relationship is particularly important given Sri Lanka's location along major Indian Ocean shipping routes and India's wider Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR approach.
The development represents a shift towards capacity-building through technology, where India's defence partnerships increasingly involve training, institutional cooperation and emerging technologies alongside traditional military cooperation.
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