IAF Chief in Sri Lanka to boost bilateral defence ties

Colombo: Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari arrived here on May 1 on a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka. During the visit, he will meet top military leadership to discuss ways for enhancing bilateral defence cooperation, amid China's growing influence in the island nation.

Indian High Commission in Colombo tweeted, "Underlining the strong India-Sri Lanka defence ties, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari CAS @IAF_MCC arrived on a 4-day visit to Sri Lanka. He was warmly received by AVM RAUP Rajapaksa, Chief of Staff @airforcelk and Deputy HC @VinodKJacob76 on arrival."

In August last year, Vice Chief of Indian Navy Vice Admiral SN Ghormade paid a two-day visit to the island country during which India handed the island nation a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft.

The aircraft was given to Sri Lanka from the inventory of the Indian Navy to help the country meet its immediate security requirement. India has been supporting various capacity building measures of the Sri Lankan defence forces, including providing indigenously constructed Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs). 

Both the countries India have maintained bilateral engagements in defence despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The SLINEX naval exercise and the Mitra Shakti army exercise are held every year alternatively in India and Sri Lanka, and both armed forces collaborate closely in dealing with common security challenges such as drug and human trafficking.

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