Army says it does not get Indian weapons

The Sri Lankan army on Wednesday said it has not sold or purchased weapons from India during or after the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels.

Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said that Sri Lanka does not manufacture weapons that are able to sell them to any country, and does not obtain weapons from India.

India was very sensitive to the support it extended to Sri Lanka during the war, particularly owing to anti-Sri Lanka pressure from Tamil Nadu.

The army spokesman, however, said Sri Lanka and India have good military ties and that had expanded in recent times.

“We appreciate the strong ties we have with India on a military level. I should say it has grown stronger in recent times,” he said.

He said that while the Sri Lankan army receives training in India, the Indian military takes part in training in Sri Lanka as well.

The army spokesman also recalled that both countries conduct joint military exercises regularly.

The army defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009 after 30 years of war, in a battle which saw thousands being killed and injured.

Human rights groups accused the army of committing war crimes during the final battle, an accusation the Sri Lanka army denies.

Political parties in the Indian southern state of Tamil Nadu had strongly objected to the war and even continue to call for an international investigation into some of the incidents alleged to have taken place. (Xinhua)