Annual Indo-Lanka Defence Dialogue held in India
January 14, 2018 10:34 pm
The fifth Indo-Sri Lanka Defence Dialogue was held in New Delhi, India earlier this month. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Mr.Kapila Waidyaratne PC.
The ten member Indian delegation, led by the Indian Defence Secretary, Shri Sanjay Mitra included high ranking Indian Defence Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials, senior Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard officers.
The Sri Lankan delegation included, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence, Mr. RMS Sarath Kumara, Director General of South Asian and SAARC Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. MAK Girihagama, Chief of Staff of Air Force, Air Vice Marshal GLS Dias, Director General Operation of Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva, Director General of Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalatunga and Major General GLJ Waduge.
Since its inception in 2012, the Annual Indo - Sri Lanka Defence Dialogue reviews a range of Defence Cooperation between the two neighbouring countries while giving attention to other areas of interests as well.
The 4th Indo-Sri Lanka Defence Dialogue was held in Colombo in November (03rd) last year.
During his visit to India, Secretary Waidyaratne also visited the Goa Shipyard and INS Hanza Naval Base in Goa. On his visit to the Kochi Naval Base he also met the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Southern Naval Area of the Indian Navy. The Secretary also visited the sacred sites at Bodh Gaya.
- Ministry of Defence
