Visiting Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today (8) assured Sri Lanka of India’s unwavering support, saying New Delhi would stand by Colombo with its full strength whenever the island nation faces a crisis, while stressing the deep-rooted and civilisational ties between the two countries.
Addressing a community reception organised in Colombo during his three-day visit to Sri Lanka, Singh described Sri Lanka as a “very close friend” of India and underscored the importance of maintaining strong relations with neighbouring countries.
“India considers Sri Lanka a very close friend. India understands this reality very well — that in life, everything can change, but neighbours can never change. Friends can change in life, but neighbours can never change,” he said.
Singh said India’s longstanding tradition was to treat its neighbours as family members and expressed his happiness at meeting members of the Indian diaspora in Sri Lanka.
“I am experiencing a sense of belonging after coming here,” he said, adding that the Indian diaspora had played an important role in strengthening cultural, people-to-people, business and political ties between India and Sri Lanka.
The Defence Minister, who is undertaking his first bilateral visit to Sri Lanka as India’s Defence Minister and the first such visit by an Indian Defence Minister in nearly four decades, said the relationship between the two countries was deeply rooted in history.
He recalled India’s support for Sri Lanka during difficult periods and reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to standing alongside Colombo during future crises.
“India has stood with Sri Lanka in every difficult time. And today, once again, as the Defence Minister and as a Minister of the Government of India, I want to say that whenever a crisis arises in Sri Lanka, India will stand with the Government of Sri Lanka with its full strength,” Singh said.
The Indian Defence Minister also spoke about India’s growing influence in the international arena, highlighting the country’s economic expansion, digital transformation and increasing defence production.
He said India’s credibility internationally had grown significantly, adding that the world now listened carefully when India expressed its position at international forums.
Singh also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s defence exports, saying they had increased from around Rs. 60 million approximately 12 years ago to about Rs. 3,900 million today.
He pointed to India’s growing digital economy as another area of rapid development, citing the expansion of broadband connectivity and the substantial increase in transactions through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
The Indian Defence Minister further stressed the important role played by the Indian diaspora in strengthening bilateral relations, describing the community as a vital bridge between the two countries.
Singh arrived in Colombo earlier today for his three-day visit, during which he is scheduled to hold discussions with Sri Lankan leaders.
His visit comes as India and Sri Lanka seek to further strengthen their traditionally close bilateral relationship, with defence and maritime cooperation among the key areas of focus.
Source: ANI
– Agencies
