Sri Lanka and India have reaffirmed a commitment to strengthening defence cooperation after the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Damian Fernando, held talks with Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi.
Fernando paid a courtesy call on Singh on Thursday during a three-day official visit to India, NewsFirst reported, citing India’s Ministry of Defence. The meeting focused on reviewing progress under the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan, the framework that governs defence engagement between the two countries.
The Indian ministry said the two sides reviewed activities and projects under the plan and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Neither side published a list of the projects reviewed or any new agreement.
Three meetings in one day
The Defence Secretary call was one of three engagements Fernando held in New Delhi on Thursday, according to statements issued by the Indian services and carried by the Indian news agency IANS.
Fernando met Indian Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, receiving a ceremonial Guard of Honour at the South Block lawns before bilateral talks. The Indian Navy said the discussions covered maritime security cooperation and institutionalised training and capacity-building, framed within India’s MAHASAGAR doctrine — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth across Regions — which succeeded the earlier SAGAR formulation as Delhi’s stated approach to the Indian Ocean.
He also met General N. S. Raja Subramani, Chief of Defence Staff of the Indian Armed Forces. The Integrated Defence Staff said that meeting reviewed existing cooperation, explored new avenues for joint military training and capacity enhancement, and covered regional security matters.
No verified Sri Lankan newsroom other than NewsFirst had reported the visit at the time of writing, and the Sri Lanka Navy had not issued its own statement.
Fernando’s first India visit as commander
The trip is Fernando’s first official visit to India since he assumed office as the 27th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy in July, succeeding Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, who was subsequently named chairman of Airport and Aviation Services.
Naval diplomacy has been steady through his first weeks in the post. The Japanese Defence Attaché called on him in August, and Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara reviewed the fleet’s maritime security and anti-narcotics operations later the same month.
India remains the Sri Lanka Navy’s largest training partner and a supplier of platforms including offshore patrol vessels. Fernando himself trained in India, completing the Long Gunnery and Missile Course at INS Dronacharya in 2003.
