India has welcomed a 16-member delegation from Sri Lanka’s National Defence College (NDC), led by Brigadier KMG Bandaranayake, for a five-day strategic study tour focused on deepening bilateral defence cooperation. The visit highlights New Delhi’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regional security ties, particularly with close maritime neighbours in the Indo-Pacific.
The Sri Lankan delegation began its tour today with a comprehensive session at the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) in New Delhi. Senior officials from India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force briefed the group on India’s strategic outlook and defence posture, with a focus on operational collaboration, regional security, and military preparedness.
As part of their itinerary, the delegation will also visit key defence establishments across India to gain first-hand insight into Indian military infrastructure, training, and doctrine.
This high-level military exchange comes against the backdrop of growing strategic coordination between India and Sri Lanka. Both countries are increasingly aligning efforts to counterbalance China’s rising influence in the region. A recent Deccan Herald report on April 5 revealed that India is preparing a framework to assist Sri Lanka in modernizing its defence capabilities through supply of military hardware.
The Sri Lankan National Defence College, a premier institution for senior leadership across the tri-services and civil sector, has stepped up international engagement. Earlier this month, on April 11, the college hosted Iran’s Defence Attaché Colonel Mahboobi Fooladi, signaling Colombo’s broader diplomatic outreach.
India and Sri Lanka share a long but complex military history, particularly marked by India’s intervention during the Sri Lankan civil war via the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the late 1980s. Despite those challenges, both nations have steadily rebuilt trust over the past decades. A 2021 statement by then-High Commissioner Milinda Moragoda emphasized a commitment to deepen defence and trade ties, acknowledging and addressing historical concerns.
The ongoing delegation visit is part of India’s larger defence diplomacy push, reflected in recent joint exercises like Exercise Sanyukt Abhyas and operational demonstrations by the Indian Navy. These engagements underscore New Delhi’s strategic intent to build interoperability and ensure regional stability.
As India and Sri Lanka confront evolving security threats in the Indo-Pacific, this visit reaffirms their shared commitment to a secure, cooperative, and rules-based regional order.
