Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo on September 09, 2026, with discussions centred on strengthening India-Sri Lanka ties and advancing cooperation across key areas of mutual interest.
Development cooperation featured prominently during the talks, with the two leaders reviewing progress in education, information technology, infrastructure, innovation and research. They also highlighted the enduring civilisational ties between India and Sri Lanka and the importance of strong people-to-people exchanges in further deepening the relationship between the two nations.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised that India and Sri Lanka, as sister democracies with shared heritage, should continue to pursue a shared developmental vision aimed at promoting regional peace, prosperity and the welfare of their people.
He underlined capacity building as a key pillar of bilateral cooperation and expressed hope that his visit would provide fresh momentum to the historic and multifaceted India-Sri Lanka partnership.
Highlighting the growing role of women in governance and nation-building, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya as a role model for women in both Sri Lanka and India and a symbol of women empowerment and Nari Shakti.
He also stated that India would encourage greater participation of Sri Lankan women in governance and leadership by promoting opportunities through Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships and other Government of India initiatives.
The meeting reaffirmed the commitment of both countries to further strengthen their longstanding partnership and work towards shared regional peace, prosperity and development.
