Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Monday, 20 January 2020 04:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
India has pledged a $ 50 million assistance to Sri Lanka to help the country purchase equipment for its security forces, when National Security Advisor of India Ajit Doval called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday.
During the meeting Doval, who arrived in Colombo on Saturday on an official visit, discussed a range of bilateral issues and exchanged views with President Rajapaksa on enhancing bilateral relations in several sectors, including strengthening cooperation in defence.
The topics discussed included strengthening cooperation between the security forces of the two countries, enhancing maritime security, cooperation and interaction between the Coast Guards of the two countries. “A very cordial discussion was held with National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval today. Strengthening of bilateral cooperation on national security, intelligence sharing, maritime security and fostering of regional collaboration, were some of the key points of discussion,” the President said in a tweet.
Doval pointed out the importance of reviewing the knowledge of maritime zones between Sri Lanka, Maldives and India. He also pointed out the need for other regional states to participate in this process as observers.
He also said that as part of strengthening security cooperation, $ 50 million will be provided for the purchase of equipment for Sri Lankan security forces.
India has also pledged to assist Sri Lanka in the gathering of intelligence information and setting up a geo-coordinating centre.
India’s top security official’s visit to Sri Lanka follows the visits of several high ranking foreign officials this week, including the Chinese and Russian Foreign Ministers and US State Department Assistant Secretary Alice Wells.
