“India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis,” said defence minister Rajnath Singh as he began his maiden visit to the neighbouring country with an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Colombo on 8 September 2026. He asserted that both nations share close cultural and civilisational ties which have provided a strong foundation for the growth of the bilateral relationship.

The defence minister highlighted India’s rapid economic transformation, stating that the country is among the fastest-growing major economies in the world and contributes more than 16 percent to global growth. He said that India’s economy, which stood at USD 2 trillion in 2014, has doubled to approximately USD 4 trillion over the last decade. He added that amid global economic challenges, the country’s economy grew at 7.8 percent in the first quarter of Financial Year (FY) 2026-27. He also underlined the improvement in macroeconomic stability, saying that average inflation over the last 12 years has been approx. 4.7 percent, compared to 10-11 percent during the earlier period.

Singh added that the value of India’s goods and services exports has increased from Rs 45 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 79 lakh crore in FY 2025-26. On the remarkable expansion in electronics and mobile phone manufacturing, he said electronic goods production has risen from Rs 1.9 lakh crore to over Rs 11 lakh crore, with exports witnessing a 700 percent increase from around Rs 38,000 crore to more than Rs 3 lakh crore.

The defence minister pointed out that India has concluded trade deals with 38 countries over the last 12 years, including Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with eight major nations, compared to just four before 2014. Referring to the India-European Union (EU) FTA as the ‘Mother of All Deals’, he said the agreement opens access to the massive EU market and reflects India’s growing diplomatic and economic capabilities.

On the transformation of the defence sector, Singh asserted that 12 years ago, India used to export defence equipment worth just Rs 600 crore. This figure has reached an all-time high of approx. Rs 39,000 crore, he said, adding that the defence budget, which has risen from approx. Rs 2 lakh crore in FY 2013-14 to Rs 7.25 lakh crore in FY 2025-26. This growth reflects India’s expanding capabilities and its continuing journey towards a stronger and aatmanirbhar defence sector, he said.

Cabinet minister in Sri Lankan government Saroja Savithri Paulraj; Governor, Western Province Hanif Yusoof; deputy minister in Sri Lankan government Sundaralingam Pradeep; high commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha; senior Indian civil and military officials; and members of the Indian community attended the event.

Singh later called on the President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The two leaders held substantive discussions on issues covering the entire spectrum of the multi-faceted partnership between the two nations, characterised by traditionally warm relations and mutual trust.

President Dissanayake expressed his gratitude for the relief assistance provided by India as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu during Cyclone Ditwah and the comprehensive rehabilitation package extended by New Delhi to facilitate reconstruction and rehabilitation work across different parts of the island.

Both leaders virtually inaugurated three Bailey bridges constructed by the Indian defence forces. The two sides also exchanged MoUs on upgradation of L70 Guns for the Sri Lankan Air Force, and cooperation between National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Defence Colleges (NDC) of both the countries. The MoU on Upgradation of six L70 guns for the Sri Lankan Air Force falls under a government of India grant. The upgradation of these air defence guns will significantly strengthen the air defence architecture of critical assets in Sri Lanka. These air defence guns were earlier provided to the Sri Lanka Air Force by India.

The MoU on academic cooperation between NDC, India and NDC, Sri Lanka will facilitate knowledge sharing which will be a significant step in further strengthening the academic bonds between both the sister institutes. The MoU on NCC cooperation will formalise the NCC youth exchange programme between India and Sri Lanka.

Singh’s meeting with the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dr Harini Amarasuriya was marked by exchange of views on a range of issues, with development cooperation being one of the central themes of the discussions. They also reviewed progress in other areas of mutual interest including education, information technology, infrastructure, innovation and research.

The defence minister underlined that as sister democracies with shared heritage, India and Sri Lanka should continue to work on a shared developmental vision for the peace and prosperity of the region and welfare of their people.

Singh emphasised that Prime Minister Amarasuriya is one of the role models for women not only in Sri Lanka but also in India, describing her as a symbol of women empowerment and Nari Shakti. He stated that India would like to encourage more women from Sri Lanka to benefit from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships and other government of India initiatives to increase their participation in governance and leadership.