India-Sri Lanka Bolster Defence & Strategic Ties 📈

General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army, concluded a landmark four-day official visit to Sri Lanka (January 6–9, 2026), focusing on deepening bilateral defence cooperation and regional security. • Infrastructure & Grants: Signed Letters of Exchange for an Indian-funded Indo-Lanka Sports Complex at the Army War College, Buttala. This includes a new gymnasium and welfare facilities to enhance military education and training. • Equipment & Capacity Building: Officially handed over a significant aid package to the Sri Lanka Army, including: 20 Mahindra Scorpio vehicles Advanced training simulators 2 ambulances (one specifically for the Army War College) • Strategic Focus: High-level discussions held with the Commander of the Army, Deputy Minister of Defence, and Defence Secretary. Key areas included: Training cooperation and professional military education. Countering regional security threats (terrorism, smuggling). Strengthening interoperability under the "MAHASAGAR" regional security vision. • Humanitarian Support: Recognized Sri Lankan Disaster Response Teams for their service and reaffirmed India’s support under Operation Sagar Bandhu, which recently provided over 1,100 tonnes of relief material for cyclone recovery.