Indian Chief of the Army Staff Meets Defence Secretary
January 07, 2026The Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, paid a courtesy call on the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), at the Ministry of Defence today (7 January). The Indian Army Chief arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday on an official visit.
The Defence Secretary extended a warm welcome to General Dwivedi. During the meeting, both parties engaged in cordial and constructive discussions on further enhancing bilateral defence ties and cooperation between Sri Lanka and India. The Defence Secretary expressed his sincere appreciation for the assistance extended by the Indian Armed Forces during the recent disaster, noting that India’s timely support made a significant contribution to relief and recovery efforts. He also appreciated the valuable training opportunities provided by India to Sri Lankan defence personnel and conveyed Sri Lanka’s interest in expanding such training and capacity-building programmes in the future.
In response, General Dwivedi reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to maintaining close and enduring defence relations with Sri Lanka. He stated that he looks forward to continuing and further strengthening defence cooperation with the Sri Lanka Army through sustained engagement, expanded training opportunities, and enhanced military-to-military collaboration.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of both countries to deepening defence cooperation and working together to promote regional stability and security. Officials from the Indian High Commission, including the Defence Attaché, were also present on the occasion.
