India pledges US $ 50 m support to SL to buy military equipment
January 18, 2020India has pledged US$ 50m credit line to Sri Lanka to purchase military equipment when India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, yesterday.
Doval, during his official visit to Colombo, discussed key bilateral issues including strategic cooperation, strengthening defence relations between two nations and economic development.
He is the second highest ranking Indian official to visit Colombo after President Rajapaksa assumed duties in mid-November, last year.
Discussions were also held to formulate military-to-military corporation, maritime security and inter-operability between coastguards of both countries.
The visiting Indian delegate during the meeting with President Rajapaksa has also discussed on the mutual cooperation and deployment of coastguards of two countries to curb smuggling, drug-trafficking and gun-running by Non-State Actors and also avenues to restrict illegal fishing.
President Rajapaksa, after meeting Doval in his tweet said : “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 & fostering of regional collaboration, were some of the key points of discussion,”.
While pledging to assist Sri Lanka in intelligence information gathering and setting up a geo-coordinating center, Doval had stressed the importance of reviewing the Maritime Domain Awareness comprising other regional countries as observers.