The senior military and political figures in Sri Lanka were welcomed in Colombo on May 2-3, 2023, by Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, who is visiting the nation at the invitation of his counterpart, Air Chief Marshal SK Pathirana.
The main topic of conversation at these gatherings was strengthening the already-existing friendships between the armed forces. According to information given by the Indian High Commission in Colombo, senior Sri Lankan defense officers praised India’s aid in 2022 as well as the ongoing support.
In addition to the commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari met with Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Defence Secretary General (Retd), Kamal Gunaratne, and Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. He also spoke with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
I spoke with Gen. (Ret.) Kamal Gunaratne, Gen. (@SilvaShavendra), Chief of the Defence Staff, and Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Sri Lankan Army. The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted that senior Sri Lankan defense officials had praised both India’s aid in 2022 and its continued support.
The High Commission noted that during these encounters, “meaningful discussions to strengthen existing bonds of friendship between the Armed Forces took place.”
The Indian Air Force said in a subsequent tweet that the bilateral talks guaranteed IAF’s unwavering commitment to Sri Lanka at all times when India is required.
Since many years ago, India and Sri Lanka have maintained a close defense relationship, with India significantly contributing to the improvement of Sri Lanka’s defense capabilities through military training, intelligence sharing, and technical support.
