'India Will Continue to Stand Shoulder-To-Shoulder with Sri Lanka: Rajnath Singh as He Calls Ties 'Relationship of Hearts and Souls'

Colombo: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, held a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo. Sharing details of the engagement in a post on X, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote, “Today, in Colombo, I held a highly productive meeting with His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. I shared with him the greetings of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and extended our congratulations on the completion of two years of his government. As civilised twins, close neighbours, and maritime partners, India and Sri Lanka have reaffirmed our commitment to continue working together for the development of our countries and the well-being of our people. Likewise, we have reaffirmed our resolve to work together for the security, safety, peace, and prosperity of our region.”

Singh on Wednesday reaffirmed India’s commitment to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Sri Lanka in difficult times, describing the bilateral relationship as one of “hearts and souls” and highlighting New Delhi’s role as the island nation’s first responder.

Addressing Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during his visit to Sri Lanka, Singh said India and Sri Lanka are “civilisational twins”, sharing centuries of history, culture and heritage, and described Sri Lanka as one of India’s “closest friends and valuable partners”.

“India has always been the first responder during difficult times, and I assure you that we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our Sri Lankan friends. We strongly believe that real friends stand by each other in thick and thin. Our relationship is of hearts and souls,” Singh said.

Marking a significant diplomatic milestone, the visit makes Singh the first Indian Defence Minister to travel to the island nation for official defence-level discussions in nearly forty years, succeeding KC Pant's ministerial visit in 1988. Prior to his arrival, Singh shared a message on X stating, “Besides our longstanding partnership as well as deep historical and civilisational ties, Sri Lanka is one of our most important partners under the 'Neighbourhood First' and 'MAHASAGAR' initiatives.”

Opening his itinerary by engaging with the local Indian diaspora in Colombo, the Defence Minister assured that New Delhi and Colombo share the bond of close friends, affirming that India will consistently maintain a steadfast stance alongside the island nation during any crisis.

"The relationship between India and Sri Lanka is based on shared history, culture, and faith. We stand with Sri Lanka through thick and thin and are committed to the peace, prosperity, and development of both countries," Singh stated, adding that shared cultural and civilisational connections furnish a robust bedrock for growing bilateral relations as he experienced a sense of belonging after coming there.

Addressing the community gathering, Singh accentuated India's accelerated economic shift, pointing out that the nation ranks among the top fast-developing major economies globally while supplying over 16 per cent of worldwide economic expansion. Delivering specific metrics, he stated that India's national economy rose from USD 2 trillion in 2014 to roughly USD 4 trillion across the preceding decade, sustaining momentum amidst worldwide headwinds by expanding at 7.8 per cent during the initial quarter of financial year 2026-27.

Furthermore, the minister spotlighted enhanced macroeconomic stability, noting that average inflation across the prior twelve years remained steady near 4.7 per cent, contrasting with the 10 to 11 per cent range recorded previously. Detailing trade expansion and international economic engagement during his address, Singh noted that New Delhi has finalised trade agreements with 38 nations across the past twelve years, incorporating free trade accords with eight major countries, versus merely four prior to 2014. 

Designating the India-European Union pact as the 'Mother of all deals', he explained that the arrangement unlocks entry to the vast European market while showcasing India's escalating diplomatic and economic prowess. 

The Defence Minister recalled India’s swift response following Cyclone Ditwah last year, when New Delhi launched ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ to support Sri Lanka. He said concerted efforts by the Indian Armed Forces and Sri Lankan government agencies helped save lives, restore connectivity and deliver relief and medical assistance.

Singh said Sri Lanka remains central to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and its vision of ‘MAHASAGAR’, Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to Dissanayake and congratulated him on completing two years in office, saying Modi looks forward to continuing to work closely with him to further strengthen the special relationship between the two countries.

“Under your leadership, our bilateral relations have received a fresh impetus. A lot of credit goes to your drive and leadership towards the deepening of our bilateral relations. We greatly value your friendship and support,” Singh said. On economic ties, Singh said India is among Sri Lanka’s largest trading partners and its largest investor, and expressed New Delhi’s keenness to further enhance trade and investment linkages.

He said India looks forward to moving “expeditiously” on the Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). Singh also underlined that India’s development cooperation with Sri Lanka is “people-centric” and based on Colombo’s priorities and requirements, with Indian-assisted projects covering major sectors across all districts of the island nation.

The Defence Minister said he was confident that with Dissanayake’s vision and support, India-Sri Lanka ties would reach new heights, benefiting the two countries, their people and the wider region. 

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