Three new defence MoUs to be signed during Singh’s visit; one on air-defence guns

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 6, 2026

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Sri Lanka for three days to sign three defence-related agreements, including one for supplying Indian air defence guns and two others aimed at enhancing military cooperation. This visit, the first by an Indian Defence Minister to Colombo since 1989, underscores a deepening of bilateral defence ties and includes reviewing existing agreements, meeting top officials, and inaugurating Indian-funded reconstruction projects.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to begin a three-day visit to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, during which both countries are expected to sign three new defence-related memoranda of understanding (MoUs). One of these agreements will focus on supplying Indian air defence guns to Sri Lanka, while the remaining two aim to strengthen cooperation between the cadet corps of both countries and enhance ties between the Sri Lanka Defence College and Indian defence institutions.

In addition to these new accords, the two sides will review the existing India-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation MoU, originally signed during Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in April 2025. President Dissanayake, who also holds Sri Lanka’s defence portfolio, is scheduled to meet with Singh on Wednesday. Singh will also meet Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya during a session at Parliament, where he will observe parliamentary proceedings amid debate surrounding a bill proposing the abolition of the Office of the Chief of the Defence Staff (OCDS).

During his visit, Singh will review Indian-funded development projects across Sri Lanka, including those supported by approximately USD 450 million in aid. Notably, he will virtually inaugurate the reconstruction of three bridges damaged by Cyclone Ditwah—two located in Kurunegala District and one in Batticaloa—rebuilt with Indian assistance.

Singh’s itinerary includes meetings with senior Sri Lankan military officials, including Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha and commanders of the army, navy, and air force at the military headquarters. On Wednesday evening, he is slated to participate in a Bodhi Pooja ceremony at the Gangaramaya Temple, followed by a reception aboard an Indian Navy ship with select invitees.

On Thursday, Singh plans to visit the Sita Amman Kovil temple in Nuwara Eliya before concluding his visit and departing Sri Lanka. This trip marks the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Colombo since the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in July 1989, highlighting a significant moment in the defence ties between the two neighboring countries.

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