Colombo: India and US have "responded positively" to a Sri Lankan request for enhanced training opportunities for its Navy, the External Affairs Ministry here on Tuesday said.
The request for enhanced training opportunities for Sri Lankan Navy was made by the nation`s powerful Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on the margins of the Shangri-La dialogue, the Asian security summit held in Singapore.
"As two key strategic partners of Sri Lanka, both the US and India responded positively to a request made by Secretary of Defence for enhanced training opportunities for capacity building of defence personnel in their institutes of repute", it said.
Sri Lanka`s delegation to the meetings was led by the External Affairs Minister G L Peiris.
Peiris along with Rajapaksa met with Indian Defence Minister A K Anthony and Gen Martin Dempsey, the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Peiris addressed a thematic Session on "South Asia`s Growing Security Threats", the External Affairs Ministry said.
As a coastal nation, the meetings recognised the pivotal role that Sri Lanka navy could play in strengthening the security of sea lanes in the Indian Ocean and resolved to co-operate closely in drawing on their synergies in combating international terrorism.
PTI
