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Sri Lankans to discuss bilateral defence agreement with India
New Delhi, Jan 12: A high level Sri Lankan Defence delegation arrives here on Wednesday to discuss a broad bilateral defence agreement between the two countries.
New Delhi, Jan 12: A high level Sri Lankan Defence
delegation arrives here on Wednesday to discuss a broad
bilateral defence agreement between the two countries.
The delegation headed by Defence Secretary Cyril Herath
would be here for three days and would hold wide ranging talks
with senior Indian Defence Ministry officials and may also
call on Defence Minister George Fernandes, according to
official sources here.
Though Sri Lanka and India already have a bilateral
agreement on intelligence sharing, training of armed forces
personnel and supply of life saving equipment, Colombo wants
the cooperation to be broadened to include sale of non
offensive weapons systems by New Delhi.
The Sri Lankans are interested in buying helicopters,
small transport aircraft and smaller naval vessels for their
fledgling navy. The visit of the Sri Lankan delegation is seen
here as a follow up of initial moves for a broad defence
agreement mooted by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe last
October.
Besides the sale of armaments, highly placed sources
said the island nation was likely to seek India's help in
restoring some of the major airports in north and northeastern
Sri Lanka.
Bureau Report