COAS General Upendra Dwivedi's upcoming visit to Sri Lanka signals deepening strategic partnership

New Delhi [India], November 25 (ANI): Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi will visit Sri Lanka from December 1 to 2, in a visit the Indian Army says marks an important step in India-Sri Lanka defence cooperation.

The trip comes amid a steady pattern of high-level military engagements that have strengthened trust and operational familiarity between the two countries, according to an Army statement.

Previous visits by Indian Chiefs, such as General MM Naravane's official trip to Sri Lanka in 2021, during which he held extensive discussions with Sri Lankan leadership and witnessed the joint Exercise Mitra Shakti, have laid a strong foundation for continued collaboration.

India's engagement has also been reinforced through cross-service interactions, including the visit of Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, to Sri Lanka in September 2025, which underscored the growing maritime cooperation between the two nations.

These engagements mirror reciprocal visits by senior Sri Lankan military leaders to India, most notably the official visit of Commander of Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo in June 2025, where he revisited the Indian Military Academy as the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade and Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage's visit in 2023, which reflected Sri Lanka's continued emphasis on maintaining close professional ties with India, the statement added.

The upcoming visit aims to reinforce India's "Neighbourhood First" policy by emphasising partnership, stability and cooperation with Sri Lanka. It serves to highlight India's position as a reliable security partner, committed to supporting Sri Lanka in capability building and capacity enhancement across various defence domains.

According to the statement, the visit is also expected to deepen Army-to-Army relations through expanded opportunities for training, professional exchanges, joint exercises and dialogue on operational best practices. Importantly, the COAS's interactions with Sri Lankan political and military leadership will facilitate the sharing of perspectives on emerging regional and global security challenges, especially at a time when the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) face new and evolving strategic pressures.

The visit takes place within a wider context of strong strategic convergence between India and Sri Lanka. The civilisational and cultural connection between the two countries has long served as a natural anchor for bilateral relations, and defence cooperation has historically played a major role in reinforcing this bond.

Both nations uphold the principles of strategic autonomy and share a firm stance against terrorism, rooted in mutual experiences and a common vision for regional security, the statement said.

Their collaboration extends to multilateral platforms as well, with Sri Lanka supporting India's aspirations for permanent membership in the UN Security Council and India backing Sri Lanka's pursuit of an expanded role in groups such as BRICS.

These shared positions highlight a collective commitment to building a rules-based global order that ensures fairness and stability.

The timing of the visit is particularly significant. It completes a cycle of high-level engagements in 2025, following the visits of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army to India and the Indian Navy Chief to Sri Lanka, sending a clear message of continuity and mutual trust.

It also aligns with India's broader commitment to supporting Sri Lanka's security stabilisation, defence preparedness and long-term institutional strengthening. Through symbolic gestures such as paying homage at shared memorials and substantive discussions on security cooperation, the visit will honour the shared history of India-Sri Lanka military ties while charting a forward-looking agenda for enhanced partnership.

Further, the statement said, in essence, the upcoming visit is a reaffirmation of India's commitment to Sri Lanka as a close neighbour, valued partner and trusted friend. It showcases the enduring strength of bilateral defence ties and reflects a mutual desire to work together for peace, stability and prosperity in the region. (ANI)

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