Continuing his efforts to further expand engagement with the concurrently accredited Missions in New Delhi, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda had an interactive session with the New Delhi based Defence Advisers and Attachés concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka on 09 February 2023 at the High Commission premises.
The Defence Advisers of Canada, France, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, DPR Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Senegal, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Zambia took part in this interactive session.
High Commissioner Moragoda warmly welcomed the Defence Advisers and Attachés, and briefed the salient pillars of the ‘Integrated Country Strategy,’ which has laid the strategic working framework for Sri Lanka Diplomatic Missions in India. He then apprised them of the present economic and political situation in Sri Lanka and thanked the international community for the assistance rendered in overcoming the economic challenges. The High Commissioner also emphasized the need to engage with friendly foreign countries to promote trade, investment, and tourism as a means to revive the Sri Lankan economy.
Highlighting the vibrant Indo-Lanka relations, High Commissioner Moragoda elaborated the key role played by India by way of extending much-needed financial assistance worth of nearly USD 4 billion, which served as the lifeline that rescued Sri Lanka’s economy from a total collapse. He also deliberated upon the strong defence cooperation that exists between the two countries and the continued training assistance extended to the members of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces by India, which includes over 400 monthly training opportunities.
The High Commissioner also recalled the recently signed agreements between the two countries on the Colombo MRCC, Floating Dock and the Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft that are considered as important capacity and capability initiatives.
High Commissioner Moragoda briefed the Defence Advisers on the strategic significance Sri Lanka holds in the Indian Ocean and highlighted some of the unique maritime security threats and challenges that Sri Lanka encounters in the Indian Ocean, and stressed the importance of having a collaborative approach towards addressing a wider spectrum of issues, especially in the maritime domain.
Recalling the already-established defence cooperation arrangements with some of the other friendly foreign countries, the High Commissioner noted the importance of identifying newfangled areas of cooperation with the assistance of the accredited Defence Advisers in sectors such as capacity and capability building as a means of expanding defence cooperation with Sri Lanka.
This event is a continuation of a series of engagements that the High Commissioner has had with the envoys of the New Delhi-based diplomatic Missions who are concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka.
The Office of the Defence Adviser of the High Commission of Sri Lanka acts as the nodal point in coordinating all matters pertaining to defence cooperation among the concurrently accredited Defence Advisers of 24 countries who are based in New Delhi.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
New Delhi
10 February 2023
