INS Udaygiri visit to Colombo signals deeper India-Sri Lanka defence ties

Rajnath Singh said INS Udaygiri's Colombo visit reflects India's resolve to work closely with Sri Lanka. The stopover, defence aid and proposed AI lab signal deeper maritime and military cooperation.Image used for representational purposes onlyDefence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said the visit of INS Udaygiri to Colombo reflects India's commitment to work closely with Sri Lanka for the welfare of the people of both countries. He made the remarks at a deck reception organised onboard the ship during his visit to Sri Lanka.INS Udaygiri, an advanced indigenous stealth guided-missile frigate, arrived at Colombo port on Tuesday, coinciding with Singh's visit. The ship's crew will take part in goodwill events with the Sri Lanka Navy and visit tourist and cultural sites."The visit of INS Udaygiri is a symbol of our commitment and desire to work shoulder to shoulder with our Sri Lankan friends for the welfare of our countries and our people," Singh said. Referring to the ship's earlier role, he said INS Udaygiri was among the first responders during the devastating Cyclone Ditwah and had brought relief assistance to the people of Sri Lanka."As Sri Lanka's closest neighbour and a civilisational twin, Bharat will continue to stand firmly with Sri Lanka in rain or shine. We remain each other's 'Sukh Dukh Mein Saathi'," he said. Singh said India and Sri Lanka are not only long-standing friends and neighbours linked by shared cultural, historical and civilisational heritage, but also important partners in ensuring the safety and security of the Indian Ocean Region. "The ocean doesn't divide us but connects us through a unique and everlasting bond of deep people-to-people connect," he said. Singh said capacity building has remained a strong pillar of bilateral defence cooperation and that India has consistently tried to meet the requirements of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces while keeping their interests and priorities in mind. "Given the salience of maritime cooperation, it is undoubtedly an area where we foresee a closer and deeper engagement," he said. "India remains a committed partner for the capacity enhancement of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces." He also said the two sides would work together to create an Artificial Intelligence Lab for the Sri Lankan Army for capability enhancement.The ship carried equipment and components as part of India's assistance under the flagship Defence Diplomacy initiative. These included spares for the Indra MK 2 radar for the Sri Lankan Air Force, spares for Sri Lanka Navy Ship SAYURA, and inflatable targets for the Sri Lankan Navy. During the event, Singh handed over the equipment and components to Sri Lankan officials and said, "This equipment will help in further boosting the capability and capacity of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces." Singh is leading a high-level delegation that includes senior officials from the ministries of defence and external affairs, with his visit and the arrival of INS Udaygiri underlining the broader defence cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 9, 2026 22:40 IST