India's Modi visits Sri Lanka to shore up defence and energy ties

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on a diplomatic mission aimed at deepening defence and energy collaboration, as the island nation seeks to maintain a strategic balance between India and China—its largest creditor.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake hosted a grand welcome for Modi on Saturday, including a ceremonial 19-gun salute at Independence Square in Colombo.
Modi is the first international leader to visit Sri Lanka since President Dissanayake’s left-leaning government took office following last year’s elections.
In recognition of his contributions to bilateral relations, President Dissanayake presented Modi with the Mithra Vibhushan, Sri Lanka’s highest civilian award. Expressing his gratitude, Modi said the honour "belongs not just to me, but to all 1.4 billion Indians."
During a joint address from the president’s office, Modi emphasized the shared security interests of both countries, stating, "Our security is mutually dependent and interconnected."
As part of the visit, India and Sri Lanka signed a five-year defence cooperation agreement. The pact includes provisions for the training of Sri Lankan military personnel in India and the sharing of defence-related information and technology.
President Dissanayake praised India’s growing global stature, calling it “a world power, not merely a regional one.” He also reassured Modi that Sri Lanka’s territory would not be used by any foreign actor to compromise India’s security.
India has previously expressed concern over the presence of Chinese submarines and research vessels at Sri Lanka’s main port in Colombo. Since 2014, Sri Lanka has barred Chinese submarines from docking, following Indian objections.
More recently, Colombo introduced a ban on foreign research ships in response to Indian concerns that Chinese vessels were conducting surveillance operations under the guise of scientific exploration.