By The Pulseline News Desk
India will stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said as he began his maiden official visit to Sri Lanka, underscoring New Delhi’s continuing commitment to its closest neighbour amid a broader strengthening of bilateral defence and economic ties.
Addressing members of the Indian community in Colombo on Tuesday (8), Singh said India and Sri Lanka were bound by deep cultural and civilisational links, describing these longstanding ties as the foundation of the relationship between the two countries.
“India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis,” Singh said, according to India’s Ministry of Defence.
The statement comes against the backdrop of India’s prominent role in supporting Sri Lanka during the country’s recent economic crisis, when New Delhi extended substantial financial and humanitarian assistance as Sri Lanka struggled with severe shortages of essential commodities, fuel and foreign exchange.
Singh’s visit marks his first trip to Sri Lanka as India’s Defence Minister and comes at a time when defence cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of the expanding bilateral partnership.
In his address, Singh also used India’s economic and defence transformation to highlight the country’s growing capabilities and its increasing role on the global stage.
He said India was now among the world’s fastest-growing major economies and contributed more than 16% of global economic growth. India’s economy, he noted, had expanded from around US$2 trillion in 2014 to approximately US$4 trillion.
The Defence Minister pointed to a similar transformation in India’s defence sector, saying defence exports had risen sharply from around Rs. 600 crore 12 years ago to an all-time high of approximately Rs. 39,000 crore.
India’s defence budget has also increased significantly, from around Rs. 2 lakh crore in the 2013-14 financial year to Rs. 7.25 lakh crore in 2025-26, Singh said, reflecting New Delhi’s efforts to strengthen domestic defence production and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
He also highlighted India’s rapid expansion in electronics and mobile-phone manufacturing, export capacity, infrastructure and digital public services, presenting the country’s economic growth as part of a broader transformation aimed at making India more self-reliant and globally competitive.
Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with strengthening India’s position internationally, while emphasising the role played by the Indian diaspora in maintaining close people-to-people links between India and Sri Lanka.
The Defence Minister’s remarks come as Colombo and New Delhi continue to deepen security cooperation in the Indian Ocean, with maritime security, defence exchanges, training and capacity building forming an increasingly important part of the bilateral relationship.
Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the Indian Ocean has also made security cooperation with India a significant component of the two countries’ wider partnership, particularly as both countries seek to address emerging maritime and regional security challenges.
Singh’s visit is therefore expected to provide further momentum to defence ties between the two countries, while reinforcing India’s broader message that Sri Lanka remains a key partner in its neighbourhood.
Sri Lankan Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, senior Indian civil and military officials and members of the Indian community attended the Colombo event.
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