Two countries have agreed to strengthen "training and service to service exchanges"

The Defence Secretary of India Pradeep Kumar is paying a three-day visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of Mr Rajapaksa.

The ties will be strengthened “especially in the field of training and service to service exchanges," said a statement issued by the Indian High Commission in Colombo said.

Mr Kumar is accompanied by a delegation of senior officers from the Indian ministries of Defence and External Affairs, as well as from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

During his stay in Colombo, Mr Kumar has met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Prof GL Peiris, among others.

Anniversary celebrations

Defence Secreaty Rajapaksa and Mr Kumar have decided, after discussions in the presence of Sri Lanka armed forces commanders, to hold a formal Annual Defence Dialogue and conduct a joint naval exrcise, according to the statement.

Given the commonality of concerns of both India and Sri Lanka, including with respect to the safety and security of their sea lanes of communication, both sides agreed that these issues would inform their bilateral exchanges Indian government

“Given the commonality of concerns of both India and Sri Lanka, including with respect to the safety and security of their sea lanes of communication, both sides agreed that these issues would inform their bilateral exchanges,” it said.

Indian and Sri Lankan counterparts reviewed major ongoing projects, “including reactivation of Palaly airport as a regional civil aviation hub and of Kankesanthurai harbour,” the statement added.

Defence Secretary Rajapaksa has recently appreciated the fact that five permanent Security Council members taking part in 60 anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka Navy, including Russian and China sending warships.

"The country wouldn't have attracted the 'big' five if we had still been at war. In fact, many countries would have been reluctant to send warships had we been bogged down on the northern front,” Mr Rajapaksa was quoted in Island newspaper.