Military exercises, pilgrim tourism mark new phase of India-Sri Lanka ties

<p>
India and Sri Lanka begin a 12-day military exercise from today at the Combat Training School, Ampara, Sri Lanka. The Defence Ministry said that "an all arms contingent of 120 personnel of the Indian Army will participate in the exercise along with a battalion of the Sri Lankan Army".</p>
<p>
The aim of the military exercise is to promote relations between the armies, enhance inter-operability and share best practices in counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations, says the Defence Ministry.</p>
<p>
The exercise between the two armies follows on the heels of a recently-concluded naval exercise.<br />
<br />
Besides defence cooperation through army and navy exercises, Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and is likely to hold talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa also.<br />
<br />
Shringla is on a four-day visit to the country to launch development projects in India's southern neighbour. India is also looking at reducing the <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/colombo-port-city-why-should-india-be-worried-102251.html ">Chinese influence in Sri Lanka </a>through enhanced cooperation in the fields of defence and security, economic development, tourism and trade.</p>
<p>
Only a few days back Sri Lanka finally awarded the <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/economy-news/india-dents-chinese-influence-in-sri-lanka-through-colombo-port-deal-118437.html">West Container Terminal </a>(WCT) to the Adani Group of India demonstrating that ties are on an upswing.</p>
<p>
Sri Lanka has also agreed to India promoting religious tourism by developing facilities for tourists and pilgrims at sites associated with the Hindu epic Ramayana.</p>
<p>
<a href="https://www.mea.gov.in/Speeches-Statements.htm?dtl/34346/Foreign+Secretarys+Remarks+at+the+Inauguration+of+Indian+Development+Cooperation+Projects+at+Temple+Trees+Colombo">Addressing Sri Lankan ministers</a> at the inauguration of the development cooperation, he said: "The high-level visits, in particular, the state visits of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to India in November 2019 and February 2020, respectively, have given fresh impetus to the bilateral relations. The Virtual Bilateral Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in September 2020 was an important milestone…"<br />
<br />
Shringla visited the Jaffna Culture Center and promised that New Delhi will support the maintenance of the culture center for five more years. This project is part of India's effort to develop social infrastructure for people in the Tamil-dominated Northern Province.<br />
<br />
Shringla also visited Trincomalee Oil Farms–leased to Lanka IOC (LIOC) under an agreement signed in 2003. The LIOC is a subsidiary of the Indian Oil Corporation in Sri Lanka, that operates retail petrol and diesel stations in the country.</p>