Rajnath Singh Holds Talks With Sri Lankan President, Vows Closer Security Cooperation

India is stepping up its defence outreach across the Indo Pacific as the Donald Trump administration recalibrates its regional strategy, with New Delhi deepening security ties with Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is on a three day visit to Sri Lanka, Indian and Japanese air forces have begun the 14 day ‘Veer Guardian 2026’ exercise in Rajasthan, and Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan is visiting Australia and New Zealand to strengthen maritime cooperation.

Singh on Wednesday met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo and reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to development, security, peace and regional prosperity. He conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s greetings to Dissanayake and congratulated him on completing two years in office.

Singh described India and Sri Lanka as “civilised twins, close neighbours and maritime partners”, while stressing their shared resolve to work together for regional security. His visit is the first by an Indian defence minister to Sri Lanka since 1988 and underlines the island nation’s importance to India’s Neighbourhood First policy and its MAHASAGAR vision.

During the visit, India and Sri Lanka also exchanged three agreements, including one concerning the modernisation of Indian supplied air defence guns operated by the Sri Lankan Air Force. Three Bailey bridges built with Indian military assistance were also inaugurated virtually.

Addressing the Indian community in Sri Lanka, Singh highlighted India’s economic transformation under Modi. He said India had concluded free trade agreements with 38 countries, compared with four comprehensive trade agreements before 2014. He described the India European Union FTA as the “mother of all deals”, opening access to a market of about $27 trillion, and noted that the India UK FTA has been implemented.

Singh said India’s economy had grown from about $2 trillion in 2014 to nearly $4 trillion, while growth reached 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of FY 2026 27. Goods and services exports rose from Rs 45 lakh crore to Rs 79 lakh crore in FY 2025 26.

He also highlighted manufacturing gains, saying electronics production had crossed Rs 11 lakh crore, while electronics exports exceeded Rs 3 lakh crore. Mobile phone manufacturing expanded to more than 300 production units, making India the world’s second largest mobile phone manufacturer.

Defence exports, Singh said, reached a record Rs 39,000 crore, compared with Rs 600 crore 12 years ago, while the defence budget rose to Rs 7.25 lakh crore in FY 2025 26.

India is simultaneously strengthening military partnerships elsewhere. In ‘Veer Guardian 2026’, the IAF is deploying Tejas, Su 30MKI and Rafale fighters, while Japan has fielded F 2A aircraft for advanced operational missions and interoperability drills.

Swaminathan’s Australia and New Zealand visits will build on recent leader level engagements focused on military interoperability, information sharing, training and personnel exchanges.