Sri Lanka Assures India on Security, Parliamentary Panel Calls for Deeper Ties

Sri Lanka has assured India that its territory will not be used against New Delhi’s security interests, a parliamentary panel has noted, underscoring the strategic importance of bilateral cooperation amid growing geopolitical competition in the Indian Ocean region. The committee has recommended sustained diplomatic engagement on security concerns, measures to protect Indian fishermen’s livelihoods, improved connectivity and a broader economic partnership.

In its nearly 120-page report, India–Sri Lanka Relations and the Way Ahead, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, headed by Shashi Tharoor, highlighted the need to manage sensitive issues through sustained institutional engagement. Submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker on September 25, the report described bilateral ties as rooted in more than 2,500 years of historical connections, geographic proximity and contemporary strategic interests.

The security assurance comes amid concerns over China’s strategic presence in Sri Lanka, including its investments in Hambantota port and visits by Chinese research vessels Yuan Wang 5 in 2022 and Shi Yan 6 in 2023. The commitment was reiterated during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 2025 visit, when both countries also signed a memorandum on defence cooperation. Maritime surveillance, information-sharing, joint exercises and capacity-building remain key areas of engagement. The bilateral naval exercise SLINEX-26 concluded at Visakhapatnam on September 21, 2026.

The panel noted that 39 Indian fishermen were in Sri Lankan custody as of August 31, 2026, including 29 awaiting trial. It urged the government to negotiate minimum sentences and avoid confiscating fishing vessels that sustain fishermen’s livelihoods. The report also discussed Katchatheevu, noting that the 1974 and 1976 maritime agreements placed the island on Sri Lanka’s side of the boundary. The matter remains before the Supreme Court.

On connectivity, the committee recommended exploring a Thoothukudi–Colombo ferry service and increasing direct flights, particularly from tier-II cities, to promote tourism, medical travel, pilgrimage and student mobility.

Bilateral merchandise trade stood at $5.54 billion in 2023–24, with trade structurally favouring India. The panel called for expanding Sri Lankan exports, improving implementation of the India–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and advancing negotiations on the proposed Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA). Fourteen negotiation rounds have been held, but Sri Lanka is yet to appoint a chief negotiator.

The report also welcomed India’s response following the IRIS Dena incident and assistance to affected sailors aboard IRIS Lavan. It stressed that good neighbourliness, mutual trust and sustained dialogue remain essential to strengthening bilateral relations.