Title: Indian High Commissioner: India Ready to Share Advanced Defence Equipment with Sri Lanka
Indian High Commissioner in Colombo, Santosh Jha, announced on Wednesday that India is prepared to share advanced defence equipment with Sri Lanka, emphasizing a commitment to bolstering bilateral ties.
Highlighting India’s stance, Jha stated, “We are not only producing our national requirements but we are also willing to make these capabilities available to our friendly partner countries like Sri Lanka.” He noted that India’s defence exports currently amount to nearly 2.6 billion US Dollars annually.
Jha underscored India’s pursuit of the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, or ‘self-reliant India,’ which has led to significant capability development within the Indian defence industry. He attributed this progress to enabling policies, the establishment of defence industry corridors, and fostering collaborations between private and government-owned enterprises.
India’s investment in research and development, coupled with the promotion of innovation and new-age technologies, has facilitated the development of future-ready capabilities within the defence sector. Jha highlighted that India’s defence industry now produces state-of-the-art systems and equipment, ranging from fighter aircraft and naval vessels to cyber security solutions and precision long-range artillery systems.
Pointing out a notable ten-fold increase in defence exports over the last five years, Jha stated that India has exported defence hardware and software to over 85 countries, with more than 100 indigenous firms actively involved in the field.
In addition to defence cooperation, Jha reiterated India’s support to Sri Lanka during the Covid-19 pandemic and economic challenges. He emphasized India’s sense of responsibility towards its closest neighbor and highlighted the neighborhood-first policy and SAGAR vision guiding India’s approach towards Sri Lanka.
Jha concluded by emphasizing that cooperation between India and Sri Lanka is imperative, driven not merely by choice and opportunity but also by a shared sense of responsibility as close and proximate neighbors.
