India and Sri Lanka sign three defence MoUs during Rajnath Singh's visit
The first Indian Defence Minister's visit in 38 years: what did India offer, and what did Colombo promise?
Published 10 September 2026. Written by Pratidin from the reports linked at the end; every fact checked by a separate review before publishing. How we work
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Sri Lanka, reported by The Hindu on 10 September 2026, produced three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on defence. The first provides for upgrading six L70 anti-aircraft guns (40 mm) of the Sri Lanka Air Force under a Government of India grant. The second formalises cooperation between the National Defence Colleges of the two countries, for academic exchange and knowledge sharing. The third sets up a youth exchange between their National Cadet Corps. Reports described the trip as the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured that Sri Lankan territory would not be used for activities inimical to India's security interests.
The two leaders virtually inaugurated three Bailey bridges built by Indian forces in Kurunegala and Batticaloa districts, restoring connectivity cut by Cyclone Ditwah. These are part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, India's relief effort, which includes a US$450 million reconstruction package. The Indian Navy's indigenously built stealth frigate INS Udaygiri arrived at Colombo port during the visit. The talks also covered drug trafficking and the long-running fisheries dispute in the Palk Strait, where bottom trawling by Indian boats is a recurring complaint. The new agreements build on the first overarching defence cooperation MoU, signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025.
The visit fits India's Neighbourhood First policy, the MAHASAGAR initiative for the Indian Ocean Region and the earlier SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, first set out in Mauritius on 12 March 2015. Existing links include the SLINEX naval exercise, the Mitra Shakti army exercise, about 1,200 training slots a year for Sri Lankan forces and a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre funded by a US$6 million Indian grant. Commentators see India cementing its role as the island's first responder while countering China's growing footprint, including at Hambantota port. The limits come from history and politics: India intervened directly in Sri Lanka's conflict in 1987 and the Indian Peace Keeping Force withdrew by March 1990, and Colombo continues to balance New Delhi and Beijing.
Prelims facts
- India and Sri Lanka signed three defence MoUs in September 2026: upgrading six L70 anti-aircraft guns under an Indian grant, and cooperation between their National Defence Colleges and National Cadet Corps.
- Rajnath Singh's trip was reported as the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years.
- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assured that Sri Lankan territory would not be used against India's security interests.
- Operation Sagar Bandhu, India's response to Cyclone Ditwah, includes a US$450 million reconstruction package; three Indian-built Bailey bridges were opened during the visit.
- The first overarching India-Sri Lanka defence cooperation MoU was signed during PM Modi's visit in April 2025.
Quick recall
- How many defence MoUs did India and Sri Lanka sign during Rajnath Singh's September 2026 visit?
- Three.
- Which weapons will India upgrade for the Sri Lanka Air Force?
- Six L70 anti-aircraft guns (40 mm), under a Government of India grant.
- Which institutions are covered by the other two MoUs?
- The National Defence Colleges and the National Cadet Corps of both countries.
- Name of India's relief operation after Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka
- Operation Sagar Bandhu, including a US$450 million reconstruction package.
- Which Indian warship reached Colombo during the visit?
- INS Udaygiri, an indigenously built stealth frigate.
- SLINEX and Mitra Shakti
- SLINEX is the India-Sri Lanka naval exercise; Mitra Shakti is the bilateral army exercise.
- When and where was SAGAR first set out?
- In Mauritius, on 12 March 2015.
- Which agreement accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory?
- The 1974 India-Sri Lanka maritime agreement.
Prelims practice question
'SLINEX' and 'Mitra Shakti', sometimes seen in the news, are respectively:
- India-Sri Lanka naval and army exercises
- India-Sri Lanka army and naval exercises
- India-Maldives coast guard and air force exercises
- India-Sri Lanka air force and coast guard exercises
Show answer
Answer: (a) India-Sri Lanka naval and army exercises. SLINEX is the bilateral naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka, and Mitra Shakti is their bilateral army exercise. Both were cited as pillars of defence ties during the September 2026 visit.
Use this in UPSC Mains: previous-year questions
Recurring theme: India and its neighbourhood: defence diplomacy with Sri Lanka and India's role as a security provider in the Indian Ocean.
In respect of India-Sri Lanka relations, discuss how domestic factors influence foreign policy.
How to use thisThe fisheries dispute and the IPKF legacy show how domestic issues shape India's Sri Lanka policy, alongside Colombo's own balancing.
- Talks during Rajnath Singh's September 2026 visit covered the Palk Strait fisheries dispute, where bottom trawling by Indian boats is a recurring complaint.
- India intervened directly in Sri Lanka's conflict in 1987 and the IPKF withdrew by March 1990, a history that still limits ties.
- Colombo continues to balance New Delhi and Beijing, though President Dissanayake assured that Sri Lankan territory would not be used against India's security interests.
- How to use this
Defence MoUs, the rescue centre and cyclone relief with Sri Lanka show SAGAR and MAHASAGAR working bilaterally, a contrast to the Quad's collective approach.
- SAGAR was first set out in Mauritius on 12 March 2015; the Sri Lanka visit fits MAHASAGAR and Neighbourhood First.
- India funds a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Sri Lanka with a US$6 million grant, and offers about 1,200 training slots a year to Sri Lankan forces.
- Operation Sagar Bandhu after Cyclone Ditwah includes a US$450 million reconstruction package, cementing India's role as first responder.
Mains practice question
India's defence ties with Sri Lanka are moving from crisis relief to institutional cooperation. Examine the significance of this shift for India's security in the Indian Ocean Region. (150 words)
Model answer
Rajnath Singh's September 2026 visit, reported as the first by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years, produced three MoUs that give structure to ties built on relief and training.
Significance
- Capability: six L70 anti-aircraft guns upgraded under an Indian grant strengthen Sri Lanka's air defence.
- Institutions: exchanges between National Defence Colleges and cadet corps build long-term links with future leaders.
- Assurance: President Dissanayake pledged that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against India.
- First responder: Operation Sagar Bandhu after Cyclone Ditwah, with a US$450 million package, backs the SAGAR vision.
Challenges
- China's footprint, including at Hambantota port.
- The Palk Strait fisheries dispute and bottom trawling.
- The legacy of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (1987 to 1990).
Way forward
- Deliver projects on time and resolve fishing through joint mechanisms.
Steady, respectful delivery will decide whether Sri Lanka sees India as its preferred security partner.
The basics
Why this matters
Sri Lanka sits across the busiest sea lanes of the Indian Ocean, a few kilometres from Tamil Nadu. What it allows on its soil and in its ports shapes India's security. The visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, described as the first by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years, turned years of relief work and training into three formal agreements.
What was signed
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is a non-binding statement of intent between two parties. Three were signed on this visit.
- 1Air defence upgradeSix L70 anti-aircraft guns (40 mm) of the Sri Lanka Air Force to be upgraded under a Government of India grant
- 2National Defence CollegesAcademic exchange and knowledge sharing between the two countries' senior strategic training institutions
- 3National Cadet CorpsA structured youth exchange to build people-to-people links
The policy frame
India's Neighbourhood First policy gives priority to its immediate neighbours. At sea, India's outlook was first set out as SAGAR vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region) in Mauritius on 12 March 2015, and the visit was linked to the MAHASAGAR initiative for the Indian Ocean Region. In practice this means training, exercises and quick disaster relief.
- 1974Maritime agreement accepts Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory
- 1987India intervenes directly in Sri Lanka's conflict; the Indian Peace Keeping Force is deployed
- March 1990The Indian Peace Keeping Force completes its withdrawal
- 12 March 2015PM Modi sets out the SAGAR vision in Mauritius
- April 2025First overarching defence cooperation MoU signed during PM Modi's visit
- September 2026Three defence MoUs signed during Rajnath Singh's visit
Relief as strategy
Three Bailey bridges built by Indian forces in Kurunegala and Batticaloa districts, restoring links cut by Cyclone Ditwah, were opened virtually during the visit. They are part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, which includes a US$450 million reconstruction package. India also offers about 1,200 training slots a year to Sri Lankan forces and funded a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre with a US$6 million grant.
- Assurance that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against India's security interests
- Deeper ties with Sri Lanka's air force and future military leaders
- A stronger position as the region's first responder
- Better air defence at no cost, through a grant
- Rebuilt bridges after Cyclone Ditwah
- Training, exercises and maritime rescue capacity
The irritants
The old fishing quarrel in the Palk Strait, tied to the status of Katchatheevu and the Palk Strait, keeps flaring over bottom trawling by Indian boats. Memories of the Indian Peace Keeping Force make Colombo wary of looking too close to New Delhi, and China's investments, including at Hambantota port, give it another partner.
Go deeper
In one line: On the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years, the two countries signed MoUs on upgrading Sri Lanka's anti-aircraft guns and on cooperation between their defence colleges and cadet corps, and Colombo promised its territory would not be used against India.
Why it matters for UPSC
India and its neighbourhood is a fixed part of GS2, and Indian Ocean security links it to GS3. Questions ask how India balances China's influence, how domestic factors such as the Tamil Nadu fisheries issue shape policy, and what the SAGAR idea means in practice.
The core idea
The visit applies the Neighbourhood First policy and the maritime SAGAR vision to a country with a complicated past with India. The MoUs build on the first overarching defence MoU of April 2025 and on relief after Cyclone Ditwah. Two issues set the limits: the fishing dispute over Katchatheevu and the Palk Strait and the memory of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, which make Sri Lankan governments careful to balance India and China.
Numbers and dates to remember
- 3 MoUs: L70 gun upgrade, National Defence Colleges, National Cadet Corps.
- 6 L70 anti-aircraft guns (40 mm) to be upgraded under an Indian grant.
- 38 years since the last visit by an Indian Defence Minister, as reported.
- US$450 million: reconstruction package under Operation Sagar Bandhu.
- About 1,200 training slots a year for Sri Lankan forces; US$6 million grant for a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.
- April 2025: first overarching defence cooperation MoU.
Where to go next
- Neighbourhood First policy: the principle behind India's outreach to Colombo.
- SAGAR vision: India's idea of security and growth for all in the Indian Ocean.
- Katchatheevu and the Palk Strait: the islet and the fishing quarrel that never go away.
- Indian Peace Keeping Force: the 1987 intervention that still shapes Sri Lankan caution.
Go deeper: partner, protector or pressure?
The optimistic reading is that India's help has moved from charity to institutions. Relief after Cyclone Ditwah, the bridges, the US$450 million package, the rescue centre and the training slots show India as the first responder that the SAGAR vision promises. The April 2025 MoU gave a framework, and the September 2026 MoUs fill it with concrete projects in air defence and military education. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's assurance that Sri Lankan territory will not be used against India's security interests addresses India's main worry, the growing footprint of China, including at Hambantota port.
The cautious reading starts with history. The Indian Peace Keeping Force deployed after India's direct intervention in 1987 had left by March 1990, and by the reported count no Indian Defence Minister visited for 38 years. Colombo's governments, whatever their politics, balance New Delhi and Beijing because both offer money and markets. An MoU is also not a treaty: it records intent and can be slowed by the next government.
Domestic politics on both sides matters too. The dispute over fishing near Katchatheevu and the Palk Strait involves Tamil Nadu fishermen and Sri Lanka's objection to bottom trawling in its waters. This is why UPSC once asked how domestic factors shape India's Sri Lanka policy. The durable approach is the one the Neighbourhood First policy implies: steady delivery of projects, respect for Sri Lankan sensitivities and a negotiated answer on fishing.
Neighbourhood First policy
The principle that puts Sri Lanka near the top of India's diplomatic list.
In one line: Neighbourhood First is India's foreign policy approach of giving priority to friendly relations and cooperation with its immediate neighbours.
What it means
The idea is simple: a country's security and growth depend first on a stable neighbourhood. For India that means putting connectivity, trade, development projects and help in crises for the countries on its borders ahead of more distant ties. It relies on grants and credit lines, training for neighbours' officials and forces, and quick disaster relief.
Why it is in the news
The September 2026 defence MoUs with Sri Lanka, the grant for upgrading its L70 guns and the rebuilding after Cyclone Ditwah were all presented as parts of this policy. The test of the policy is whether neighbours see India as a partner rather than an overbearing big brother.
Where to go next
SAGAR vision
India's stated goal for the Indian Ocean, which the Sri Lanka visit was meant to serve.
In one line: SAGAR, Security and Growth for All in the Region, is India's vision for the Indian Ocean, first set out by the Prime Minister in Mauritius on 12 March 2015.
The idea
Prime Minister Narendra Modi first referred to SAGAR in an address in Mauritius on 12 March 2015, speaking of "a climate of trust and transparency" and "respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries". As the name says, the vision joins security at sea with economic growth for all the countries of the region.
Why it is in the news
The India-Sri Lanka talks were linked to the MAHASAGAR initiative for the Indian Ocean Region. The visit of the stealth frigate INS Udaygiri to Colombo during the trip was a visible signal of this maritime role.
Where to go next
Katchatheevu and the Palk Strait
The fishing dispute that keeps returning to India-Sri Lanka talks.
In one line: Katchatheevu is a small islet in the Palk Strait accepted as Sri Lankan territory in 1974, and fishing in the surrounding waters remains a sore point between the two countries.
The islet and the agreements
Katchatheevu covers about 285 acres and lies between Rameswaram in India and Neduntheevu in Sri Lanka. Under the 1974 maritime agreement Prime Minister Indira Gandhi accepted it as Sri Lankan territory. A further agreement in 1976 barred each country's fishermen from fishing in the other's waters.
Why it is in the news
The 1976 restriction has never settled the matter for fishermen from Tamil Nadu, and bottom trawling, in which nets are dragged along the seabed, is a recurring Sri Lankan complaint. The issue came up again during the September 2026 talks, showing how domestic politics in Tamil Nadu shapes India's policy.
Where to go next
Indian Peace Keeping Force
The history that makes Colombo cautious about Indian troops and influence.
In one line: The Indian Peace Keeping Force was sent to Sri Lanka in 1987, when India intervened directly in the island's civil conflict, and withdrew by March 1990.
What happened
By 1987, with anger rising among India's own Tamils and refugees arriving from Sri Lanka, India intervened directly in the conflict for the first time. The Indian Peace Keeping Force was the instrument of that intervention, and it had withdrawn by March 1990.
Why it matters now
The episode is often cited to explain Sri Lankan sensitivity about Indian military presence, and reports noted that no Indian Defence Minister had visited for 38 years before September 2026. The new MoUs focus on training, education and equipment rather than troops, which fits this sensitivity.
Where to go next
Take the 10 September 2026 quiz: 30 Prelims-style questions with answers