Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi held talks with Sri Lankan defence officials on January 8, focusing on cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and enhancing collaboration between the two nations in areas of shared interest. General Dwivedi met Sri Lanka’s Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara and Defence Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha.
According to the Indian Army, the discussions centred on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, enhancing military-to-military engagement, including cooperation in HADR and reinforcing collaboration in areas of mutual interest, underscoring the shared commitment of India and Sri Lanka towards regional security, stability and enduring defence partnership.
Earlier in November 2025, India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu as the ‘First Responder’ in the immediate aftermath of the devastating Cyclone Ditwah, to provide urgent HADR support to Sri Lanka.
Cyclone Ditwah triggered widespread flooding, landslides and large-scale infrastructure damage across Sri Lanka, overwhelming the country’s disaster-response mechanisms. Earlier, General Dwivedi also reviewed the Guard of Honour at the Sri Lankan Army Headquarters in Colombo and interacted with Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lankan Army.
