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Army Chief Dwivedi's Sri Lanka visit to enhance defence ties, 'Neighbourhood First' policy

NEW DELHI: Continuing the series of high-level bilateral military engagements, General Upendra Dwivedi, the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from 12 December 2025. The visit, the Indian Army said, takes place amid strong strategic convergence between India and Sri Lanka. The upcoming visit aims to reinforce Indias Neighbourhood First policy by emphasising partnership, stability and cooperation with Sri Lanka, the Army said on Tuesday. The Army added that the visit underscores Indias role as a reliable security partner, committed to supporting Sri Lanka in capability-building and capacity enhancement across multiple defence domains. According to the Army, the visit is expected to deepen Army-to-Army engagement through expanded opportunities for training, professional exchanges, joint exercises and discussions on operational best practices. The COASs meetings with the Sri Lankan political and military leadership will also facilitate an exchange of views on emerging regional and global security challenges, particularly at a time when the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) face new and evolving strategic pressures. The visit marks an important moment in the trajectory of IndiaSri Lanka defence cooperation. It follows a consistent pattern of high-level military engagements that have fostered trust and operational familiarity between the two nations. Previous visits by Indian Chiefs, such as General M.M. Naravanes official trip to Sri Lanka in 2021during which he held extensive discussions with the countrys leadership and witnessed the joint Exercise Mitra Shaktihave laid a strong foundation for continued cooperation. Indias engagement has also been strengthened through cross-service interactions, including the visit of Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, to Sri Lanka in September 2025, which highlighted the expanding maritime cooperation between the two countries. These engagements have been mirrored by reciprocal visits from senior Sri Lankan military leaders to India, most notably the official visit of Lieutenant General B.K.G.M. Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, in June 2025. During this visit, he returned to the Indian Military Academy (IMA) as the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade. Before him, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanages visit in 2023 reflected Sri Lankas continued emphasis on maintaining close professional ties with India. General Rodrigo was commissioned in December 1990 as part of the 87th IMA Course and went on to lead one of the most battle-hardened armies in the subcontinent. Addressing the passing-out course, he said, I am deeply honoured and moved to the point of tears to stand before you as the first IMA alumnus to return as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and review this parade. Pointing to the civilisational and cultural ties between the two nations, the Army said these links have long served as a natural anchor for bilateral relations. Defence cooperation has historically played a major role in reinforcing this bond. Both countries uphold the principle of strategic autonomy and share a strong stance against terrorism, shaped by mutual experiences and a shared vision for regional security. The collaboration extends to multilateral platforms as well. Sri Lanka supports Indias aspirations for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, while India backs Sri Lankas pursuit of a greater role in groupings such as BRICS. These shared positions, the Army said, underscore a collective commitment to building a rules-based international order that ensures fairness and stability. The Indian Army also sees the COASs visit as aligning with Indias broader commitment to supporting Sri Lankas security stabilisation, defence preparedness and long-term institutional development. Through symbolic gestures such as paying homage at shared memorials and substantive discussions on security cooperation, the visit will honour the shared history of IndiaSri Lanka military ties while charting a forward-looking agenda for enhanced partnership, the Army said. In essence, the upcoming visit reaffirms Indias commitment to Sri Lanka as a close neighbour, valued partner and trusted friend. It demonstrates the enduring strength of bilateral defence ties and reflects a mutual desire to work together for peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the Army added.