India moves to seek closer military ties with Sri Lanka

by Abbas Adil

Sri Lanka and India have pledged to strengthen military ties and widen maritime links with neighbours after security talks, the president’s office said on Sunday, as New Delhi moves to counter Chinese influence in the region.Ad

China, a longtime regional rival of India, has been widening its footprint in the region, including building ports and expressways and upgrading airports in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met on Saturday with recently elected Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and discussed setting up a maritime research coordination centre, Rajapaksa’s office said in a statement.

It did not give details of the proposed centre but said other nations in the region should be included as observers.

It said the two countries also discussed closer military and coastguard cooperation.

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