India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the country faces a crisis, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said as he began his maiden visit to Sri Lanka.
Addressing the Indian community in Colombo on Sept. 8, Singh said India and Sri Lanka share close cultural and civilisational ties that have provided a strong foundation for the bilateral relationship.
“India will always stand firmly with Sri Lanka whenever the island nation faces a crisis,” Singh said, according to India’s Ministry of Defence.
Singh arrived in Sri Lanka for his first visit to the country as India’s Defence Minister and used his opening engagement to highlight both the bilateral relationship and India’s economic and defence transformation.
He said India was among the world’s fastest-growing major economies and now contributes more than 16% of global growth, while its economy had expanded from around $2 trillion in 2014 to approximately $4 trillion.
Turning to defence, Singh said India’s defence exports had increased from around Rs. 600 crore 12 years ago to an all-time high of approximately Rs. 39,000 crore.
He said India’s defence budget had also increased from approximately Rs. 2 lakh crore in the 2013-14 financial year to Rs. 7.25 lakh crore in 2025-26, reflecting the country’s growing capabilities and push towards greater self-reliance in defence.
Singh also highlighted India’s expansion in electronics and mobile-phone manufacturing, exports, infrastructure and digital public services.
He credited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with strengthening India’s international standing and said the Indian diaspora continued to serve as an important bridge between India and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, senior Indian civil and military officials and members of the Indian community attended the event. (NewsWire)
