India-Sri Lanka defence dialogue discusses enhancing maritime security
The deliberations took place at the Sri Lanka-India Defence Dialogue held in Colombo on Thursday.
Colombo, Jun 6 (PTI) India and Sri Lanka explored ways to further expand their bilateral defence cooperation, especially in areas of maritime security, the island nation's defence ministry said.
A statement from the Defence Ministry said that the Sri Lankan delegation was led by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), while the visiting Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh led the Indian delegation.
'The high-level dialogue focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, enhancing maritime security, and exploring new avenues for collaboration in training and strategic engagement,' the statement said.
Senior officials from both sides participated in the discussions, reaffirming the longstanding defence partnership between Sri Lanka and India, it said.
The Indian Defence Secretary also met the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) and Thuyacontha separately.
On April 5, India and Sri Lanka signed the first-ever defence partnership agreement — firmed up during talks between visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake — signalling a major boost the the bilateral defence ties nearly four decades after the Indian Peace Keeping Force's intervention in the island nation strained the relations.
The agreement will institutionalise the existing military engagement and pave the way for more structured cooperation including potential collaboration in the defence industrial sector, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said then. PTI NPK NPK NPK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
22 minutes ago
- India.com
‘Sudarshan Chakra, You Mean?': Russian Envoy's Hindi Twist On S-400 Question Stuns Everyone
New Delhi: A press briefing at the Russian Embassy turned lively on Wednesday (August 20) when Roman Babushkin, Charge d'Affairs of Moscow to New Delhi, chose a uniquely Indian term for Russia's most advanced air defence system. The question came from a journalist on whether India might consider air defence systems like Israel's Iron Dome. Babushkin smiled, leaned forward and asked in return, 'You mean Sudarshan Chakra?' He did not stop there. With an amused expression, he added, 'Next time ask in Hindi, I can answer better!' India has already purchased the S-400 missile system from Russia. In Indian defence circles, the system carries the tag of 'Sudarshan Chakra'. It came into the spotlight during the four-day clash with Pakistan in May, when the system intercepted enemy missiles and proved its battlefield effectiveness. The comment arrives at a time when the term Sudarshan Chakra has been freshly associated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Independence Day speech. He spoke about Mission Sudarshan Chakra, an ambitious national project to build a homegrown air defence shield. The goal is to protect both civilian centres and strategic assets from aerial threats. Babushkin opened the briefing with a warm gesture toward his hosts. In clear Hindi, he declared, 'Shuruat karengey… Shree Ganesh Karengey!' The hall responded with laughter and applause. Throughout the interaction, the deputy chief of mission spoke warmly about India-Russia relations. He also turned sharply critical of American trade policy. Tariffs on India from Washington, he said, show 'a lack of trust and disrespect for national sovereignty'. He stressed that Moscow will remain open for Indian goods. If tariffs in the United States create obstacles, he said, Russia would 'welcome' Indian exports.
Hans India
32 minutes ago
- Hans India
India Successfully Conducts Test Of Agni-5 Ballistic Missile From Odisha
India successfully test-fired the indigenous intermediate range ballistic missile Agni-5 on Wednesday from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. The Defence Ministry confirmed that the trial met all technical and operational requirements and was conducted under the supervision of the Strategic Forces Command. The Agni-5 missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has a strike range of about 5,000 kilometres, bringing most of Asia—including northern China—and parts of Europe within its reach. Officials noted that the latest launch further enhances India's strategic deterrence. This trial comes less than four months after India's military confrontation with Pakistan, though authorities avoided linking the two developments. A longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) version of Agni-5, capable of reaching 7,000 kilometres, is also under development. In June, reports suggested DRDO is working on upgrading the missile's range to 7,500 km. India has already deployed Agni series missiles with ranges between 700 km and 3,500 km. Last year, the country also carried out the first test of an Agni-5 variant equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which allows a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised DRDO scientists for their continued efforts in strengthening India's defence capabilities. In recent months, India has also test-fired other key systems, including the Prithvi-II (350 km range), Agni-I (700–900 km range), and the tactical surface-to-surface missile 'Pralay,' boosting its conventional and nuclear deterrence arsenal.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Cyber experts warn of China, Pakistan intrusions, call for robust measures
1 2 Lucknow: Cyber experts cautioned against increasing intrusions from China and Pakistan and urged Indian authorities to rapidly strengthen digital security infrastructure on the concluding day of the Uttar Pradesh Institute of Forensic Sciences (UPSIFS) seminar on Wednesday. The final day featured detailed deliberations on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, genome mapping, genealogical databases, forensic justice, ancestry research, forensic applications, and forensic entrepreneurship. Principal secretary (Maharashtra) Brajesh Singh spoke about how even minor cyber incidents can trigger massive disruptions, citing the Hezbollah pager attack and the malware strike that shut down India's largest port for three months. He explained that cybercrime cannot be countered by traditional policing and requires international cooperation. Breaking LockBit, for example, took the combined effort of 11 countries, he noted. Singh called for real-time crisis mapping, chain-of-custody protocols for digital evidence, tracking illicit money flows through blockchain and wallets, seizing criminal infrastructure, and swift victim assistance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knee Pain Keeping You Up at Night? This Trick Could Help Instantly Read More Undo He also praised the RBI's cyber framework and said that cybersecurity was 'like agriculture, it cannot be imported, it must be cultivated within the country.' Cyber expert Robbie Abraham, who joined the seminar virtually from Australia, traced the evolution of cyberattacks, from worms like I Love You, which caused losses of USD 8.7 billion, and Conficker, which caused USD 9 billion in losses across 190 countries, to modern ransomware and phishing-based intrusions targeting browsing data, crypto wallets, and confidential information. Hackers, he said, are increasingly relying on logging and credential theft, selling stolen data on the dark web. His focus was on preventive measures such as regular security training, use of antivirus, and heightened precautions with emails and messages. Another cyber expert, Vivek Sood, discussed advanced security management in the global supply chain. Dr. Madhusudan Reddy Nandineni from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad highlighted the importance of next-generation sequencing, rapid DNA analysis, and portable forensic devices. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
