Closer defence ties with Russia, training for Lankan troops

Russia will become the latest partner to train Sri Lankan troops and extend defence co-operation.

For this purpose, the Government has reached accord with a top level visiting delegation from Moscow. This is under a Joint Russia-Sri Lanka Working Group on Military Technical Co-operation. The terms of reference of the new arrangement were presented to last Tuesday’s weekly Cabinet meeting.

Defence Ministry officials, who represented the Sri Lankan side, said that in terms of the new arrangement, Russian troops will train their Sri Lankan counterparts in the Army, Navy and the Air Force. This is both at training academies in Russia and on special visits for joint training exercises in Sri Lanka.

At present, military co-operation exists at different levels between Sri Lanka and the United States, India, Britain and China.

Under the “Yahapalana” government, military co-operation with the US has increased manifold. There are frequent US military visits and calls in Sri Lankan ports by the US Navy. There have also been joint exercises on training Sri Lankan troops on humanitarian matters.

India continues to offer top slots at its National Defence Academy and other military establishments for senior and mid-career officers. China, which has been a staunch backer of Sri Lanka by providing most of the military hardware for the separatist war against the Tiger guerrillas, also offers training slots in its academies for Sri Lankan security forces personnel.