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Rajnath Singh paid homage at the IPKF memorial in Colombo and met Sri Lanka's top leadership. The engagements underlined a renewed push to deepen defence ties and maritime cooperation.
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Colombo,UPDATED: Sep 9, 2026 17:56 IST
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday visited the Indian Peace Keeping Force memorial in Colombo and paid homage to the soldiers who died in the line of duty during India’s mission in Sri Lanka. Singh is in Sri Lanka on a three-day visit that began on Tuesday.
During the visit, Singh also met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and held discussions on the multi-faceted partnership between the two countries, including ways to ensure the safety, security, peace and prosperity of the region. He later visited the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence and interacted with the country’s senior military leadership.
After visiting the memorial, Singh said in a post on X, "Visited to the IPKF memorial in Colombo and paid homage to our valiant soldiers who laid down their lives in the call of duty. The nation will never forget their supreme sacrifice. They will remain a source of inspiration for the generations to come."
The IPKF was a military contingent sent by India to Sri Lanka in July 1987 as part of efforts to disarm the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist militant organisation, and maintain peace and stability in the region. The memorial pays tribute to the 1,155 Indian soldiers who served in the IPKF and made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
On his interaction with Sri Lanka’s military leadership, Singh said on X, "During my visit to the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka, I had an opportunity to interact with the senior military leadership of Sri Lanka. Many of them have been trained in India and share a close bond with Bharat." He added, "In my brief remarks, I underscored the vision MAHASAGAR for 'mutual' and 'holistic' growth and reiterated our desire to further strengthen the longstanding India-Sri Lanka defence and strategic partnership with special emphasis on maritime cooperation."
Singh’s engagements in Colombo on Wednesday covered tributes at the IPKF memorial, talks with President Dissanayake, and an interaction with Sri Lanka’s military leadership, as India and Sri Lanka discussed further strengthening their defence and strategic partnership.
With PTI Inputs
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Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Sep 9, 2026 17:56 IST
