Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has sought to assuage Sinhala nationalist concerns about a defence agreement that is to be signed with New Delhi, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Colombo this evening.
Speaking to The Hindu on April 1, just days before Modi’s arrival, Herath confirmed that eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) will be signed, including one relating to defence cooperation between New Delhi and Colombo. While the agreement has already sparked criticism from some opposition voices in Sri Lanka, Herath insisted that it is limited to “training programmes and receiving some equipment,” and claimed that “nothing in the agreement is harmful for Sri Lanka.”
It is set to be the first defence agreement between Sri Lanka and India since Indian Peace Keeping forces were deployed to the Tamil North-East in 1987.
“The remaining MoUs are related to cooperation in the health sector, development projects in the Eastern Province and debt restructuring,” said Herath. “Our Cabinet has already approved these.”
When questioned on the change in stance from the current Sri Lankan government, which has historically held fervent anti-Indian sentiment, Herath acknowledged that “there was an issue”.
“Now the world has changed, India has also changed, Sri Lanka, too, has changed. With the shift in global politics, we too have changed our stance. After coming to power, the NPP government began building close ties with India. We are continuing to do that and strengthening our relationship. India is our closest neighbour, and we share historic and civilisational ties. Buddhism came from India, we have close [religious and cultural] links.”
Landed in Colombo. Grateful to the ministers and dignitaries who welcomed me at the airport. Looking forward to the programmes in Sri Lanka. pic.twitter.com/RYm5q1VhZk
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 4, 2025
When questioned on how a joint statement made when Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited New Delhi last year “made no reference to the Tamil question that India has historically taken a keen interest in”, Herath said it was “a good change”.
“The Indian Government understands very well that Sri Lankan people are not only Tamil people, and that there are Sinhalese and Muslim people as well, and that we are a multiethnic country. Therefore, India has been giving its attention to all Sri Lankan people.”
“Otherwise, a majority of our Sinhalese people had a negative impression of India, because of that reason [India’s historic involvement in the ethnic conflict]. Now that has changed, and there is a greater appreciation among Sinhalese that India recognises and supports all Sri Lankans. There is a greater understanding on both sides.”
Modi landed this evening after attending the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand and was greeted by Herath on arrival.
Tomorrow, he will receive a Guard of Honour at Colombo’s Independence Square, followed by high-level bilateral talks with President Dissanayake and the signing of eight MoUs. These include:
• Energy grid connectivity
• Development of Trincomalee as a regional energy hub (a tripartite agreement with India, Sri Lanka and the UAE)
• Agreements on digital cooperation, health sector collaboration, and Eastern Province development
• A defence cooperation MoU
• Launches of the Dambulla Cold Storage facility and the Sampur solar power project via video link
Dissanayake is also set to confer the Mitra Vibhushana award—Sri Lanka’s highest honour for foreign dignitaries—on Prime Minister Modi in a ceremony at the Presidential Secretariat. The award was introduced by former president, and accused war criminal, Mahinda Rajapaksa in February 2008 for Heads of State and Heads of Government with which Sri Lanka has friendly relations "in appreciation of their friendship towards and solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka".
It has only been awarded once previously so far – to Maldivian former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in 2008. Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chairmen Mahmoud Abbas and Yasser Arafat in 2014 were scheduled to receive it, but it remains unclear if the award was ever officially announced.
Modi is further expected to visit the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) memorial.
On April 6, the final day of the visit, Modi will accompany the Sri Lankan president to the ancient Buddhist site of Anuradhapura, where the leaders will offer prayers and inaugurate a signalling system for the northern railway line.
Read the full text of the interview here.
