India hails 'unbreakable bond' with Sri Lanka amid tributes to IPKF troops in Jaffna

India marked its 77th Republic Day in Sri Lanka on Monday, with celebrations in Colombo and Jaffna, with High Commissioner Santosh Jha highlighting New Delhi’s “unbreakable bond” with the island.

Speaking at a Republic Day reception in Colombo on 26 January, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha described bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka rooted in civilisational links and geographical proximity, calling it a “global model for cooperative partnership between neighbours”.

Referring to recent high-level engagements, Jha pointed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025 and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in December 2024, which he said had charted a roadmap centred on physical, digital and energy connectivity.

“Shared aspirations for development and shared commitment to security have emerged as key goals,” Jha said.

He outlined progress on several India-backed initiatives, including the Sampur solar power project, grid interconnections, and plans to develop Trincomalee in Eastern Sri Lanka as an energy hub, with the involvement of the United Arab Emirates. Infrastructure upgrades were also highlighted, including the rebuilding of around 500 kilometres of railway lines and the installation of approximately 400 kilometres of signalling systems over the past decade.

Republic Day commemorations were held at India House in Colombo, where High Commissioner Jha unfurled the Indian national flag, inspected a guard of honour, and read excerpts from the President of India’s Republic Day address. The event featured performances by the Sri Lanka Navy Band and a cultural programme organised by the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre,

Earlier in the day, Indian diplomatic officials paid homage at the memorial dedicated to Indian Peace Keeping Force personnel. Two Indian Coast Guard vessels, Varaha and Atulya, also arrived in Sri Lanka and are scheduled to visit Colombo and Galle between 24 and 27 January.

Senior figures and cabinet ministers of the ruling Sri Lankan JVP-NPP government and the party’s General Secretary Tilvin Silva were photographed alongside Jha and his wife at a live music concert titled “Timeless Bollywood Melodies – Anuradha Paudwal Live in Colombo”, held as part of festivities to mark Republic Day. 

In Jaffna, India’s Deputy High Commissioner S. Sai Murali laid floral tributes at a memorial pillar erected in remembrance of Indian soldiers who lost their lives during Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operations. Officials from the Indian diplomatic mission also visited the memorial located within the Palaly High Security Zone, offering homage to Indian Army personnel.

The memorial commemorates Indian soldiers deployed as part of the IPKF, which operated in the Tamil homeland following the Indo–Lanka Accord. For many Tamils, however, the IPKF remains associated with widespread atrocities, including massacres, enforced disappearances and sexual violence committed against civilians during its deployment in the North-East.