Tamil Nadu BJP President Nainar Nagenthran said on Wednesday that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s official visit to Sri Lanka would strengthen regional maritime security and pave the way for a permanent solution to the issues faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen.
Nagenthran highlighted that this is the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years, since K C Pant travelled to the island nation in 1988.
Visits by Indian Defence Ministers have been avoided because of sensitivities surrounding India’s past military involvement during Sri Lanka’s civil war, even though administrative and diplomatic exchanges continued.
The Defence Minister arrived in Colombo on Tuesday for a three‑day official visit.
Nagenthran said the trip is strategically important because Sri Lanka sits on major international sea routes in the Indian Ocean.
He expects the visit to boost joint military exercises such as SLINEX and Mitra Shakti, enhance security at the Trincomalee oil tank farm, and increase training slots for Sri Lankan armed forces personnel at Indian defence institutions.
