Ajit Doval meets Gotabaya, pledges $50 mln security aid
New Delhi/UNI: India has pledged a $50 million in assistance to Sri Lanka to help the island nation buy equipment for its security forces, as part of strengthening security and maritime cooperation between the two neighbours.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called on Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Saturday and during the meeting both discussed a range of bilateral issues and exchanged views on enhancing links in several sectors, including defence.
"A very cordial discussion was held with National Security Advisor of India, Ajit Doval. Strengthening of bilateral cooperation on national security, intelligence sharing, maritime security & fostering of regional collaboration, were some of the key points of discussion," said President Rajapaksa in a tweet.
Both discussed strengthening cooperation between security forces of the two countries, enhancing maritime security, cooperation and interaction between the Coast Guards of the two countries.
Doval said that as part of strengthening security cooperation, $50 million will be provided for the purchase of equipment for Sri Lankan security forces, the Sri Lankan government said.
Doval also pointed out the importance of reviewing the knowledge of maritime zones between Sri Lanka, Maldives and India.
He also pointed out the need for other regional states to participate in this process as observers.
India has also pledged to assist Sri Lanka in the gathering of intelligence information and setting up a geo-coordinating centre.
Sri Lanka occupies a strategic position in the Indian Ocean region and on the East-West shipping route that sees
more than 60,000 ships plying annually carrying two-thirds of global oil supply and half of all containerised cargo.
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