COLOMBO (News 1st) - A consignment of stores donated by India to the Sri Lanka Army was officially handed over at a ceremony held at Army Headquarters, Defence Headquarters Complex, Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. The consignment of military stores and a trauma care system, valued at more than USD 5 million and provided under the Government of India's Grant Assistance programme, was formally handed over by the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha, to the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), in the presence of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Lieutenant General Lasantha Rodrigo.The stores were transported to Sri Lanka onboard the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sharda, which visited Colombo from 10 to 13 June 2026 on an Operational Turnaround (OTR) visit. During the visit, the vessel facilitated the transshipment of essential stores from the Indian Army to the Sri Lanka Army.Speaking at the ceremony, the Indian High Commissioner Santhosh Jha described the provision of stores from the Indian Army's operational stock as a testament to the strong and enduring bonds between the armed forces of the two countries. He noted that the bilateral defence relationship has evolved significantly over the years, expanding beyond training cooperation and humanitarian assistance to include defence capability enhancement, infrastructure development, and the provision of military equipment and training aids.The High Commissioner highlighted India's swift assistance to Sri Lanka during Cyclone Ditwah under Operation Sagar Bandhu, which included search and rescue operations, medical support, and infrastructure assistance undertaken in close coordination with the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. He also recalled the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Sri Lanka in April 2025, describing it as a landmark step that further institutionalized defence ties and laid the foundation for deeper and more structured cooperation between the two nations in the years ahead.
