Sri Lanka President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, presses Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, for support against narcotics networks during landmark Colombo visit, as three defence pacts are signed and regional security assurances exchanged.

Sri Lankan President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has called on India to throw its full weight behind the island nation’s intensified campaign against drug trafficking, describing the Indian Ocean as a major hub for the illicit trade. The appeal came during a high-level meeting with visiting Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh on 9 September 2026, the first such visit by an Indian defence minister in 38 years.

According to a statement from the President’s Media Division, Dissanayake briefed Singh on Sri Lanka’s recently launched national programme to combat narcotics and expressed confidence that India would support efforts to extradite Sri Lankan drug traffickers currently serving sentences in Indian prisons. He simultaneously reaffirmed Colombo’s commitment to a peaceful Indian Ocean and assured that Sri Lankan territory would never be used for activities harmful to India’s security interests.

The discussions formed part of a broader three-day official visit that also produced three new defence agreements, underscoring the deepening security partnership between the two neighbours.

Landmark Visit After Nearly Four Decades

Singh’s arrival in Colombo marked a significant milestone in bilateral defence ties. The last Indian defence minister to visit Sri Lanka was nearly four decades earlier. During the meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, the two leaders reviewed the full spectrum of India-Sri Lanka relations, covering defence, maritime security, economic cooperation and regional stability.

Singh conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and congratulated Dissanayake on the completion of two years in office. Both sides described the talks as warm and highly productive, emphasising their shared identity as “civilisational twins,” close neighbours and maritime partners committed to the safety, security, peace and prosperity of the region.

Three New Defence Agreements Signed

The visit yielded concrete outcomes in the form of three Memoranda of Understanding. One covers the upgradation of six L70 air-defence guns for the Sri Lanka Air Force, a project to be funded through an Indian government grant. Another establishes formal cooperation between the National Cadet Corps of both countries, while the third fosters academic and institutional links between the National Defence Colleges of India and Sri Lanka.

In addition, the leaders virtually inaugurated three Bailey bridges constructed by Indian Army engineers in cooperation with Sri Lankan authorities. These bridges form part of reconstruction efforts following damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. Singh later addressed a gathering aboard the Indian Navy warship INS Udaygiri in Colombo harbour, reiterating India’s commitment to stand by Sri Lanka “through thick and thin” and highlighting ongoing cooperation in search and rescue, counter-narcotics and anti-piracy operations.

Sri Lanka’s Intensified National Drive Against Drugs

Dissanayake’s request for Indian support comes against the backdrop of a determined domestic crackdown on narcotics launched under the “Nation United – National Drive” (also referred to as “Ratama Ekata”) programme on 30 October 2025. The initiative aims to dismantle supply networks, expand interdiction, accelerate rehabilitation and break the political protection that has long shielded drug syndicates in the island nation.

Official figures released by the government illustrate the scale of the effort. Between the programme’s launch and mid-2026, authorities reported seizing nearly 2,000 kilograms of heroin, over 2,000 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, and large quantities of cannabis and narcotic pills. Arrests have run into the tens and even hundreds of thousands, including thousands of young people under the age of 21. Law enforcement has also recovered dozens of automatic firearms linked to criminal networks.

The President has repeatedly stated that political patronage for the drug trade has been broken for the first time, declaring that no one involved will receive protection. He has ordered legal reforms, including amendments to rehabilitation laws, and directed the swift destruction of seized narcotics to prevent them from re-entering the market. Officials have noted an 80 per cent increase in raids since the campaign began.

Indian Ocean as a Trafficking Corridor

Sri Lanka’s geographic position along major shipping routes has long made it vulnerable to transnational narcotics networks. Smuggling routes often originate from the Makran coast and transit through South Asia, with mid-sea transfers involving dhows and trawlers near the International Maritime Boundary Line. Drugs enter via containers, fishing boats, airports and, increasingly, local manufacturing setups.

India and Sri Lanka already maintain a structured, intelligence-driven maritime security partnership. Coordinated naval and coast guard patrols, direct information sharing between the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Sri Lanka Navy, and cooperation between India’s Narcotics Control Bureau and Sri Lanka’s National Dangerous Drugs Control Board have produced regular high-value interdictions. Capacity-building programmes further strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to interdict vessels and track illicit cargo.

Recent joint operations, including those involving international partners, have underscored the transnational nature of the threat. A September 2026 seizure of 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine valued at approximately $21 million, linked to a Pakistan-based network, highlighted the continued pressure on these routes.

Reassurance on Regional Security

Alongside the anti-drug appeal, Dissanayake offered clear assurances on broader strategic concerns. He stressed that Sri Lanka makes decisions with both national and regional interests in mind and, as a sovereign State, engages with countries worldwide while remaining mindful of regional security. He explicitly stated that Colombo would never allow its territory, waters or ports to be used for activities inimical to India’s security interests.

This reassurance addresses longstanding Indian concerns about external military presence and infrastructure projects in the island nation. Successive Sri Lankan governments have balanced commercial partnerships with major powers while repeatedly affirming an “India First” approach to regional security. Mechanisms such as the Colombo Security Conclave and restrictions on foreign research vessels have been used to operationalise these commitments.

Shared Interest in a Stable Maritime Neighbourhood

Both countries recognise that a secure Indian Ocean free from disruptive influences is essential for their prosperity. Singh emphasised capacity building as a core pillar of defence cooperation and noted that India continues to respond to the requirements and priorities of the Sri Lankan armed forces. Joint exercises, training exchanges and operational coordination have steadily expanded over recent years.

The meeting also touched on India’s assistance during recent crises, including humanitarian support after Cyclone Ditwah and earlier economic and health emergencies. Dissanayake expressed appreciation for this consistent support.

As the Indian Ocean remains a critical theatre for both legitimate trade and illicit activity, the renewed emphasis on counter-narcotics cooperation adds a practical dimension to the strategic partnership, sources in the president’s office said. Sri Lanka’s domestic crackdown, combined with enhanced bilateral intelligence sharing and maritime domain awareness, aims to close routes that have long fuelled addiction, organised crime and social disruption on the island.

The outcomes of Singh’s visit signal that defence and security cooperation between India and Sri Lanka is moving beyond symbolism into concrete operational and institutional collaboration.