Army Chief leaves for Sri Lanka on 4-day visit tomorrow

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will leave for Sri Lanka on a four-day visit tomorrow, during which he will hold talks with top political and military leadership of the island nation to boost cooperation between the ground forces of the two countries.

It will be the first visit of General Rawat as Army Chief to Sri Lanka where China has been trying to expand its influence.

The Army said the aim of Gen Rawat's visit is to take forward the military-to-military cooperation between the two countries to the "next level".

"During the visit from May 14 to 17, the Army Chief is scheduled to meet the senior most political and military hierarchy of Sri Lanka," the Army said in a statement.

Apart from meeting the senior leadership of the three services of Sri Lanka, Gen Rawat is also scheduled to meet the regional military commanders in Kandy and Trincomalee, Army officials said.

The regional commanders of Lankan army are considered very influential in military matters.

The Army said the visit of Gen Rawat is reflective of India's persistent efforts to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship and military cooperation based on mutual interests and understanding.

"Indian Army has been catering not only for varied training requirements of the Sri Lankan Army including imparting specific tailor-made training in different fields but also providing military hardware support," the Army said.

The Chief of the Army Staff will be inaugurating a communication laboratory at School of Signals in Kandy.

The laboratory has been established by the Indian Army to train the personnel of Sri Lanka Army's Signal Corps.

General Rawat will also be visiting the Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa.