Colombo:Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane is on a four-day visit to Sri Lanka beginning Tuesday to further expand bilateral military ties and discuss regional security challenges in the backdrop of China's increasing attempts to expand influence in the island nation.
The Army chief will hold wide-ranging talks with top military brass of Sri Lanka and is scheduled to call on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, officials said.
General Naravane's first visit to Sri Lanka as the Army Chief came days after the foreign secretary travelled to the island nation and held extensive talks with the top leaders of the country to boost cooperation in a range of areas.
The Defence Ministry said he will be meeting the country's senior military and civilian leadership and discuss avenues for enhancing India-Sri Lanka defence relations.
"The Army chief will take forward the excellent defence cooperation between Sri Lanka and India through multiple meetings with senior officials of the security establishment and exchange views on various defence-related issues," it said in a statement.
He will also interact with the Sri Lankan service chiefs and visit the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Army, the Gajaba regimental headquarters and a military academy.
General Naravane's visit to Sri Lanka comes in the backdrop of China's increasing attempts to expand influence in that country, particularly in the maritime sphere.
The Army chief was accorded a warm welcome by General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of Sri Lankan Army, on his arrival in Colombo.