India and Sri Lanka have signed a new agreement to strengthen Sri Lanka’s air defence capabilities, with India set to support the upgradation of six L70 air defence guns operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force. The agreement was exchanged during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s official visit to Colombo on September 9, 2026, as both countries moved to deepen their defence and strategic partnership.
The L70 gun upgrade will be carried out under a Government of India grant. According to the Ministry of Defence, the upgraded systems are expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s air defence architecture, particularly for the protection of critical assets. The guns had earlier been provided to the Sri Lanka Air Force by India, making the latest agreement part of the continuing defence cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The agreement comes alongside two other areas of institutional cooperation. India and Sri Lanka exchanged a memorandum of understanding on academic cooperation between their respective National Defence Colleges, aimed at promoting knowledge sharing and strengthening professional and academic links between the two institutions. A separate MoU will formalise cooperation between the National Cadet Corps of India and Sri Lanka, including the youth exchange programme.
During his meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Colombo, Rajnath Singh and the Sri Lankan leadership also reaffirmed their commitment to regional security, peace and prosperity. Sri Lanka reiterated that its territory would not be allowed to be used for activities detrimental to India’s security interests.
Maritime security was another major focus of the visit. Addressing senior Sri Lankan defence officials, Rajnath Singh stressed the importance of secure sea lanes, freedom of navigation and cooperation between the two countries in addressing emerging maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. He called for stronger joint protocols, skills development and experience sharing to build a closer maritime partnership.
The latest agreement highlights India’s continuing role in supporting Sri Lanka’s defence capacity and reflects the broader expansion of bilateral cooperation across air defence, military education, youth exchanges and maritime security. For Sri Lanka, the L70 upgrade is expected to improve the effectiveness of its existing air defence assets, while for India, the partnership reinforces its wider security engagement with a key Indian Ocean neighbour.