India, Sri Lanka sign defense pacts for air-defense upgrades

[No verifiable implementation timetable or independent expert quote available; reporting is based on officials' statements.]

India and Sri Lanka on Sept. 9 signed pacts to upgrade L70 air-defense guns and expand military training, reinforcing bilateral security cooperation, officials said.

L70 gun upgrade deal

Officials said the agreements will modernize L70 air-defense systems used by the Sri Lankan Air Force and broaden military exchanges, training and academic cooperation between the two countries. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that Colombo would not allow its territory to be used against Indian security interests, officials said.

Officials described the pacts as bilateral steps to deepen defense ties and improve interoperability between forces. The measures cover equipment upgrades alongside personnel exchanges and academic links at military institutions, officials said, without providing technical schedules or cost details.

Officials said the arrangements are intended to manage regional risks at a bilateral level and involve routine cooperation rather than deployment changes. Implementation timetables will be set in follow-up talks; officials said progress will be reviewed within 30 days of the Sept. 9 signing.