Besides trade and culture, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse exchanged views on a host of geo-strategic issues.
They agreed to promote dialogue on security and defence issues of relevance to the bilateral relationship, and enhance high-level military exchanges and training of m
ilitary personnel as well as impart additional training in Indian institutions for the newly-recruited police personnel.
The two countries also agreed to institute an annual defence dialogue between the two governments.
New Delhi approaches its security and defence ties with Colombo from the perspective of common concerns.
A source tracking India’s engagement of Sri Lanka said geography justifies the need for close consultations between the two countries.
Sri Lanka has also invited the Indian Navy chief Nirmal Verma to visit the island nation.
China also figured in the discussions between the two countries, the source said.
Borrowing from United States secretary of state Hillary Clinton’s recent remarks about India-United States relations, the source described the relationship between India-Sri Lanka as “an affair of the heart,” not just of the head.