Four senior officers, representing a 20-member military delegation of the Army War College of India, currently on a familiarization tour, called on the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake at the Army Headquarters, Monday (10) morning.
Led by Brigadier J.S Sandhu, a Directing Staff at Higher Command Wing, Army War College of India, the group from the Army Higher Command Course of the Army War College of India, included Colonel James Thomas, Colonel Sanjeet Singh Negi and Colonel Puneet Aggarwal.
Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake after extending a warm welcome to the delegation appreciated the training opportunities that have been made available to Sri Lankan servicemen in Indian Training Institutes.
“It is the Indian Army that provides more than 80% of overseas training opportunities to the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, for which we are grateful. Still, we have a total of about 1000 officers who have not yet received training in India and we firmly believe more openings would be open in the future thanks to the wonderful relations that both our organizations are maintaining at present,” the Commander opined.
Lieutenant General Ratnayake during the exchange of views further explained them the series of post- conflict challenges in the country and how the Sri Lanka Army was contributing to the efforts of the nation-building.
He also told them about the progress that has been achieved in the sphere of de-mining after the end of the war.
The visiting Brigadier Sandhu in response, spoke high of the Sri Lankan Army standards and told the Commander that Indian Armed Forces, are using Sri Lankan experiences in the warfare in their training modules and other programmes. He also told that the Indian Army would do all possible to further promote sound relations between both organizations.
The brief courtesy meeting ended after a cordial exchange of mementoes.
Major General Amal Karunasekara, Military Secretary, Brigadier Jayantha Gunarathne, Director Training, Captain Prakash Gopalan, Defence Attaché to the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka and Lieutenant Colonel N. Edirisinghe were present during the meeting at the Army Headquarters.
Brigadier J.S Sandhu who is also the Director, Military Operations-5 at New Delhi Army Headquarters has served with the UN mission in Cambodia and held several important staff and instructional appointments.
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