Soaring Wings

The Indian Army Chief General V K Singh arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday afternoon on a five-day visit of the island nation. His visit is expected to promote bilateral military ties and defence cooperation between the two countries.

Gen V K Singh and his wife Mrs Bharati Singh were received at the airport by the Sri Lankan Army Chief Lt General Jagath Jayasurya and his wife Mrs Manjulika Jayasurya. The visiting delegation was given a traditional welcome.

The Indian Army Chief’s visit is being seen as a preparatory to the Indo-Lanka defence dialogue scheduled to begin next year. General Singh served in the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) during Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka in 1987. During the course of his stay in Colombo, General Singh would pay floral tribute at the memorial for the Indian Peace keeping Force (IPKF) soldiers and officers who laid down their lives in the fight against the LTTE. He will be the first Indian Army Chief to visit the memorial, since the time it was erected.

General Singh is scheduled to meet the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister D M Jayaratne , Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan Army Commander Lt General Jagath Jayasuriya and other senior defence officials. The Army Chief is also scheduled to visit the Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa.

AIR correspondent reports, the Indian Army chief General V K Singh and the delegation accompanying him were given a traditional welcome today at the Bandarnaike International airport.

General Singh and Mrs Bharati Singh were received by the Sri Lankan Army Commander Lt General Jagath Jayasurya and his wife.

The Indian Army Chief’s visit is being seen as a preparatory to the Indo-Lanka defence dialogue scheduled to begin next year. General Singh who served during the IPKF Operation in Sri Lanka in 1987, is scheduled to pay floral tribute at the memorial for the Indian Peace keeping Force soldiers and officers who laid down their lives fighting against the LTTE.

He will be the first Indian Army Chief to visit the memorial, since the time it was erected.

Tomorrow morning, the Indian Army Chief will be given a ceremonial Guard of Honour by the Sri Lankan Army.

Besides, calling on the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, General Singh is also scheduled for meetings with the PM, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the three service commanders and the External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka G L Peires.