During his official visit to India from June 11 to 14, Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, met with Indian Army Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi in New Delhi.
The two military leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to regional stability and world peace during talks centered on bolstering military-to-military ties and improving bilateral defense cooperation. On social media, the Indian Army promoted the visit and said that these kinds of interactions highlight the two countries’ continued efforts to strengthen their long-standing defense alliance.
During his visit, Lt Gen Rodrigo was the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun. For Lt Gen Rodrigo, this event was especially noteworthy because it was his first time back at his alma mater, where he was commissioned in December 1990 as a member of the 87th Course of the IMA.
Two Sri Lankan Gentleman Cadets were formally commissioned as officers in the Sri Lanka Army during the event, and he also took part in the Pipping Ceremony. In addition to congratulating the recently commissioned officers and their families, Lt. Gen. Rodrigo encouraged them to strive to be excellent leaders and to preserve the highest customs and values of their respective armies.
The Indian Army also revealed that his son, Foreign Officer Cadet RMNL Rathnayake, was commissioned as a new officer in the Sri Lanka Army by Brigadier RMSP Rathnayake of the Sri Lanka Army. With this ceremony, 296 officers from the Sri Lankan Army were commissioned from the IMA, demonstrating the long-standing ties between India and Sri Lanka as well as the Indian Army’s dedication to promoting defense cooperation with friendly foreign nations.
