An Indian defence delegation visiting Sri Lanka has offered assistance in the form of "joint air-defence exercises" to face any threats posed by the aerial capability of the Tigers, press reports in Colombo said.
India which has stepped up its military support to the Rajapakse administration in recent months sent a high level delegation to Colombo to review the ongoing bilateral defence cooperation.
Indian Defence Secretary Vijay Singh who called on Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in Colombo earlier this week has made the offer.
The delegation arrived in Colombo last Sunday and left the island on Wednesday, after meeting with the Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army, Air Force and Navy.
The eight-member Indian delegation, comprising several top officials from the Indian Defence and External Affairs ministries, had told Sri Lanka that India was concerned since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) now had its own air wing.
Following the successful night time air raids carried out by LTTE’s Tamil Eelam Air Force (TAF), SLAF upgraded its night flying capability. However it has not assisted in defending targets against LTTE air crafts. The LTTE air crafts have been able to repeatedly attack targets in deep south and return to base safely.
Indian defence establishment is said be of the view that SLAF night operational capability is vital for meaningful and fool proof air defence.
Indian News service, IANS, reported that efforts are on to equip SLAF aircraft with night fighting capability but these are yet to bear fruit because of the expenditure involved and the reluctance of countries to part with the appropriate technology.
According to IANS both India and Pakistan are keen to help out Sri Lanka to improve its air defence.
It is in this context that the current visit of an Indian military delegation to Sri Lanka assumes significance.
Speaking before the visit an Indian high commission spokesman said, 'among the issues which will be discussed is air defense,' while downplaying the visit as a 'routine one' meant to discuss administrative and other issues related to defense cooperation.
The spokesman said the Indian radars given to Sri Lanka were working 'extremely well'.
Two weeks ago, the IAF conducted its largest-ever war exercise in south India involving the Army, Air Force and Navy. An official statement by the IAF detailed the use of French-made Mirage-2000s, Russian-built Su-30s, Mi-8 helicopters and unmanned aircraft in the exercise.
According to Indian media the objective of the exercise, codenamed 'Dakshin Prahar', was to defend military, strategic and economic targets in south India against air attacks by regular and rogue air forces.
Reports further added that India may like Sri Lanka's cooperation in any system it may put together in the near future, indicating further cooperation between the two forces in future.
On the naval front also India has stepped up cooperation with the Sri Lankan Navy and has been involved in coordinated patrolling.
Commenting on the issue, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Monday said the Union government was 'careful' about the activities of LTTE.
"We are always careful about LTTEs activities in Tamil Nadu or anywhere else in India." he said after a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
He further said a strict round-the-clock vigil was being maintained all along the coastline.
Asked whether they was any move for joint patrolling between the Indian and Sri Lankan navies in the Indian ocean, he said there was coordinated patrolling, wherein both navies were patrolling in their respective areas.
India which has stepped up its military support to the Rajapakse administration in recent months sent a high level delegation to Colombo to review the ongoing bilateral defence cooperation.
Indian Defence Secretary Vijay Singh who called on Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in Colombo earlier this week has made the offer.
The delegation arrived in Colombo last Sunday and left the island on Wednesday, after meeting with the Commanders of the Sri Lankan Army, Air Force and Navy.
The eight-member Indian delegation, comprising several top officials from the Indian Defence and External Affairs ministries, had told Sri Lanka that India was concerned since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) now had its own air wing.
Following the successful night time air raids carried out by LTTE’s Tamil Eelam Air Force (TAF), SLAF upgraded its night flying capability. However it has not assisted in defending targets against LTTE air crafts. The LTTE air crafts have been able to repeatedly attack targets in deep south and return to base safely.
Indian defence establishment is said be of the view that SLAF night operational capability is vital for meaningful and fool proof air defence.
Indian News service, IANS, reported that efforts are on to equip SLAF aircraft with night fighting capability but these are yet to bear fruit because of the expenditure involved and the reluctance of countries to part with the appropriate technology.
According to IANS both India and Pakistan are keen to help out Sri Lanka to improve its air defence.
It is in this context that the current visit of an Indian military delegation to Sri Lanka assumes significance.
Speaking before the visit an Indian high commission spokesman said, 'among the issues which will be discussed is air defense,' while downplaying the visit as a 'routine one' meant to discuss administrative and other issues related to defense cooperation.
The spokesman said the Indian radars given to Sri Lanka were working 'extremely well'.
Two weeks ago, the IAF conducted its largest-ever war exercise in south India involving the Army, Air Force and Navy. An official statement by the IAF detailed the use of French-made Mirage-2000s, Russian-built Su-30s, Mi-8 helicopters and unmanned aircraft in the exercise.
According to Indian media the objective of the exercise, codenamed 'Dakshin Prahar', was to defend military, strategic and economic targets in south India against air attacks by regular and rogue air forces.
Reports further added that India may like Sri Lanka's cooperation in any system it may put together in the near future, indicating further cooperation between the two forces in future.
On the naval front also India has stepped up cooperation with the Sri Lankan Navy and has been involved in coordinated patrolling.
Commenting on the issue, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Monday said the Union government was 'careful' about the activities of LTTE.
"We are always careful about LTTEs activities in Tamil Nadu or anywhere else in India." he said after a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
He further said a strict round-the-clock vigil was being maintained all along the coastline.
Asked whether they was any move for joint patrolling between the Indian and Sri Lankan navies in the Indian ocean, he said there was coordinated patrolling, wherein both navies were patrolling in their respective areas.
