Rajnath Singh Begins Maiden Sri Lanka Visit, Reaffirms India's Support in Times of Crisis

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh began his maiden visit to Sri Lanka on September 8 with an interaction with members of the Indian community in Colombo, reaffirming that India would continue to stand by the island nation during periods of crisis. Speaking at the event, Singh said India and Sri Lanka share deep cultural and civilisational ties that have provided a durable foundation for bilateral relations. He also acknowledged the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening people-to-people links between the two countries. The visit comes at a time when India and Sri Lanka are continuing to deepen engagement across security, economic cooperation, connectivity and regional stability. Singh used the diaspora interaction to outline India's economic and industrial transformation over the past decade. He said India's economy has expanded from around $2 trillion in 2014 to approximately $4 trillion and recorded growth of 7.8% in the first quarter of FY2026-27. He also highlighted the rise in Indian exports, manufacturing and infrastructure. The value of goods and services exports, he said, increased from around ₹45 lakh crore in 2014 to ₹79 lakh crore in FY2025-26. Electronics manufacturing has been among the fastest-growing sectors. Production of electronic goods has risen from about ₹1.9 lakh crore to more than ₹11 lakh crore, while exports have increased from roughly ₹38,000 crore to over ₹3 lakh crore. India has also emerged as the world's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer. According to Singh, the number of mobile manufacturing units has increased from two in 2014 to more than 300, while production has grown to around ₹5.5 lakh crore. Mobile phone exports have reached approximately ₹2.6 lakh crore. The Defence Minister also referred to India's expanding network of trade agreements, noting that the country has concluded trade arrangements with 38 nations over the past 12 years. He described the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement as a major step in expanding India's access to European markets. Defence manufacturing formed another major part of his address. Singh said India's defence exports, which stood at around ₹600 crore 12 years ago, have now reached approximately ₹39,000 crore. He said the country's defence budget has increased from around ₹2 lakh crore in FY2013-14 to ₹7.25 lakh crore in FY2025-26, reflecting the expansion of domestic defence capability and the government's push for greater self-reliance in military production. Singh also pointed to the growth of India's startup ecosystem and the rise in the number of unicorns, describing entrepreneurship and innovation as increasingly important elements of the country's economic development. On public welfare, he cited the expansion of social-security coverage and digital public infrastructure. He said around 95 crore people are now covered under social-security schemes, compared with roughly 25 crore in 2014. He also referred to the role of the JAM framework — Jan Dhan bank accounts, Aadhaar and mobile connectivity — in enabling direct delivery of government benefits. According to Singh, around ₹51 lakh crore has so far been transferred directly to beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer system. The programme in Colombo was attended by Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Western Province Governor Hanif Yusoof, Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep, Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, senior civil and military officials and members of the Indian community. Singh's visit underlines the importance New Delhi continues to attach to its relationship with Sri Lanka, particularly as both countries expand cooperation across defence, maritime security, economic engagement and regional connectivity. Source: PIB: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2308060®=48⟨=1