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Lanka seeks more training slots for its officers in Pak
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, July 7
Pakistan could well become the training ground for more and more Sri Lankan military personnel as they are finding it increasingly difficult to undergo training in India, thanks to factional politics of Tamil Nadu.

Colombo asked Islamabad to allot more training slots to its military personnel during the recent visit of Pakistan Army chief, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to Sri Lanka.

Significantly, the request was made days after two Lankan military officers were forced to abandon their training at the Defence Service Staff College in Wellington in Tamil Nadu because of the anti-Lanka sentiments in the state, fuelled by both the ruling AIADMK and Opposition parties.

It is understood that New Delhi had offered to Colombo to shift these two officers from Wellington to the Higher Defence Management Course (HDMC) at the College of Defence Management in Secundrabad due to concerns over their security in Tamil Nadu. However, Lanka declined the offer, saying the HDMC was not in line with the initial purpose of sending the officers for training in India.

Unofficially, however, Colombo’s argument was that New Delhi should have either not sent these officers to an institute in Tamil Nadu or, having done so, ensured that they were allowed to complete their training, regardless of the situation in the state.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has even demanded that New Delhi scrap the training programme for Lankan military personnel, keeping in view the sentiments of the people of her state. However, New Delhi has not taken any such decision as that could cast a shadow on bilateral relationship. Informed sources here said New Delhi desired a strong defence relationship with Lanka but could ill-afford to ignore the views of the political outfits in Tamil Nadu, especially since Colombo has not precious little to provide succour to a vast majority of its Tamil population.

Pakistan, meanwhile, is believed to be seriously considering increasing the training slots for Lankan personnel at its training institutes such as the National Defence College (NDC), Pakistan Army Command and Staff College and the Physical Training School.

In the past, Pakistan assisted Lanka in the war against the LTTE by supplying high-tech military equipment. Their ties also foster on a strong mutual Sino-Pakistan and Sino-Lanka relationship, as Beijing maintains deep interest in the economic and military development of both Lanka and Pakistan. Lanka started buying arms from Pakistan in a big way in 1999.

Trouble in India

• Colombo asked Islamabad to allot more training slots to its military personnel during the recent visit of Pakistan Army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to Sri Lanka
• The request was made days after two Lankan military officers were forced to abandon their training at the Defence Service Staff College in Wellington in Tamil Nadu because of the anti-Lanka sentiments in the state
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has even asked New Delhi to scrap the training programme for Lankan military personnel