In a moment of powerful symbolism and enduring camaraderie, Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, returned to his alma mater, the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, as the Reviewing Officer for the Passing Out Parade held on June 14, 2025. The event marked the culmination of his four-day official visit to India, reinforcing the deep-rooted military ties between the two nations.
Commissioned in December 1990 from IMA’s 87th Course, Lieutenant General Rodrigo described his return as a deeply emotional homecoming. Addressing the cadets, he emphasised that joining the armed forces is not merely about earning a rank but embracing a lifelong journey of service, discipline, integrity, and honour. Invoking the IMA Credo and Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw’s famous exhortation—”Be truthful, be honest, be fearless”—he called on the newly commissioned officers to lead with courage and compassion.
The event was especially significant for Sri Lanka, as two of its officer cadets—including RMNL Rathnayake, son of Brigadier RMSP Rathnayake—were among those commissioned, bringing the total number of Sri Lankan Army officers trained at IMA to 296. The presence of foreign cadets underlined IMA’s growing role as a global military training hub.
During his visit, Lieutenant General Rodrigo held detailed discussions with senior Indian Army leadership, including Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani and Lt Gen Manjinder Singh, GOC-in-C, South Western Command. Talks centred around enhancing bilateral military cooperation, joint training programmes, and regional security strategies.
India and Sri Lanka’s premier military collaboration—Exercise Mitra Shakti—remains a key pillar of this defence partnership. The 10th edition of the bilateral exercise, held in Sri Lanka in August 2024, underscored their commitment to operational synergy in counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency domains.
At present, nearly 700 Sri Lankan Army personnel are undergoing training at top Indian military institutions, including the Defence Services Staff College, Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, and the IMA, making them the largest foreign contingent in Indian defence training programmes.
Lieutenant General Rodrigo’s visit reaffirmed the strategic and emotional connect between the two nations’ militaries—a relationship built on shared values, institutional respect, and a vision for regional peace and security.
