(MENAFN) Japan and Sri Lanka took a significant step to strengthen their defense relations on Monday, with Tokyo sending unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Colombo.

During a meeting in Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba welcomed Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. A statement from Japan's Foreign Ministry confirmed the discussions centered on enhancing the two nations' "comprehensive partnership" and reinforcing their longstanding, friendly ties.

Ishiba emphasized the importance of a "free and open" Indo-Pacific, asserting that the security and prosperity of Sri Lanka are vital for regional stability. He underscored the need to "strengthen security cooperation" between the two countries.

"The peace and stability in Sri Lanka is indispensable for the peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," Ishiba said. "It is important to strengthen security cooperation with Sri Lanka."

In a historic move, Japan has decided to provide UAVs to Sri Lanka, aimed at bolstering surveillance, monitoring, and disaster relief operations as part of the first Official Security Assistance (OSA) project to the island nation.

For his part, President Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for Japan’s ongoing support in both debt restructuring and Sri Lanka's broader development efforts. “I express gratitude for Japan’s support in debt restructuring & ongoing assistance to Sri Lanka’s growth,” he said via the social media platform X.

A joint statement issued after the meeting emphasized both nations’ commitment to enhancing defense cooperation, with a focus on strengthening Sri Lanka’s security and deterrence capabilities to maintain peace in the Indian Ocean region.

The statement also noted the positive reception of Japan’s provision of advanced UAVs to improve Sri Lanka’s maritime surveillance and disaster relief capacities.

In the wake of the talks, the two countries signed a deal for over $3 million in Official Security Assistance (OSA) for the Japanese fiscal year 2025, which will fund the UAVs. The OSA framework facilitates Japan's provision of equipment, supplies, and infrastructure development assistance to the armed forces and related organizations of recipient nations.

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