India–Sri Lanka Coast Guards hold 8th High-Level Meeting to boost maritime cooperation

The 8th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was held here today. Calling the meeting another milestone in the strong and enduring maritime partnership between the two countries, a statement from the Ministry of Defence stated that the discussions centered on strengthening cooperative engagements in the fields of marine pollution response, maritime search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement, along with enhanced capacity building and technical assistance initiatives.

The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Director General SLCG Rear Admiral Y.R. Serasinghe and the Indian delegation headed by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in addressing contemporary maritime challenges, ensuring safety, security, and environmental stewardship in the shared maritime domain.

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The meeting underscored the mutual resolve of ICG and SLCG to deepen operational coordination, share best practices, and further promote regional maritime stability through sustained cooperation, the release stated. The SLCG delegation is visiting India from August 10-14, 2025, for the HLM and other professional interactions under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ICG and SLCG in 2018.