Lanka sent Pak its arms wishlist

On March 1, Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff D W K Sandagiri wrote to the Pakistan High Commissioner in Colombo requesting him to urgently send a technical team to Colombo for immediate survey of T-55 tanks and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Sri Lanka has been in desperate need of spares for these tanks and aircraft.

According to reliable information, a Pakistani delegation had visited Colombo in February and even made an offer to supply 100mm T-55 tank ammunition free of charge. Sanadagiri had urged Sri Lankan Defence Secretary G Rajapakse—President Rajapakse’s brother—to take up the offer as a “matter of priority”.

Sri Lanka was wary because LTTE had been approaching its sympathisers asking for one-time donations, taking the plea that this was the last time they would be approached as the Tigers were going in for the final push. Even India was aware of these intelligence reports and so, it was not all that surprising when the LTTE started playing up. It was in this backdrop that Colombo wanted a quick conclusion of the comprehensive defence cooperation agreement with India. However, this failed to materialise when Rajapakse visited India in January which is, perhaps, the time Colombo decided to turn to Pakistan.

Lanka’s list as India drags feet

AIR FORCE

• Two UAVs

• Cluster and fuel air bombs for Kfirs (50 each)

• 20 laser/precision guided bomb kits

• 30 deep penetration bombs

• 500 80mm rockets with fuel air explosive warhead

ARMY

• 10 Bakhtar Shiken anti-tank guided missile launcher

• 300 Tandem warhead missiles

• 1000 radio sets

NAVY

• 5000 mortar bombs

• 250 night vision goggles