Shake Hands II: Pakistan–Sri Lanka Defence Partnership Strengthened at Tarbela

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (also known as Tamil Tigers) is a separatist militant group that was established in Sri Lanka in 1976. This group claimed to represent the minority Tamil community and this had the goal of establishing their own state in the north and east of the island. Nevertheless with time, the LTTE was closely associated with one of the longest and most devastating insurgencies in South Asian history marked by guerrilla warfare, assassination movements and a prolonged violence on the Sri Lankan state.

Sri Lankan Civil War and its Human Cost

In 1983, the Sri Lankan civil war erupted and lasted until 2009 with social and economic impact on the nation that could not be quantified. It is estimated that the death toll in the decades-long disagreement was more than 100,000, and a greater amount were injured, displaced, or sent to other nations. The consequences of the war were felt throughout the nation, although in the north and east regions, the entire communities were affected.

During the conflict, the LTTE had controlled big territories in the north and the east at varying periods. Civilians in these territories lived their lives insecurity, limited mobility, disrupted education, and limited access to economic prospects characterized their lives. It also brought about a massive internally displaced population, and a massive Sri Lankan diaspora in the world because of the war.

The LTTE was in a position to raise the concerns of the international community to its application of suicide bombings and asymmetric warfare which were on a scale that had never been experienced during the time. The group is said to have made a massive number of suicide attacks in the 80s and early 2000s which influenced militant actions outside the region.

The bombing of ECB in Colombo in 1996 and the bombing of Bandaranaike international Airport in 2001 were some of the worst incidences that were occasioned by the war and led to the loss of numerous lives and economic setback. The regional implications of the violence in the conflict, as well as the intensity, were also related to the assassination of the prominent political leaders in the region.

Movement towards Stability and Regional Cooperation

After the civil war ended in 2009, Sri Lanka entered a new stage of reconstruction, stability, and institutionalization. In this regard, international relations (especially in defence and security) have played a positive role in promoting professional growth and capacity building.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka have had a long-standing history of diplomatic and defence relations, which were enhanced during times of regional instability. The two countries have traditionally engaged in cooperation, involving training exchanges, military education, and participation in defence-related projects.

Defense Cooperation and Capacity Building

Over an extended period Pakistan and Sri Lanka have enhanced their collaboration in diverse areas of military education and institutional support. The Sri Lankan officers and cadets have been trained in Pakistan and professional exchanges facilitated transfer of common expertise in field such as operational Planning, maritime coordination and training of leaders.

The other countries that provided conducive defence cooperation, including military aid and defensive advice, to the Sri Lanka government in terms of increased security pressures, are Pakistan, as part of the broader bilateral interaction. The Sri Lakan government in the later years has also realised the significance of foreign aid which they received during the critical times on the conflict.

Besides equipment and operational support, the relationship has been more inclined on the long-term capacity building, particularly the counterinsurgency approach, the coordination of intelligence and the training of rapid responsiveness.

Pakistan’s Counter-Terrorism Experience

The involvement in counter-terrorism operations has also contributed to Pakistan being a training and cooperation partner in the region, as it is itself a country that has had a long history of experience in the operations. In the last twenty years, Pakistan has waged a number of large-scale operations to disarm militant groups and reestablish state control in affected areas, including operations like Rah-e-Raast, Rah-e-Nijat, Zarb-e-Azb, and Radd-ul-Fasaad.

These missions entailed intricate coordination of military, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, and frequently involved difficult terrain and high-risk situations. The experience of operations acquired in these campaigns has been exchanged more and more in international training courses and exercises with partner states.

Tarbela Exercise: Shake Hands-II.

The recent move which occurred in the field of the defence cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka is the Exercise Shake Hands- II which was held in Tarbela, Pakistan on April 27, 2026. The bi-lateral exercise consists of exercise between the Special Services Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army and the Sri Lankan Special Forces during the period of two weeks.

The exercise is to enhance interoperability, tactical coordination, and professional proficiency of counter-terrorism operations. The training scenarios are close-quarters combat, hostage rescue training, rapid response training and complex mission planning.

Such interactions are particularly relevant in the contemporary evolving environment of security that is increasingly becoming transnational and requiring multi-lateral response and additional training as well as familiarity of operations.

Lessons to Strategic Partnership

The experience of Sri Lanka with the LTTE continues to be one of the biggest internal security threats in the modern history of South Asia. The war had not only physical but also social and economic impacts, which are long-lasting. Nevertheless, during the post-conflict era, the nation has been working on institution reconstruction and enhancing resilience.

In this context, the military cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka indicates a more general trend of collaboration and information sharing regionally. The years that were once characterized by warring and instability have turned out to be organized alliances in the current age that are characterized by training, preparedness, and institutional learning.

Conclusion

The change in Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations in the field of defence is an example of how nations with a divergent historical experience can unite in solving a common security problem. Since the initial stages of collaboration in the Sri Lankan conflict era to the latest collaboration drills like the Shake Hands-II, there have been consistent shifts towards organized professionalism in the relationship.

Current programs, such as common training and anti-terrorism drills, are a reflection of a visionary strategy; learning the lessons of painful pasts is applied to greater preparedness, regional stability, and long-term collaboration grounded in mutual trust and professional exchange.