London: After its success in defeating the Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan army has agreed to train Pakistani military in tackling insurgency and offered the same to India.
The Sri Lankan army's new commander, Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya told the BBC that Pakistan had already asked if it could send its military cadets to train in counter-insurgency operations.
"We'll give a favourable response," Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya said of the request.
He said "Sri Lanka has offered similar training, through diplomatic channels, to other countries including India, the United States, Bangladesh and the Philippines."
The Sri Lankan military envisaged specialist courses lasting up to six weeks, directed towards small groups from interested armies, he added. Lt Gen Jayasuriya said there was external interest in how the military had defeated the rebel group in practical terms. The army now wished to construct a written military doctrine in English.
Dismissing reports that the Pakistanis might receive military training in newly recaptured parts of northern Sri Lanka, he said it would be more likely in the south-east.
Lt Gen Jayasuriya also said that new permanent military bases would be set up in those northern areas including the rebels' former headquarters, Kilinochchi.
Sri Lanka and Pakistan have long enjoyed warm relations.
In Late May, Pakistan - like India, China and Russia - helped Colombo defeat a motion at the UN which would have criticised both the government and the rebels for allegedly violating humanitarian law during the war.
The BBC report said India might be uncomfortable at this news of the Pakistanis' interest in being trained.
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