Colombo, Sept. 9 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India and Sri Lankan ports could become "engines of shared economic growth", with maritime industries emerging as drivers of future prosperity for both nations and the wider region, as he addressed Sri Lanka's military leadership at the island nation's Ministry of Defence.

Speaking on 'India-Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region' as part of his three-day visit, Singh said the future of bilateral ties should rest on the premise that "proximity creates interdependence", which in turn opens up "immense opportunities for a shared evolution" between the two maritime neighbours.

Addressing the long-standing fishermen dispute between the two countries, Sin...