Srilanka, Sept. 11 -- Sri Lanka expects India's fullest support in combating drug trafficking in the Indian Ocean region, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said, as the Indian Ocean has increasingly become a hub for the trade.

The President made the remarks at a meeting with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Presidential Secretariat, during Singh's official visit to Sri Lanka, the first by an Indian Defence Minister in 38 years.

The two leaders held wide-ranging talks on strengthening defence, economic, maritime and regional cooperation between the two countries. The President briefed Singh on Sri Lanka's recently launched national programme to combat drug trafficking and said he expects India's fullest support toward extra...