The inaugural defence dialogue between the Defence Secretaries of India and Sri Lanka was held in New Delhi on 31 January 2012. Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma and the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa co-chaired the meeting along with their delegations, comprising the officers of the Defence Ministries and the Armed Forces of the respective countries. Regional security situation including issues of maritime security in the Indian Ocean region dominated the inaugural Annual Defence Dialogue.

The Defence Secretary Shri Shashikant Sharma and his Sri Lankan counterpart Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also called on the Defence Minister Shri A.K. Antony in South Block. Various issues relating to bilateral defence interactions came up for discussion at the meeting. Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also met the National Security Advisor Shri Shivshankar Menon and Foreign Secretary Shri Ranjan Mathai.