NEW DELHI: There is no question of joint patrolling with the Sri Lankan Navy but India is willing to supply "non-lethal" logistical items to the Sri Lankan military, South Block sources told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Indian ships were patrolling their territorial waters, and the idea of "joint patrolling" was not on the cards, the sources said even as External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday.

India's position on joint patrolling is significant given that the Sri Lankan President announced his intention of raising the issue with New Delhi just before he left Colombo last week.

According to the sources, Mr. Mukherjee conveyed to Mr. Rajapaksa the Centre's concerns at the continuing civilian deaths in Sri Lanka, and hoped that a way would be found to resume the peace process.

There was no military solution to the conflict between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the External Affairs Minister reportedly conveyed to the Sri Lankan President.

Relief material

India said it would like to send relief material to deal with the humanitarian situation in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. Mr. Rajapaksa said the Government was trying to tackle the humanitarian crisis.

"Restricted" meeting

The meeting took place both in a "restricted" and delegation-level format, in which senior officials from the Defence Ministry were present. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon were also present.

The sources said the Sri Lankan side was interested in the supply of several non-lethal logistical items, and this issue was "reviewed" by Mr. Rajapaksa and Mr. Mukherjee.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon were present during the talks between Mr. Mukherjee and Mr. Rajapaksa.

On Wednesday, Mr. Rajapaksa will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh before returning to Colombo.

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