Category: Defense
Palali-Achchuveli Main Road Reopens after 3 decades
Following directives from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Palali-Achchuveli main road was reopened today (01) after three decades of closure. The road, initially closed due to the prolonged 30-year civil conflict, remained inaccessible even in the 15 years following the end of the war. Residents of the Northern Province had long called for the road’s […]
U.S. Transfers Beechcraft King Air 360ER to SL Air Force, Enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness & Security
At a ceremony held today at Sri Lanka Air Force Base Katunayake, U.S. Navy Admiral Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, officially handed over a Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, gifted by the United States, to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The event, attended by U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, Secretary to the Ministry of […]
U.S. Admiral to Visit Sri Lanka, Strengthening Bilateral Security Cooperation
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka is pleased to announce that Admiral Steve Koehler, a 4-star U.S. Navy Admiral and Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, will visit Sri Lanka on October 10, marking the highest-level U.S. military visit to the country since 2021. During the visit, Admiral Koehler will reaffirm the strong partnership between the […]
Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Sail Training Warship ‘PO LANG’ arrives in Colombo
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Sail Training Warship ‘PO LANG’ arrived at the port of Colombo on a formal visit yesteday morning (08). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions. ‘PO LANG’ is a 86-meter-long Sail Training Vessel crewed by 130 personnel including 35 Officer Cadets. […]
U.S. Embassy Announces Expected Arrival of Beechcraft King Air 360ER to Enhance SL’s Maritime Surveillance
The U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce that the Beechcraft King Air 360ER aircraft, donated by the United States to the Sri Lanka Air Force, will arrive in Sri Lanka next week. Funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Building Partner Capacity program, this donation, which originated in 2019, is part of a long-term collaboration […]
Sri Lanka and France enter into an Agreement to establish a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral Agreement to establish a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka. The Agreement was signed by Secretary/ Ministry of Defence General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne and Chargé d’ Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of France in Colombo Marie-Noëlle Duris, at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo yesterday. The […]
Indo-Pacific Endeavour Begins In Sri Lanka
Australia’s flagship regional engagement activity, Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE), commences this week in Sri Lanka with a number of engagements on bilateral priorities. IPE supports the Australian Government’s focus on deepening our diplomatic and defence partnerships across Southeast Asia and the Northeast Indian Ocean, and reinforces Australia’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous region, founded […]
Montana National Guard, U.S. Pacific Air Forces & Sri Lanka Air Force to conduct joint military exercise
The Montana National Guard and U.S. Pacific Air Forces, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force and members of the Maldives National Defense Force, are conducting ‘Atlas Angel,’ a joint military exercise aimed at enhancing preparation and response to natural and man-made disasters. From August 5- 9, more than 70 U.S. personnel and two […]
United States and Sri Lankan Navies to Conduct Upcoming CARAT Sri Lanka 2024 Exercise in Trincomalee
From April 22-26 in Trincomalee, the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Sri Lanka Navy will partner for the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Sri Lanka 2024 exercise. CARAT Sri Lanka will feature the expertise of the U.S. Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), a U.S. Marine Corps unit specialized in security and anti-terrorism for naval assets, engaging alongside […]
March 12 Movement Denounces Online Safety Bill Passage, Citing Constitutional Concerns
The March 12 Movement, a civic activist group in Sri Lanka, has strongly denounced the passage of the Online Safety Bill on January 24th, 2024, which they claim was done in an unlawful manner. The group reiterates that the Online Safety Bill poses a grave threat to the fundamental rights and democratic principles enshrined in […]
Sri Lanka gets UK assistance for serious fraud investigations
Dec 19, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is the first country in the world that received a tailored package of training from a senior investigator of UK Serious Fraud Office, UK’s Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Laura Davies, said in a recent blog post.According to Davies the UK was one of the first to […]
Tilak Marapana resigns as Law and Order Minister
Nov 09, 2015 (LBO) – Law and Order Minister Tilak Marapana has tendered his resignation letter for his Ministerial post to President Maithripala Sirisena today.Speaking at a press briefing Marapana said the decision was taken after discussing the alleged controversy involving him around the Avant Garde issue with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. “I never interfered […]