Sri Lanka, Pakistan hold talks on defence collaboration

A high-level discussion has taken place between Sri Lanka and Pakistan aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation, fostering mutual understanding on regional security dynamics and exploring opportunities for defence collaboration, the Ministry of Defence said.

The fifth annual Sri Lanka-Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue commenced on Monday (Apr 28) in Islamabad, Pakistan, marking a continued commitment to strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.

The Sri Lankan delegation is led by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), accompanied by Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and Additional Secretary (Defence) of the Ministry of Defence Jayantha Edirisinghe. The Pakistani delegation is headed by Lieutenant General Muhammad Ali (Retd), Secretary Defence of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In conjunction with the on-going defence dialogue, Air Vice Marshal Thuyacontha (Retd) has held a side-line meeting with the Defence Minister of Pakistan, Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

The dialogue reflects the growing importance of partnerships in maintaining stability and promoting peace in the South Asian region.

The three-day dialogue is expected to reinforce bilateral defence ties and contribute to broader regional security objectives, the statement by the Ministry added.