Sri Lanka and Pakistan keen to strengthen defence sector partnerships

Sri Lanka and Pakistan have reiterated the importance of reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains.

This was emphasized when the Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army, Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza met with the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) and the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd.

In his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Defence, discussions centred on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with a particular focus on capacity building and the exchange of best practices.

Both parties emphasized the significance of enhancing preparedness and resilience, especially in the context of natural disaster response, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

Major General Jayasekara (Retd) acknowledged Pakistan’s long-standing support in the form of military training opportunities extended to Sri Lankan personnel, which have played a pivotal role in professional development and fostering regional collaboration. He also referenced the recent Sri Lanka–Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue held in Islamabad in April, highlighting its importance in reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains.

In a separate meeting, Lieutenant General Raza also paid a courtesy visit to the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), at the Ministry of Defence.

The discussions echoed similar themes of enhancing strategic cooperation, with both sides reaffirming the mutual commitment to deepening defence ties.

Both meetings underscored the shared vision of Sri Lanka and Pakistan to strengthen mutual understanding, capacity enhancement and regional security through sustained high-level engagements, the Defence Ministry noted.