Sri Lanka, Australia reaffirm commitment to deepening defence ties

Sri Lanka and Australia have reaffirmed the commitment to deepening defence ties and exploring new avenues for cooperation in areas such as maritime domain awareness (MDA), training exchanges and capacity-building initiatives.

A number of key matters of mutual interest, particularly in the area of defence and security cooperation were deliberated when the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Paul Stephens, paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), at his office in Colombo on Tuesday (Apr 8).

The meeting was held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, reflecting the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Australia and Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The Deputy Minister has expressed his appreciation for Australia’s continued support in strengthening Sri Lanka’s maritime security and defence capabilities.

Highlighting a recent example of this collaboration, Major General Jayasekara acknowledged the significant contribution made by the Australian government through the donation of a state-of-the-art Shallow Water Multi-Beam Echo Sounder to the Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service (SLNHS). He noted that this advanced equipment has brought a transformative enhancement to Sri Lanka’s capacity for surveying harbours, coastal areas and strategic waterways, thereby contributing to both national security and regional maritime stability, the statement added.