Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia Bolster Strategic Security Cooperation
On 9 February 2026, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), Deputy Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka, held a bilateral meeting with His Excellency Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf Al-Muqrin, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the Saudi Defence Ministry during Sri Lanka’s official visit to the World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh.
The meeting reaffirmed the cordial and longstanding bilateral relations between the two nations and explored opportunities to further strengthen defence cooperation. Discussions included expanding military training programs, professional exchanges, and structured knowledge-sharing initiatives between the armed forces. Both parties acknowledged the strategic importance of maritime domain awareness and maritime security, while emphasizing the need to combat transnational threats such as drug trafficking and smuggling through enhanced coordination and information sharing.
Emerging defence technologies and modern operational concepts, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), intelligence systems, and surveillance capabilities, were also highlighted as key areas for collaboration. The possibility of organizing bilateral Defence Talks or Staff Talks and implementing structured capacity-building programs was discussed to institutionalize long-term defence cooperation.
In addition, both parties recognized the importance of cooperation in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, particularly through joint preparedness initiatives involving the Tri-Forces. The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to advancing defence collaboration, strengthening operational readiness, and deepening bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.
