News
INS Vikrant visit: Lanka reaffirms enduring friendship with India
Sri Lanka underscored the strength and continuity of its bilateral ties with India, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, who was the chief guest at a reception aboard INS Vikrant, on Wednesday, said, praising New Delhi’s steadfast engagement during the Sri Lanka Navy’s 75th Anniversary celebrations on Wednesday.
Addressing diplomats, senior Indian naval officers and dignitaries gathered on the deck of India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Dr. Jayatissa said the visit by the INS Vikrant alongside the INS Udayagiri for the International Fleet Review underscored New Delhi’s “longstanding relationship” with Colombo and its commitment to the Indian Ocean region.
“The participation of the INS Vikrant speaks volumes of the significance India places on its relationship with Sri Lanka,” he noted, extending the government’s “heartfelt appreciation” to India for marking the Navy’s milestone celebrations.
The minister tied India’s presence to its wider maritime doctrine, saying the visit reflected New Delhi’s Vision MAHASAGAR, which promotes cooperation, connectivity and shared security in the Indian Ocean. “Sri Lanka is committed to ensuring that the Indian Ocean remains a region of peace, stability, and mutually beneficial engagement,” he said, calling the ocean a “shared space of opportunity and responsibility.”
Dr. Jayatissa underscored the “robust and evolving partnership” between the two neighbouring navies, highlighting joint exercises, coordinated patrols, hydrographic cooperation, disaster response and capacity-building initiatives as cornerstones of a deepening security architecture. Such engagements, he stressed, bolster regional resilience amid a shifting maritime landscape marked by piracy, narcotics trafficking, climate-related risks and humanitarian crises.
“In this evolving environment, the partnership between Sri Lanka and India is more vital than ever,” he declared, adding that Vikrant’s arrival sent a “strong message” on shared security and friendship.
The minister paid tribute to the Sri Lanka Navy’s 75-year service record, calling it a force that has “defended our sovereignty, safeguarded our seas, and supported national development.” Maritime security, he noted, “cannot be achieved in isolation,” and Colombo was eager to further strengthen cooperation with India in the years ahead.
Thanking the Indian Navy for its hospitality, Dr. Jayatissa said the visit aboard the carrier would stand as “yet another milestone” in the close ties between the two nations. “May our cooperation continue to flourish,” he concluded, “as we steer together toward a peaceful and prosperous Indian Ocean Region.”
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal deep sea areas
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 05.00 p.m. 18 September 2026, valid for the next 24 hours.
PLEASE BE AWARE!
The atmospheric disturbance to the North of the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to develop into a low pressure area within the next 24 hours.
Due to its influence, wind speed over the Bay of Bengal sea areas will increase during the next few days starting from
tomorrow (19th).
The wind speed in the sea areas marked under the “Advisory” category on the map below will increase to 55-65 kmph at times and those sea areas will be rough or very rough at times.
Navel and fishing communities engaging the activities over this sea area are advised to be vigilant and be attentive to the future forecasts and bulletins issued by the department of Meteorology in this regards.
Text and Pic by Priyan de Silva
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) Ranga Dissanayake has questioned whether some promises contained in the National People’s Power (NPP) manifesto, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, could be fulfilled even if the government wanted to implement them.
Dissanayake raised the issue during a discussion following the release of the third biannual report on manifesto monitoring by the March 12 Movement, at the BMICH, on Wednesday.
He questioned whether the report had taken into account legal and institutional constraints affecting the implementation of certain pledges.
Citing the proposal to establish Anti-Corruption Investigation Offices in each district, Dissanayake said such offices could be established only with the agreement of CIABOC and that amendments to the Anti-Corruption Act would be necessary.
He also referred to the pledge to abolish the Executive Presidency, noting that successive governments had made similar commitments since 1994. He questioned whether there had been adequate consideration of where the powers vested in the Executive President would be transferred if the system were abolished.
On the proposal to establish a Public Prosecutor, Dissanayake questioned whether the Government intended to maintain the office alongside the Attorney General, who currently performs prosecution-related functions.
Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Reforms and Electoral Studies (IRES) Manjula Gajanayake said Dissanayake’s remarks should be regarded as his personal views and not as Government policy.
Monitoring and Evaluation Consultants M. Thilakarajah and D.D. Mataharaarachchi presented the third-phase findings, covering January to June 2026.
The corruption case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against former Navy Commander, Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda, and Yoshitha Rajapaksa was set for a pre-trial conference by the Colombo High Court.
The case was taken up before the Colombo High Court on Thursday (17), when the accused, who are currently out on bail, appeared before the court. After considering the submissions made, the court ordered that the case be called for a pre-trial conference.
The CIABOC had filed the case against the accused, alleging that a corruption offence was committed by sending Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, for training at the Royal Naval College in the United Kingdom despite him not having the required qualifications.
Advisory for strong winds and rough seas for Multi-day boats in the Bay of Bengal
Showers in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya Districts
Some NPP manifesto promises may be difficult to fulfil – CIABOC DG
Yoshitha and ex-Navy chief Karannagoda’s case fixed for PTC
Court orders probe into Wimal’s rally speech
Court to rule on Dilith’s writ petition on September 30
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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