News
Enhanced Australia – SL relations in line with stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region
Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera, during bilateral discussions with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Richard Marles, thanked the Australian Government for support provided for the armed forces, including continuing a multi-million-dollar fuel grant to the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) since 2022. Australian High Commissioner in Colombo Paul Stephens also joined the discussions.
The Australian grant has enabled the SLN and SLAF to continue operations meant to curb illegal migration to Australia. The assistance is in line with Operation Sovereign Borders (OSB), a military-led operation launched in September 2013.
According to the Ministry of Defence press release, the Deputy Minister also appreciated the donation of a KA-350 Beechcraft to the SLAF and a state-of-the-art Shallow Water Multibeam Echo Sounder (SWMBES) to the SLN Hydrographic Service.
The meeting underscored the strong and ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries, with particular focus on maritime security and efforts to combat transnational crime in the Indian Ocean. Both sides recognised the critical importance of enhanced collaboration among regional and international partners through shared resources, intelligence, and best practices to effectively address evolving maritime challenges. They further agreed to deepen cooperation within regional frameworks and expand joint efforts in knowledge exchange and capacity building.
The visit underscored the shared commitment of both countries to promoting peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region through enhanced defence cooperation and strategic dialogue, the MoD said.
During the June 3 visit, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence of Australia paid courtesy calls on President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath.
The Foreign Ministry said that the courtesy calls on the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism focused on strengthening the longstanding bilateral relationship between Australia and Sri Lanka in several areas, including in the political, economic, and security spheres. Foreign Minister Herath noted the rich people-to-people contacts between the two countries as one of the most important highlights of the bilateral relationship. Minister Herath, underscoring the importance of the tourism industry as a crucial driver for reviving Sri Lanka’s economy, invited Australian travellers to consider Sri Lanka as a preferred destination.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Marles appreciated the progress made by Sri Lanka in advancing stability, development, and regional cooperation. He reaffirmed Australia’s continued support for Sri Lanka’s efforts in these areas and underscored the importance of sustained collaboration to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the region.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya attended a special luncheon hosted at Australia House in honour of Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, where she was welcomed as the Chief Guest. In her address to the gathering, Prime Minister Amarasuriya highlighted the importance of advancing the economic partnership between Sri Lanka and Australia. She also emphasised Sri Lanka’s keen interest in further diversifying and deepening trade and economic ties with Australia.
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) on Friday said the largest groundwater source discovered in Sri Lanka so far had been identified during tube-well drilling near the Pitabeddara Police Station.
Indrajith Gamage, geologist in charge of the Southern Province, said the source recorded a continuous flow of about 10,000 litres (10 cubic metres) per minute, marking the first instance in the country where a groundwater source of that magnitude had been found.
He noted that the previous largest groundwater source was discovered in the Madhu area, which recorded a flow of about 7,000 litres per minute.
According to the NWSDB, the tube well was drilled following geological studies of rock layers and the identification of underground water through fractures in rock strata using specialised technical instruments.
The Board said steps would be taken to distribute water from the newly discovered source to residents facing shortages in Pitabeddara, Morawaka and surrounding areas.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has formally handed over its historical records to the National Archives Department, entrusting over a century of the nation’s commercial history to the country’s official custodians of heritage.
The archive, spanning from the CCC’s founding in 1839 to 1973, includes correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, ledgers, and publications that chronicle the development of trade, enterprise, and industry in Sri Lanka. Together, the records provide a rare and detailed account of the island’s economic evolution and the role of its business community in shaping national progress.
The Ministry of Defence said on Friday (13) that arrangements had been made to repatriate to Iran the bodies of 84 sailors who died aboard the IRIS Dena, which sank in the southern seas off Sri Lanka.
A special aircraft carrying the bodies departed from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport on Friday, the Ministry said, adding that the repatriation was carried out in coordination with the Embassy of Iran in Sri Lanka.
The remains had been kept in two mobile cold-storage units at the Galle National Hospital before being transported to Mattala by lorry following a court order. Forty-five bodies were moved in the morning, while the remaining 39 were transported later in the day.
Earlier this month, the Iranian naval vessel suffered an incident about 40 nautical miles off Port of Galle while carrying around 180 personnel. Thirty-five rescued sailors were admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, while 84 bodies were subsequently recovered.
Following the incident, Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Iranian vessel had been sunk in international waters by a torpedo fired from a submarine of the United States Navy.
Lanka discovers largest groundwater source
Lanka’s commercial legacy preserved in National Archives
Bodies of 84 Iranian sailors flown home
Kirsten brings pedigree, but Sri Lanka must fix the system
Barrels vs bombs
From culture to empowerment: Indonesia’s vision for Sri Lanka
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoRepatriation of Iranian naval personnel Sri Lanka’s call: Washington
-
Features6 days agoWinds of Change:Geopolitics at the crossroads of South and Southeast Asia
-
News5 days agoProf. Dunusinghe warns Lanka at serious risk due to ME war
-
Sports4 days agoRoyal start favourites in historic Battle of the Blues
-
Sports3 days agoThe 147th Royal–Thomian and 175 Years of the School by the Sea
-
News3 days agoHistoric address by BASL President at the Supreme Court of India
-
News4 days agoCEBEU warns of operational disruptions amid uncertainty over CEB restructuring
-
Business4 days agoBOI launches ‘Invest in Sri Lanka’ forum