A significant bilateral meeting took place at the Saudi Defence Ministry between Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), Deputy Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka, and His Excellency Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf Al-Muqrin, Deputy Minister of Defence of Saudi Arabia.

The meeting occurred during Deputy Minister Jayasekara’s official visit to the World Defense Show (WDS) in Riyadh.

During the discussions, both officials reaffirmed their countries’ strong and friendly bilateral relations and explored new opportunities to deepen defence cooperation.

The Sri Lankan delegation expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s ongoing support and emphasized the importance of expanding military training, professional exchanges, and structured knowledge-sharing initiatives between their armed forces.

The two sides also focused on the strategic importance of Maritime Domain Awareness and maritime security, sharing concerns over transnational threats such as drug trafficking and smuggling. They agreed on the need to enhance bilateral coordination and information sharing to effectively address these challenges.

Emerging defence technologies, including UAVs, intelligence systems, and surveillance capabilities, were key topics, with both parties recognizing the importance of keeping pace with modern advancements. Discussions also touched on potential bilateral Defence or Staff Talks and capacity-building programmes to institutionalize ongoing cooperation.

Furthermore, the meeting highlighted the importance of collaboration in disaster relief and humanitarian aid, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts among the Tri-Forces to improve disaster response and operational readiness.

Concluding the talks, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening defence ties and deepening bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.