Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia agree to boost defence cooperation at Riyadh meeting

Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia agreed to strengthen defence cooperation, maritime security coordination and military training exchanges during a bilateral meeting held in Riyadh on February 9, 2026.

The discussion took place between Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), and Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf Al Muqrin, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at the Saudi Defence Ministry. The meeting was held alongside Jayasekara’s official visit to the World Defense Show in Riyadh.

Both sides reaffirmed the long standing cordial relations between the two countries and explored ways to further develop defence ties. The Sri Lankan delegation also sought continued assistance and support from Saudi Arabia, acknowledging the cooperation extended over many years.

The talks focused on expanding military training opportunities, professional exchanges and structured knowledge sharing programmes between the armed forces of the two nations. The officials also discussed the possibility of holding formal bilateral Defence Talks or Staff Talks and implementing structured capacity building programmes to institutionalize cooperation.

Maritime security was a key topic, with both parties recognizing the strategic importance of Maritime Domain Awareness. They also expressed concern over transnational threats such as drug trafficking and smuggling, and agreed to strengthen coordination and information sharing to counter these challenges.

Emerging defence technologies were also reviewed, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, intelligence systems and surveillance capabilities. Both countries stressed the need to keep pace with modern technological developments in the defence sector.

Cooperation in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance was another major area of discussion. The two sides emphasized closer coordination among the Tri Forces and identifying operational requirements to improve preparedness and response effectiveness during disasters.

The meeting concluded with both delegations reaffirming their commitment to further enhance defence cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia.