Sri Lanka’s acting Minister of Defence visits Turkish Navy ship TCG Büyükada

Sri Lanka’s Acting Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), visited the Turkish Navy ship TCG Büyükada (F-512) on Friday (June 13).

He was warmly welcomed on board by the Ambassador of Türkiye to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Semih Lütfü Turgut, and the ship’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Anul Bilgin.

In his welcome speech, the Turkish envoy appreciated Sri Lanka’s commitment to maintaining regional stability and emphasized the importance of fostering strong bilateral relations between the two nations.

Addressing the gathering, Major General Jayasekara highlighted the significance of the Turkish Navy ship’s presence in Sri Lankan waters as a symbol of the growing defence cooperation and friendship between Sri Lanka and Türkiye. He noted it as a reaffirmation of the increasing defence collaboration between the two countries.

The Acting Minister also revealed that he had a productive meeting earlier in the day with the Turkish Ambassador, the Military Attaché, and the ship’s Commanding Officer, focusing on avenues to strengthen bilateral defence ties.

He commended Türkiye’s consistent support in modernizing Sri Lanka’s naval capabilities and reiterated the shared vision of both nations for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Minister also praised Türkiye’s role as a pioneer in defence technology, particularly in the maritime and aerospace sectors, citing its globally competitive industry known for innovation and self-reliance.

The Acting Minister later embarked on a guided tour of the ship, accompanied by the Commanding Officer.

Retired commanders of the Sri Lanka Navy, senior naval officers, members of the diplomatic corps, the Defence Attaché of the Turkish Embassy Colonel Servet Okumus, and many distinguished guests were also present on the occasion.