Latest news with #ArunaJayasekara
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
23-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
A courtesy call or more? Pakistan Army's top general holds defence, security talks with Sri Lanka officials
The talks referred to the recent Sri Lanka–Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue held in Islamabad in April, highlighting its importance in reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains. read more The Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza paid a courtesy call on Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara and discussed strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. Raza is currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka. The visiting delegation received a warm welcome and engaged in a cordial and constructive dialogue. His discussions with Jayasekara on Tuesday centred on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with a particular focus on capacity building and the exchange of best practices, the Ministry of Defence here said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Both parties emphasised the significance of enhancing preparedness and resilience, especially in the context of natural disaster response,' the ministry said in a statement. He also paid courtesy calls on Defence Ministry Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha. Sri Lankan officials acknowledged Pakistan's long-standing support in the form of military training opportunities extended to Sri Lankan personnel, which have played a pivotal role in professional development and fostering regional collaboration. The talks referred to the recent Sri Lanka–Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue held in Islamabad in April, highlighting its importance in reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains.
News18
23-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Pakistans top Army general discusses ties with Sri Lankan defence officials
Colombo, Jul 23 (PTI) The Chief of General Staff of the Pakistan Army Lieutenant General Syed Aamer Raza paid a courtesy call on Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara and discussed strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. Raza is currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka. The visiting delegation received a warm welcome and engaged in a cordial and constructive dialogue. His discussions with Jayasekara on Tuesday centred on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with a particular focus on capacity building and the exchange of best practices, the Ministry of Defence here said. 'Both parties emphasised the significance of enhancing preparedness and resilience, especially in the context of natural disaster response," the ministry said in a statement. He also paid courtesy calls on Defence Ministry Secretary Sampath Thuyacontha. Sri Lankan officials acknowledged Pakistan's long-standing support in the form of military training opportunities extended to Sri Lankan personnel, which have played a pivotal role in professional development and fostering regional collaboration. The talks referred to the recent Sri Lanka–Pakistan Bilateral Defence Dialogue held in Islamabad in April, highlighting its importance in reinforcing defence sector partnerships across multiple domains. PTI Corr NSA NSA First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Print
Turkey's ‘Asia Anew' isn't just a slogan—it's a growing strategic surprise for India
Amid this global instability, Turkey is quietly deepening its footprint in the Indian subcontinent. Hours after Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, the Turkish Navy's Ada-class corvette, TCG Büyükada , docked in Colombo—its sixth such visit to Sri Lanka in a year. The personal reception by Sri Lanka's acting Defence Minister, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), signals Ankara's rising influence in the region. Once focused largely on Muslim-majority nations, Turkey's evolving engagement with non-Muslim states like Sri Lanka hints at a broader strategic pivot—one that deserves close attention in New Delhi's long-term security assessments. India finds itself navigating one of the most turbulent geopolitical periods in recent memory. The strategic alignment between Pakistan and China during Operation Sindoor—India's first two-front war—and Islamabad's engagement with the United States after that have complicated India's regional and global strategic calculus. In recent years, Turkey has rapidly expanded its defence footprint in the Indian subcontinent, emerging as the second-largest arms supplier, after China, to both Pakistan and Bangladesh. The strategic depth of its engagement with Pakistan is particularly evident in joint defence initiatives like the Turkish fifth-generation fighter project, Kaan. Beyond South Asia's continental core, Ankara is also extending its reach into the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including into the Maldives. However, it is Turkey's growing ties with Sri Lanka—a non-Muslim-majority state and one of the six key island nations in the IOR—that suggest a more comprehensive regional recalibration. Few have noted that Turkey has played a significant role in modernising Sri Lanka's naval capabilities—a point acknowledged by Jayasekara. Since 2021, Ankara has sought to intensify defence cooperation with Colombo, even as its partnerships with Pakistan and Bangladesh drew the spotlight in New Delhi. Today, both Sri Lanka and Turkey describe each other as 'extremely valuable allies,' signalling a strategic convergence that goes beyond defence. For the uninitiated, the six island nations of strategic importance—Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, and Comoros—may be small in landmass but command vast maritime zones. Turkey's growing assertive engagement in this arena shows a shift from identity-based diplomacy to one driven by geopolitical calculus. For India, this should raise concern not just over Turkey's growing presence in its maritime periphery, but also the potential for alignment with China—hinting at a broader strategy to counterbalance India's influence in the Indo-Pacific. But what strategic framework, then, enables NATO-member Turkey to deepen its Asian and Indo-Pacific ambitions? Also read: China's growing influence in Indian Ocean is worrying. It harms the region's stability Turkey's 'Asia Anew' Unveiled in August 2019, Turkey's 'Asia Anew' initiative represents a recalibrated foreign policy approach aimed at leveraging Asia's geopolitical and economic centrality in a multipolar world. Framed around cooperation in diplomacy, trade, education, and culture, 'Asia Anew', at first glance, appears to promote inclusive engagement. Yet beneath its inclusive rhetoric lies a more selective reality—most notably in the defence sector. While Ankara has expanded arms sales to countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, India—Asia's dominant regional power—has been conspicuously excluded, or rather blacklisted. Economically, Asia represents both promise and peril for Turkey. Although the region constitutes a third of Ankara's global trade, an overwhelming trade deficit—primarily with China—clouds the picture. Through free trade agreements with South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, Turkey seeks to integrate more deeply into regional supply chains. These efforts, bolstered by domestic export incentives, paint a positive economic narrative. However, this is only part of the picture. Strategically, Ankara is attempting a balancing act—strengthening ties with Asian powers while remaining anchored to NATO and the West. Yet internal policy debates reflect a deeper ambivalence. Eurasianists push for closer ties with China, while traditionalists caution against undermining transatlantic relationships. In practice, 'Asia Anew' has not yet produced transformative outcomes. A recent scholarly analysis noted the limited impact of the initiative across East and Southeast Asia, despite its four-year run. Still, Turkey possesses certain diplomatic assets. With 54 missions across Asia and leadership roles in regional forums like the Asian Parliamentary Assembly, Ankara has institutional tools to deepen ties. A thriving defence industry is another tool. Localised successes—especially in defence-industrial cooperation with Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and others—hint at important footholds if not yet strategic breakthroughs. From India's perspective, Turkey's narrative of 'shared Asian values' often rings hollow. Ankara's open alignment with Pakistan—especially its 360-degree support during Operation Sindoor and on the Kashmir issue—has significantly damaged its credibility in Indian policy circles. Far from appearing as a neutral, cooperative actor, Turkey increasingly looks like a state pursuing selective partnerships shaped by rivalry, not regional harmony. Ultimately, 'Asia Anew' is neither an empty slogan nor a fully realised strategy. It is a fluid, opportunistic framework—one that enables Ankara to frame its geopolitical ambitions under the broader guise of multipolarity. For New Delhi, this selective engagement raises red flags, as it reflects less a genuine Asian convergence and more a calculated attempt to reshape regional alignments—often in ways that directly challenge Indian interests. A subset of Asia Anew still requires separate mention. Also read: Amid Red Sea crisis and China's belligerence, Indian Ocean countries agree to keep zone stable Turkish presence in the IOR Turkey's push for indigenous defence production has allowed it to reduce dependency on its traditional Western allies and expand its strategic autonomy—especially in emerging geopolitical theatres. Remember that the Indian Ocean links Africa and Asia through an extensive network of Pacific waterways and ports. Turkey's growing defence exports have made significant inroads into Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and parts of the Horn of Africa, where Ankara's influence is increasingly visible. Somalia, in particular, exemplifies this transformation. With strong political and military agreements in place, Turkey is cementing its presence in the Horn and Red Sea regions—areas of vital strategic interest for India. Notably, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Somalia is witnessing increased Turkish naval activity, and discussions are underway for establishing a missile and space rocket test site there. This would not only bolster Ankara's long-range missile capabilities but also mark its entry into the global space arena—further enhancing its defence export appeal. In parallel, Turkey is extending its reach into the other sides of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as well. In 2024, the Maldives signed a major drone deal with Ankara and hosted the Turkish warship TCG Kinaliada, at a time when its relations with India were severely strained. This follows six Turkish naval visits to Sri Lanka within a single year—an engagement largely overlooked in Indian strategic discourse. While India's defence circles have monitored Turkey's growing alignment with Pakistan, they have not registered the broader, more subtle but steady encroachment occurring across the IOR. With India's strategic mindset still largely fixated on countering China, Turkey's growing regional assertiveness has slipped under the radar. Strategic discourse in India is still focussed on counterbalancing Turkey by deepening ties with Greece and Cyprus. While that is important, it may not be enough. Operation Sindoor may have been a turning point. The operation helped spark a more vigilant approach within Indian security circles toward regional developments. Turkey's emergence as a disruptive actor and potential arch-rival in India's maritime periphery should not be underestimated. The lack of peer-reviewed research or robust media engagement on this topic has been a strategic blind spot. If India fails to rigorously assess Ankara's evolving role in its near and extended backyard, it risks being encircled on yet another front. A comprehensive strategic review is no longer optional—it is imperative. Swasti Rao is a consulting editor at ThePrint and a foreign policy expert. She tweets @swasrao. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
Yomiuri Shimbun
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan, Sri Lanka Agree to Strengthen Defense Cooperation; Agreement Eyes to Counter Growing Chinese Maritime Presence in Indo-Pacific Region
Pool photo / The Yomiuri Shimbun Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, right, and Sri Lankan Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara shake hands in Colombo on Sunday. COLOMBO — Japan will reinforce defense cooperation with Sri Lanka, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Sri Lankan Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara agreed in Colombo on Sunday. By tightening security ties with the Indian Ocean nation located in a strategic maritime position, Japan aims to curb China's expanding influence. Nakatani and Jayasekara exchanged views on international and regional affairs and concurred that at a time of mounting uncertainty, strengthening cooperation — including on defense — is indispensable for the prosperity of both nations and the Indo-Pacific region. The two ministers also confirmed plans to invite Sri Lankan forces to disaster-response exercises in Japan and to help the country improve its capabilities in aeromedical evacuation. Regarding the East and South China Seas — and with China's increasing maritime activities in mind — Nakatani expressed 'serious concern over unilateral attempts to alter the status quo by force.' Sri Lanka sits along sea lanes that Japan uses to import crude oil from the Middle East and serves as a refueling hub for Self-Defense Forces' vessels engaged in anti-piracy operations. However, ports developed with Chinese assistance and the current administration's perceived tilt toward Beijing have sharpened Japan's desire to keep Colombo engaged. 'It was highly significant for the two countries to reach a consensus on strengthening defense cooperation,' Nakatani told reporters after the talks.
Japan Today
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Japan, Sri Lanka agree to enhance cooperation of defense forces
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and Sri Lankan Deputy Defense Minister Aruna Jayasekara agreed Sunday to strengthen cooperation between their countries' defense forces to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Nakatani's visit to Sri Lanka, the second by a Japanese defense minister, underscores the importance Japan places on ties with the island nation, which sits along key shipping lanes, amid China's growing economic and military influence in the region. During the talks in Colombo, Nakatani expressed his "serious concerns over unilateral attempts to change the status quo," according to the Japanese Defense Ministry, with China's assertiveness in the East and South China seas apparently in mind. Nakatani also said reinforcing the partnership between the two countries is essential for prosperity in the region amid "increasing uncertainty in the international situation." The two countries are planning projects to deepen cooperation across all three branches of their defense forces, including inviting the Sri Lanka Army to observe disaster response exercises in Japan and collaborating on the development of air rescue and medical flight capabilities, according to the ministry. Nakatani also met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya the same day, agreeing on the importance of upholding a free and open maritime order and strengthening defense cooperation to help ensure peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, the ministry said. In 2018, Itsunori Onodera became the first Japanese defense minister to visit the Indian Ocean island, where China and India are vying for influence. © KYODO
