The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Defence, I answer the Question raised by the Hon. Ravi Karunanayake under Standing Order 27(2) on 18th November, 2025, which contains eight parts.

¶ 02 Sir, I wish to make a brief statement to this House on Sri Lanka’s engagement with the Colombo Security Conclave—its background, evolution, institutional arrangements, operational engagements and the Government’s current position on the Secretariat and future cooperation.

¶ 03 The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) began in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security mechanism among Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives to enhance maritime safety and security, information sharing and operational coordination on non-traditional regional threats. Recognizing the evolving security environment—maritime security interlinked with terrorism, cyber threats, transnational organized crime and disaster response—the mechanism was renamed and formalized as the Colombo Security Conclave in November 2020. Cooperation is structured along five pillars: - Maritime safety and security - Countering terrorism and radicalization - Combating trafficking and transnational organized crime - Cyber security, protection of critical infrastructure and technology - Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

¶ 04 Members: India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius; Bangladesh is member-designate; Seychelles, an observer, was approved as full member at the 7th NSA Meeting in New Delhi on 20 Nov 2025.

¶ 05 The CSC is a non-military alliance based on sovereign equality, mutual respect, consensus and non-interference, focused on shared regional security challenges. It has held six NSA-level and eight Deputy NSA-level meetings, rotating among members. NSA decisions are implemented via Joint Annual Action Plans under each pillar, coordinated by National Lead Coordinators.

¶ 06 Institutionally, the Secretariat is to be established in Colombo; a temporary Secretariat functions at Sri Lanka Navy Headquarters with two SLN officers. Sri Lanka has appointed senior officers as pillar coordinators. In August 2024, Sri Lanka signed the CSC Charter and the MoU on establishing the Secretariat, endorsing its framework. The Headquarters Agreement (premises, privileges, administration) is under review; Sri Lanka proposed minor amendments at the 7th NSA meeting in Nov 2025.

¶ 07 Regarding a permanent location, the previous Government identified BMICH, but the present Government has not endorsed it due to high rental costs. We will identify a Government-owned or more cost-effective site, ensuring fiscal responsibility.

¶ 08 Operationally, Sri Lanka actively cooperates and shares information. For example, in Nov 2024, SL-shared intelligence on a suspected drug-trafficking fishing vessel led to its interception by the Indian Navy and handover to Sri Lanka, demonstrating practical value.

¶ 09 Sri Lanka participates in CSC exercises, workshops and trainings per the Joint Annual Action Plans. National Lead Coordinators’ Meetings are held periodically; Sri Lanka is represented by the Additional Secretary (Defence). The 7th NSA-level meeting in Nov 2025 was led by our Defence Secretary. The next Deputy NSA-level meeting will be virtual in 2026; the 8th NSA-level meeting will be hosted by the Maldives in late 2026.

¶ 10 There is no separate national strategy exclusively for CSC; Sri Lanka’s engagement follows jointly agreed Action Plans across counter-terrorism, cyber security, HADR and other priorities. Governance: the first Secretary-General is nominated by India; thereafter, rotation by alphabetical order. No Deputy Secretary-General post exists now; Sri Lanka has proposed creating a post to be permanently held by a Sri Lankan given the Secretariat’s location. Each member appoints a Director to assist the Secretary-General. Privileges, visas and facilities for foreign officials await finalization of the Headquarters Agreement.

¶ 11 In conclusion, Sri Lanka’s engagement with the CSC is pragmatic, transparent and aligned with national interests—committed to regional security cooperation while ensuring fiscal discipline, legal clarity and sovereignty.

¶ 12 Thank you.