Sri Lanka and the United States are set to conduct joint naval exercises next year, according to US Ambassador Julie Chung.
Following a meeting with Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, Ambassador Chung expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) navy exercise in 2024.
This exercise aims to promote regional security cooperation and strengthen maritime partnerships between the two countries. The CARAT-2023 exercise, held earlier this year, included both land and sea phases in Colombo, Trincomalee, and Mullikulam.
During her meeting with Defense Secretary Gunaratne, Ambassador Chung discussed continued security partnership, defense reform, joint training opportunities, and the fight against drug trafficking. Sri Lanka has recently gained attention from global maritime players, with a Chinese research vessel and a South Korean destroyer currently docked at Colombo port. Highlighting the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean,
President of India Foundation, Ram Madhav, emphasized the need for Sri Lanka to position itself to benefit from the shift in development from East Asia and the Asia Pacific into South Asia. President Ranil Wickremesinghe also stressed the importance of utilizing the country's ports and maritime industries to capitalize on these opportunities.
Ambassador Chung previously recognized Sri Lanka's vital role in shaping maritime security, transnational trade, regional connectivity, and other areas of development.
