US to grant patrol boats & aircraft for SL

February 19, 2024 at 12:24 PM

The United States will assist in supporting Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu said.

Speaking at the US Institute of Peace (USIP) on the Indo-Pacific strategy, Donald Lu said this will be done by providing the nation with patrol boats and aircraft.

“The US Government will provide patrol boats to the Sri Lankan Military. We are also set to deliver a King Aircraft this year that will help Sri Lanka patrol its coastal borders,” he said. 

Donald Lu further said that through the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) initiative, the US will provide real-time commercial satellite data to countries around this broader region, including South Asia.

“This will be transformative. This will help countries to figure out how they defend themselves against piracy, drug trafficking, and illegal fishing,” he pointed out. 

Commending Sri Lanka on its recent progress related to economic recovery, Donald Lu said Sri Lanka has made a historic comeback with a little bit of help from all countries. (NewsWire)