By Newswire Editorial
Japan has announced an additional grant of approximately Rs. 2.1 billion (1 billion Japanese yen) to strengthen the Sri Lanka Navy’s maritime safety and security capabilities.
According to the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka, the assistance will be provided under Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) programme for the 2026 fiscal year and will be used to procure Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) for the Sri Lanka Navy.
The boats are expected to enhance the Navy’s maritime monitoring, surveillance and disaster response capabilities.
The agreement was formalised on November 10 through the signing and exchange of notes between Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Akio Isomata and Secretary to the Treasury and Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Harshana Suriyapperuma.
Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present at the signing ceremony.
The Embassy said this marks Japan’s second assistance project for Sri Lanka under the OSA programme, which was introduced in 2023 to strengthen the security capabilities of partner countries.
Under the first project agreed upon in 2025, the procurement of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the Sri Lanka Navy is currently underway to improve maritime surveillance, monitoring and disaster relief operations.
The Embassy further stated that Japan’s assistance forms part of its vision for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), aimed at strengthening the resilience and security capabilities of countries in the region.
Commenting on the agreement, Ambassador Isomata highlighted the potential for greater maritime security cooperation between Japan and Sri Lanka as two island nations in the Indo-Pacific.
He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in strengthening its independent security and law enforcement capabilities while contributing to the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region. (Newswire)