Ministry of Defence (Sri Lanka)

Updated on Nov 23, 2023

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Formed 1948 Minister responsible Maithripala Sirisena		Annual budget Rs 307 Billion (2016)

Preceding agency Ministry of External Affairs and Defence Jurisdiction Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Agency executive Karunasena Hettiarachchi

The Ministry of Defence (Sinhala: රාජ්‍ය ආරක්ෂක හා නාගරික සංවර්ධන අමාත්‍යාංශය Rajya Arakshaka Ha Nagarika Samvardhana Amathyamshaya) (Tamil: பாதுகாப்பு மற்றும் நகர அபிவிருத்தி அமைச்சகம்) is the Sri Lankan government ministry responsible for implementation of government defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.

The Ministry of Defence states that its principal objectives are the formulation, co-ordination and the execution of policies in relation to the national security. With the end of the Cold War, the MOD does not foresee any short-term conventional military threat, the main threat to Sri Lanka having been the now-defunct terrorist organization, the LTTE). The Ministry of Defence also manages day-to-day running of the armed forces, contingency planning and defence procurement.

The National Security Council of Sri Lanka is the executive body of the Sri Lankan government that is charged with the maintenance of national security with authority to direct the Sri Lankan military and Police. The Minister of Defence and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and the Chief of the Defence Staff are permanent members of the National Security Council.

History

With Ceylon gaining independence in 1948, the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence was formed to administer the country's armed forces and formulate defence and foreign policy. The Prime Minister was also the Minister of Defence and External Affairs, and was supported by a Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and External Affairs who was a member of Parliament.

In 1977, J.R Jayawardena's government adapted two separate ministries, forming the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were formed. Since then many presidents retained the portfolio of Minister of Defence under him/her self, except for a few brief periods. In 1999 the National Security Council was established removing the direct control the military from the deputy Minister of Defence.

In 2011, the ministry was renamed Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.

Senior officials

Minister of Defence — President of Sri Lanka His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena

Permanent Secretary — Karunasena Hettiarachchi

Chief of the Defence Staff — Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunathilake

Departments that come under the Ministry of Defence

Sri Lanka Army

Sri Lanka Navy

Sri Lanka Air Force

State Intelligence Service

Sri Lanka Coast Guard

General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

Defence Services Command and Staff College

National Cadet Corps

Department of Immigration & Emigration

Department of Registration of Persons

Department of Civil Defence (formerly the Home Guard Service)

The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board

Ranaviru Seva Authority (Veteran's Welfare Authority)

Ministers attached to the Ministry of Defence

Since the establishment of the MoD in 1978 the portfolio of Minister of Defence was held by the President of Sri Lanka, except for a few brief periods . However a minister oversaw activities of the MoD and the armed forces. Incomplete