Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara, paid an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to participate in the third edition of the World Defense Show (WDS) 2026, held from 8 to 12 February 2026 in Riyadh. He was accompanied by an official delegation comprising Rear Admiral S. J. Kumara, Lieutenant Mallawarachchi, and Flight Lieutenant R. G. S. D. Gamage. The Deputy Minister and his delegation were received at the King Khalid International Airport by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad.
WDS, hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is a premier global platform for defence professionals, bringing together industry leaders, military officials, and government representatives to explore advancements across the air, land, sea, space, and security domains. The event facilitates collaboration, business development, and dialogue on the future of integrated defence systems. The event featured 1,486 exhibitors from 89 countries, 513 official delegations from 121 countries, and 137,000 visitors.
During his visit, Deputy Minister Major General Aruna Jayasekara held a series of fruitful bilateral meetings including with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulrahman bin Ayyaf Al-Muqrin, Deputy Minister of Defence; as well as Dr. Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al-Dawood, Deputy Minister of the National Guard of the Kingdom; Vice Admiral Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Ghribi, Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), Lt. Gen. Mazyad bin Sulaiman Al-Amro, Commander of the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, and Vice Admiral Fahad Al Ghofaily, Deputy Chief of General Staff. Both sides discussed ways and means to further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation in the air, land, and maritime domains.
Sri Lanka defence delegation lead by the Deputy Minister of Defense also graced the Diplomatic Reception hosted by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh to mark the 78th Anniversary of the Independence of Sri Lanka at the Cultural Palace in the Diplomatic Quarters in Riyadh.
The delegation also visited the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh. Ambassador Ameer Ajwad briefed the Deputy Minister and the delegation on the activities carried out by the Mission and the services provided to the Sri Lankan community in the Kingdom, followed by an interactive discussion with the Embassy staff. Deputy Minister Jayasekara reiterated the Government’s citizen-centric policy and invited all to join hands in building the nation.
The Embassy also arranged a visit for the delegation to the Sri Lankan International School in Riyadh, where the Deputy Minister interacted with members of the Board of Management, academic staff, and students.
The visit of Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara, and the delegation from Sri Lanka Tri-Forces to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia marks a new chapter in advancing defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia in the years ahead.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Riyadh
19 February 2026
