Acting Minister of Defence Visits Turkish Navy Ship TCG Büyükada;
Reaffirms Strong Bilateral Ties
June 14, 2025
Acting Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) visited the Turkish Navy ship TCG Büyükada (F-512) on Friday (June 13). He was warmly welcomed on board by the Ambassador of Türkiye to Sri Lanka, His Excellency Semih Lütfü Turgut, and the ship’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Anul Bilgin.
Conducting welcome speech Turkish envoy appreciated the commitment of Sri Lanka on maintaining regional stability and he stressed the importance of maintaining bilateral relationship between two nations.
Addressing the gathering Major General Jayasekara highlighted the significance of the Turkish Navy ship’s presence in Sri Lankan waters as a symbol of growing defence cooperation and friendship, as well as the reaffirmation of the increasing defence collaboration between Sri Lanka and Türkiye.
The Acting Minister also revealed that he had a productive meeting with the Turkish Ambassador, the Military Attaché, and the ship’s Commanding Officer earlier in the day, focusing on avenues for strengthening bilateral defence ties.
He lauded Türkiye’s consistent support in modernizing Sri Lanka’s naval capabilities and reiterated the shared vision of both nations for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The Minister also praised Türkiye’s role as a pioneer in defence technology, especially in the maritime and aerospace sectors, citing its globally competitive industry known for innovation and self-reliance.
Acting Minister also embarked on a guided tour onboard ship accompanied by the ships commanding officer.
Retired commanders of the Sri Lanka Navy, senior naval officers, members of the diplomatic corps, Defence Attaché of the Turkish embassy Colonel Servet Okumus and many distinguished guests were also present at the occasion.
