Sri Lanka-U.S. Defence MoU Set For Five Years

by Zulfick Farzan 25-11-2025 | 5:38 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); A recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka, the Montana National Guard, and the U.S. Coast Guard District 13 will remain in effect for five years, with automatic extensions unless terminated by any party.

The agreement lays out a comprehensive framework for collaboration across multiple strategic areas.

One of the key areas of cooperation is Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster/Emergency Response.

The MoU covers 11 major domains, including:

Aviation operations, maintenance, and safety

Maritime Domain Awareness

Cyber defence and communications security

Leadership and personnel development

Military medical and engineering activities

Operational logistics and peacekeeping operations

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Environmental defence

Cultural exchange programmes

The MoU is legally non-binding, but it sets the stage for structured engagements through mutually agreed addenda.

Signatories include Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary of Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence; Brigadier General Trenton Gibson, Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard; and Julie J. Chung, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka.