Defence Ministry to downsize Army troops to 135,000 by 2024

13 Jan, 2023

The Defence Ministry has decided to downsize Army troops from 200,783 to 135,000 by 2024.

State Minister of Defence, Premitha Bandara Thennakoon said that the strength of the military and sustainable economic development are two sides of a? coin, which stay together, but never talk to each other in open.

“Military spending is basically the state borne expenditure, which indirectly stimulates and opens avenues for economic growth by way of assuring national and human security,” he said.

Thennakoon said that despite the approved cadre of the Army, which is now 200,783, will be reduced to 135,000 by 2024 and 100,000 by the year 2030.

He said the overall aim of the strategic blueprint is to broach a technically and tactically sound and well-balanced defence force by the year 2030 in order to meet upcoming security challenges on a par with the National Security dimensions of the country. (Colombo Gazette)

Recommended For You

Former MP Duminda Silva ordered to be presented to court

Former?Parliamentarian Duminda Silva has been ordered to be presented to court. The order was given to prison officials by the Colombo Additional Magistrate today. The order was given in relation to a case filed against Silva by the Bribery Commission. Silva is currently on death row over the murder of former politician Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra. (Colombo Gazette)

28 Feb, 2017

Joint opposition meets CB chief on treasury bond scam

The joint opposition had talks today with Central Bank Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy and discussed the alleged treasury bond scam. Opposition Parliamentarian Bandula Gunawardena said that?Coomaraswamy was told that there was an unacceptable delay in taking action against those accused in the?treasury bond scam. Gunawardena also said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was being falsely accused in the whole scam through a gazette notice. According to?Gunawardena the?Central Bank Governor

27 Feb, 2017

TN CM and Modi discuss dual citizenship for Lankan refugees

Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and presented a memorandum on 23 crucial issues related to the state, including a proposal to grant of dual citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. In his memorandum to Modi, Palaniswami?also noted the?issues faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka, the Asian Age reported. On the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Palaniswami?s memorandum said, ?Democratic decentralisation through the 13th amendment to the island Constituti

28 Feb, 2017

Colombo Gazette is a leading news and entertainment website, covering stories related to Sri Lanka. The content consists of text based news, photos and videos and is linked to social media websites including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to provide a wider coverage for its stories.