US and Sri Lanka formalize security cooperation

Consular Affairs
By Editor_1
US Ambassador Julie Chung, Brigadier General Trenton Gibson, Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard, Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) and Secretary of Defence of Sri Lanka Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) after the singing of a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the US–Sri Lanka defence partnership under the Department of War’s State Partnership Program, on Friday (November 14, 2025) in Colombo – US Embassy

Sign MoU cementing partnership between the Montana National Guard and Sri Lanka Armed Forces under the State Partnership Program

COLOMBO – The United States and Sri Lanka on Friday (14) entered a new phase in their defence cooperation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo, cementing the partnership between the Montana National Guard, the US Coast Guard District 13, and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces under the US Department of War’s State Partnership Program (SPP).

US Ambassador Julie Chung, Montana National Guard Adjutant General Brig. Gen. Trenton Gibson and Sri Lanka’s Secretary of Defence Air Vice Marshal (Retd) Sampath Thuyacontha signed the agreement, marking what officials described as a “historic milestone” in bilateral defence ties. The MoU aims to expand collaboration on regional stability, maritime security, disaster response, and professional military development in the Indo-Pacific.

Ambassador Chung said the agreement underscores both nations’ shared commitment to peace and security.
“From wildfire response and flood relief in Montana to peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts overseas, the Montana National Guard has a proud record of service and professionalism,” she said, noting that the partnership with Sri Lanka, reaffirmed through the MOU, strengthens the shared resolve for a secure Indo-Pacific, building trust, readiness, and lasting peace through partnership.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Thuyacontha said the agreement strengthens an already long-standing defence relationship.
“This initiative further enhances Sri Lanka’s defence capabilities and reinforces our enduring partnership with the United States,” he said, adding, “Our two nations have cooperated for years in military training, disaster relief, and defence exchanges. This framework opens new avenues for collaboration, capacity-building, and advancing peace and stability across the region.”

Brig. Gen. Gibson said the Montana National Guard was committed to deepening ties with Sri Lanka. “We are honoured to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Sri Lankan counterparts,” he said, adding, “Together, we’ll build strength, trust, and lasting bonds that enhance the security of both our nations.”

The Montana–Sri Lanka partnership, launched in 2021 under the SPP, has grown rapidly through joint exercises, expert exchanges, and reciprocal visits. The new MOU provides a formal structure for deeper cooperation in the years ahead.

The Montana National Guard brings extensive experience in disaster response, homeland security, and global capacity-building missions. Since the partnership began, both forces have collaborated in exercises such as ATLAS ANGEL 2024 and PACIFIC ANGEL 2025, which focused on humanitarian assistance and disaster response capabilities.

In August 2025, the US Coast Guard District 13 hosted Sri Lanka Coast Guard officers in Seattle for training on oil spill response, hazardous waste operations, and shoreline and at-sea cleanup techniques, a key priority for Sri Lanka as it strengthens marine environmental protection.

Friday’s MoU makes Sri Lanka part of a global network of 115 nations linked with the US state National Guards under the SPP. The first set of joint activities under the new agreement is scheduled for mid-2026 and will focus on disaster response, maritime domain awareness, and professional military education.

Key areas of cooperation include joint training and professional exchanges to enhance interoperability and readiness; maritime domain awareness, including operations against trafficking, irregular migration, and narcotics smuggling; crisis response and humanitarian assistance, drawing on the Guard’s dual civil–military expertise in medical, engineering, and emergency operations; aviation operations, with an emphasis on professional development and mission capability and military–civil disaster preparedness and response, strengthening coordination between armed forces and civilian authorities.

Created in 1993 to build post–Cold War military cooperation, the State Partnership Program pairs US National Guards with foreign militaries to support defence reform, civil–military preparedness, critical infrastructure protection, and disaster resilience. Today, National Guards from all 50 states, three US territories, and the District of Columbia maintain partnerships with more than 100 countries worldwide.

The Montana National Guard, comprising Army and Air Guard units headquartered in Helena, plays a central role in fulfilling the United States’ domestic and international security commitments. Its involvement in the Sri Lanka partnership reflects the Guard’s dual mission of defending the nation while promoting global stability through trusted international collaborations.

-ENCL

Editor_1
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