This was conveyed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe when an Australian delegation led by the Australian High Commissioner HE Paul Stephens met the President at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday (12 May).

The gift of the aircraft is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to strengthening and enhancing the cooperation and collaboration that is the foundation of the strong bilateral relationship between Australia and Sri Lanka.

A key focus of this relationship remains the continued cooperation on countering all forms of transnational crime, including drug smuggling, as well as strengthening border management.

This will be possible through intelligence sharing and the deterrence, disruption, interception and return of maritime people smuggling ventures under the border security operation known as Operation Sovereign Borders.