Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

India has emerged as the largest arms importer in the world, overtaking even China, claims a report by a Swedish think-tank.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), in its report to be released on Monday, said India accounted for 9% of all international arms imports between 2006-2010, making it the world's largest weapons importer.

China was relegated to second place, notching 6% of global arms imports, Siemon Wezeman of Sipri told international news agencies. The US remains the largest arms exporter, followed by Russia and Germany, as per the report.

This is not the first time that India has topped such an international list. As reported by TOI earlier, US Congressional Research Service's reports on conventional arms transfers placed India right at the top in 2004 and 2005, with agreements worth $5.7 billion and $5.4 billion respectively.

China, however, hides more than what it reveals. Beijing's military expenditure figures as well as its acquisition of advanced weapon systems and platforms remain shrouded behind a thick iron curtain, which global monitors cannot penetrate easily.

Unlike India, China has rapidly built a robust domestic defence-industrial base (DIB) over the last couple of decades, which often also revels in reverse-engineering top-of-the-line weapon systems developed by other countries.

'China does spend staggering amounts in importing weapons from countries like Russia, often displacing even India as Russia's largest defence customer,'' said an Indian defence official.

If India's defence budget for the coming fiscal is pegged at $36 billion, China is 'officially'' going to spend $91.5 billion. Experts, however, reckon that it will spend almost twice the amount on its 2.5-million strong People's Liberation Army.

But all this does not take away from the fact that India has certainly cranked up the modernization of its armed forces since the 1999 Kargil conflict, inking arms deals worth over $50 billion since then, the majority of them with foreign armament majors from Russia, Israel, France, UK and now, increasingly the US, as tracked by TOI.

With limited private sector participation, coupled with DRDO, eight defence PSUs and 39 ordnance factories largely failing to deliver, India remains saddled with a poor DIB. So, with the armed forces continuing to import almost 70% of their requirements from abroad, India will remain a big time arms importer for the foreseeable future.

There are several mega defence projects in the pipeline, which will see also tie-ups with foreign companies for technology transfer for indigenous production. The gigantic $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, for instance, is in the final lap now, with commercial negotiations slated to soon begin with the eventual winner among the six aviation majors in contention.

Two major deals on the verge of being inked are the over $2.1 billion deal for the Mirage-2000 fighter upgrade with France and the $4.1-billion one for 10 C-17 Globemaster-III strategic airlift aircraft with the US. India, incidentally, is likely to order another six C-17s after the first 10.

Then, the armed forces are looking to induct over 600 helicopters, ranging from VVIP and heavy-lift to attack and light utility ones, many of them from abroad, for well over Rs 20,000 crore.

Navy, in turn, is all worked up about launching its Project-75India to acquire six new-generation stealth submarines as soon as possible. The submarines, equipped with tube-launched missiles for land-attack capabilities and air-independent propulsion (AIP) to enhance operational capabilities, will be built in a project worth over Rs 50,000 crore.

The 'granny' of all defence projects will be the joint Indo-Russian project to develop the Sukhoi T-50 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. With IAF looking to induct 250 to 300 of these stealth fighters from 2020 onwards, India will eventually spend over $35 billion on this project alone.

Sri Lanka s Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that a number of measures have been taken in international arena to prevent the LTTE raising its head again. He has disclosed that legal actions have already been taken against some pro-LTTE groups in foreign countries.

Participating in a TV discussion programme the Defense Secretary pointed out that it is the responsibility of all Sri Lankans to leave no room for terrorism to re-emerge. He further said defence strategies in the country have not changed despite defeat of terrorism and the death of Prabhakaran.

He emphasized that the Government is not ready to reduce the strength of the security forces, although some people demand to do so, in order to pave the way for terrorism and disorder to revive in the country.

Mr. Rajapaksa said that the strength and skills of the security forces will be productively utilized for the development of the country. He said that following the war victory many investors are now coming to Sri Lanka, and Colombo city is being maintained as a clean and a beautiful location to attract more tourists.

Referring to the shanties that dot many parts of the Colombo city presently, the Defense Secretary said that about 35,000 houses with all amenities will be constructed during the next few years to replace shanties in the city and house the shanty dwellers.

On the subject of crimes, the Mr. Rajapaksa said that constant programmes are underway to bring down organized crimes, and proper execution of police and the judicial system will enormously contribute to the development of a country. The Defence Secretary therefore stressed the need to elect local government representatives loyal to the government in order to carry forward these moves successfully, without any hindrance.

Offers from various foreign companies to develop Sri Lankan airports were being looked into and approval will be given only to such offers that are attractive, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said yesterday.

It confirmed offers had been received from many foreign companies including those in India, China, Singapore and the United States but the government would not hand over the management of any Lankan airport to a foreign company.

We have received many offers and we are looking into them, but we have not decided to give it to any company, Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne said.

Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. Deputy Chairman Kamal Ratwatte said the government was however looking for aid and loans to develop its international airports, but was in no way planning to hand over its administration to a foreign company.



An attractive offer to develop our domestic air ports will be considered by the government, he said.

At present Sri Lanka has one international airport at Katunayake while another is under construction in Hambantota. The country also has 12 domestic airports scattered across the island with Ratmalana and Palaly airports being used the most.

A Sri Lankan national, suspected of having links with terrorist outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), was arrested from his hideout in neighbouring Navi Mumbai by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS).

The accused Rajan Silithuriya alias Rajan alias Kartik, hailing from Sri Lanka, was picked up from his hideout in Koparkhairane area of Navi Mumbai last night. He had been shifting places in the Mumbai suburbs since the past four years, the ATS said.

According to the ATS, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on April 13, 2007 had seized three kgs of heroin at the Chennai International airport.

The concerned special court had declared Silithuriya as a wanted accused in the case and had also issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

The ATS had received specific information that Silithuriya was staying in Navi Mumbai following which he was arrested.

'We are probing if Silithuriya has any links with LTTE or any other group in Mumbai. Preliminary probe revealed the accused had stayed in Matunga, Chembur and Navi Mumbai areas since past four years,' said Additional Director General (ATS) Rakesh Maria.

The Chennai NCB would seek his remand from the ATS soon, the ATS officials said adding further that a probe was on.

Ten Officers from the No. 8 Student Officer s Course received the President's Commission as officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Harsha Abeywickrama at SLAF Headquarters today 15 March, 2011.

The Officers, whose names are listed below, were commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer and will be stationed at various SLAF Bases/Stations in the island.

Plt Off KM Karunarathna

Plt Off PD Kumara

Plt Off G Sunil

Plt Off KWMCK Karunarathne

Plt Off WA Weerakoon

Plt Off TS Hettigamage

Plt Off KU Hemasiri

Plt Off WM Chandima

Plt Off BWDR Premalal

Plt Off LHR Sirilal

Canada has committed six CF-18 fighter-bombers to help enforce the no-fly zone, authorized by a UN Security Council resolution late Thursday night.

Six CF-18 fighter-bombers will leave CFB Bagotville, Que., on Friday afternoon for the 14-hour flight to the Mediterranean.

They will join the Canadian warship HMCS Charlottetown, already on standby off the coast of Libya, and a growing international force in the region to keep pressure on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The Canadian jets will fly out of bases in Italy to enforce the no-fly zone.

Britain and France have also signalled they will send jets to the region.

http : // ottawa . ctv. ca / tl / photo . html ? pname = http : // images . ctv . ca / archives / CTVNews / img2 /20110317/ 800 _ cf _ 18 _ training _ florida _ 110317. jpg&win _ width = 995. 0 &description = A CF - 18 fighter jet is seen in flight during Exercise Combat Archer, which was held in Tyndall, Florida on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011

The Ceylon Airship and Balloon club will be hosting the fourth Sri Lanka balloon festival from March 19 to April 2 in Sri Lanka.

This venture is being carried out in partnership with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board in an attempt to expand the tourism boundaries of Sri Lanka.

The first festival was held in 2003 followed by two more in 2005 and 2008. The fourth edition of the festival is being held in 2011 so as to coincide with the tourism board s Visit Sri Lanka 2011 campaign.

The Ceylon Airship and Balloon club pioneered the sport in Sri Lanka and was the first organisation to host such a spectacle in South Asia.

Capt. Anil Jayasinghe, speaking at a press conference, explained that this years edition would be a slight downsize from the previous three due to the economic recession in Europe. However, he confirmed that there would be over 40 participants from 7 nations US, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Sri Lanka. This year s festival will be visiting many areas of the country, focusing on the central and north of the island.

The main balloon flying will take place in Sigiriya and Dambulla.

Jayasinghe said that this year s event will give the balloonists an opportunity to visit new areas that were not accessible earlier. He further stated that the event will see 15 balloons used along with the flying of a rare balloon called the hopper .

The ballooning will take place on March 21, 22 and 23 in Sigiriya and will resume on March 26, 27 and 28. The event will be made extra special as for the first time rides will be offered to the public so that they too can share in the excitement of ballooning.

Along with the event the Ceylon Airship and Balloon club will be unveiling the first ever Sri Lankan made hot air balloon. The balloon was designed and built in collaboration with a company in Alaska called Advanced Incorporated. The balloon has been branded Alaska as all the materials were sourced from Alaska.

The balloons will be brought back to Colombo where they will be displayed to the public on at 7 pm on April 1 at Independence square. This event is called the night glow and the public are encouraged to attend.

SriLankan Airlines took a step towards transforming Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) into a regional hub for aviation training, with the signing of an agreement with SIM Industries BV of the Netherlands to set up a full flight simulator.

The final 10-year agreement between SriLankan Airlines and SIM Industries was signed on March 14 in Colombo by SriLankan Chairman Nishantha Wickremasinghe, CEO SIM Frank Uit den Bogaard, SriLankan CEO Manoj Gunawardena and Chief Financial Officer SIM Bas Klerx.

The state-of-the-art flight simulator will be marketed in the region by SriLankan and SIM to train pilots in the operation of Airbus A320 aircraft. The A320 family of aircraft is favoured for mid-range routes among airlines worldwide, including those in the rapidly growing airline industry of the Indian subcontinent.

Flight simulator training is a standard requirement around the world for airline pilots, and SIM Industries BV is one of the world s leading manufacturers and operators of flight simulators.

Its full flight simulators contain the most advanced components from aircraft manufacturers, making the training experience a complete replica of real-life cockpit situations.

CEO SIM Industries Frank Uit den Bogaard said: SIM Industries has set up a large number of full flight simulators around the world. It is important that we have a training centre in this part of the world.

There is a tremendous amount of potential to bring pilot training to Sri Lanka from around this region.

SriLankan CEO Manoj Gunawardena said: SriLankan has strengthened its wide range of facilities to turn BIA into a centre for all aviation related activities - air travel, tourism, air cargo, aircraft maintenance, airport ground handling, and aviation training. The full flight simulator will become a showpiece of our training facilities.

SriLankan s Head, Flight Operations Captain Navin de Silva said: Our pilot training program, which has built up a sound reputation over three decades, is about to enter a new era where we will serve not just the requirements of our own airline, but other airlines in the region.

SriLankan is making plans to add a second full flight simulator for pilot training on wide-bodied A330 and A340 aircraft, depending on the success of the first flight simulator.

All of SIM Industries flight simulators are certified to Level D standard, the highest level of sophistication which makes it identical to that of an aircraft.

The flight simulator is scheduled for completion in six months. The initial MoU for the project had been signed last May.

SriLankan has an excellent cadet pilot training program that has produced hundreds of pilots who serve in the finest airlines in the world.

Its Technical Training Centre, which is certified to the EASA 147 standard of the European Aviation Safety Agency, is also a centre for training aircraft engineers and technicians for many of the region s airlines.

A Sri Lankan counter-terrorism expert highlighting the attempts of pro-LTTE elements trying to get recognition for the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) from South Sudan, urged the government to renew its counter-terrorism strategies to defeat the former LTTE criminal network and its negative political lobbying to discredit or defame Sri Lanka internationally.

Associate Lecturer of the Centre for Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism (PICT), Macquarie University Australia, Shanaka Jayasekara, told the Sunday Observer that the government needed to develop close dialogue with the allies of South Sudan, in particular Kenya which is most influential in terms of South Sudan.

He said the Sri Lankan embassy in Nairobi needed to urgently take a proactive role preventing any form of legitimacy being afforded to the TGTE.

Though active pro-LTTE lobby groups are in the UK, Norway, US, Switzerland and Canada, LTTE assets are believed to be in Eritrea, I don t think any recognised member of the international community will take the TGTE seriously , Jayasekara said.

Jayasekara cautioned that TGTE in the hands of the Nediyavan faction could pose a significant political and security threat to Sri Lanka as the TGTE could act as a catalyst for a LTTE revivalist movement with a militant agenda.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Q: The country is heading for massive development in the post conflict era. How do you view this progress?

A: The government is undertaking infrastructure projects in all parts of the country and there is a sense of optimism in the people. This has happened after thirty years. While the government keeps pace with development activity, it must address political issues.