Acting Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), inspected the Turkish Navy ship TCG Büyükada, which arrived in Sri Lanka on an official visit yesterday (13 June).
The Acting Minister of Defence was warmly welcomed aboard the ship by the Ambassador of Türkiye to Sri Lanka, Semih Lütfü Turgut, and the ship’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Anil Bilgin.
During the visit, Ambassador Turgut commended Sri Lanka’s commitment to maintaining regional stability and emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
Major General Aruna Jayasekara stated that the arrival of TCG Büyükada in Sri Lanka symbolizes the robust defence cooperation and enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and Türkiye.
He also reaffirmed the commitment to further enhance the existing defence partnership between the two nations.
He expressed appreciation for the continued support of the Turkish Government in modernizing Sri Lanka’s naval capabilities and reiterated the shared vision of both countries in promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
The event was attended by retired naval commanders, senior naval officers, diplomatic officials, the Defence Attaché of the Turkish Embassy, Colonel Servet Okumuş, and other distinguished guests.
TCG Büyükada, a 99.56-meter-long corvette, arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 13 June.
The ship, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Anil Bilgin, is manned by a crew of 147. It was ceremonially welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions.
During its stay in Colombo, the crew of TCG Büyükada is scheduled to visit several local tourist attractions and participate in a series of events organized by the Sri Lanka Navy to strengthen camaraderie between the two navies.
The ship is scheduled to depart Sri Lanka on 16 June, following which it will conduct a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with a Sri Lanka Navy vessel in the seas off Colombo.
