State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon has stated that it is expected to downsize the existing Sri Lanka Army cadre of 200,783 to 135,000 by next year.

Taking to Twitter, Tennakoon stated that military expenditure is a state-born expense which indirectly, both, stimulates  and opens avenues for economic growth by way of assuring national and human security.

Thus, he noted that despite the approved Army cadre of over 200,000 personnel, it is expected to be reduced to 135,000 personnel by 2024, and further slashed to 100,000 by 2030.

“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”, the State Minister explained.

Accordingly, Tennakoon explained that the overall aim of the strategic blueprint is to broach a well-balanced defence force that is both tactical and technical by 2030, so as to meet all upcoming security challenges while also being in compliance with the national security dimensions of the country.

1/3 The strength of the #military & 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 born #expenditure, which indirectly stimulates and opens avenues for #economic growth

— Premitha Bandara Tennakoon (@PremiTennakoon) January 13, 2023

2/3 by way of assuring national and human security. Thus, despite the approved cadre of the #Army, which is now 200,783, it will be reduced to 135,000 by 2024 and it has been projected to right size the strength to 100,000 by 2030.

— Premitha Bandara Tennakoon (@PremiTennakoon) January 13, 2023

3/3 The overall aim of the strategic #blueprint is to broach a technically & tactically sound & well-balanced defense force by the year 2030 in order to meet upcoming security challenges on a par w/ the National Security dimensions of the country. @LkDefence #SriLanka #rightsize

— Premitha Bandara Tennakoon (@PremiTennakoon) January 13, 2023