Sri Lanka has sought to deepen its military cooperation with NATO in talks covering military modernisation, advanced technology, cyber capabilities and disaster response, at a meeting held as UN bodies continue to raise concerns over the surveillance and militarisation of the Tamil North-East.
The Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, a retired air force officer who flew attack helicopters during the armed conflict, met the chair of the NATO Military Committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, on 31 August in Victoria, Canada, on the sidelines of the 28th Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference . In the meeting, Thuyacontha set out Sri Lanka's interests in updating its military hardware, acquiring cutting-edge technology, and strengthening its cyber capabilities and surveillance platforms.
Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief was also raised as a possible area of collaboration, with discussion of the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in disaster response and the sharing of experience.
The interest in enhanced surveillance capabilities comes amid longstanding concerns over the surveillance and intimidation of Tamils in the North-East. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented "surveillance, questioning, and intimidation by state intelligence services". The OHCHR recorded reports of individuals being monitored or photographed before being arrested by officials identifying themselves as members of the Criminal Investigation Department or the Terrorism Investigation Division.
Concerns have also been raised over the continued militarisation of the Tamil North-East. In its 2025 findings , the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances expressed concern over militarisation in areas affected by the armed conflict and called for security-sector reforms, including reducing the military presence in the Northern and Eastern provinces.
Despite those continuing international concerns, Thuyacontha invited NATO to expand its engagement with Sri Lanka further, through sustained dialogue, information sharing and practical cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
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