The Sri Lankan Commander of the Army stated that national security on the island was “stronger than ever” as he addressed a military conference being held in Colombo this week.

The Commander, Lieutenant General Daya Ratnayake, said that even though the island now had the “incentive of peace... this should not be interpreted in any way as letting down our guard.”

He went on to add,

“Our national security is stronger than ever... Today we are much smarter, more vigilant and possess greater responsive capability to deal with threats to national security.”

In his opening address at the seminar, reportedly attended by representatives from over 50 countries, Ratnayake also said Sri Lanka had learnt “the value of national security and the will to pursue it at any cost.”

The controversial seminar, which the government has called the “brainchild” of Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, has sparked protests in Tamil Nadu, with demands that the Indian government refuse to send a representative. Despite the backlash, the BJP's Subramaniam Swamy was in attendance.

Ratnayake also praised Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in his speech, calling him “a tower of strength” throughout the conflict, and saying he was the “pioneering architect” behind the strategy which has seen the “employment of the defence sector to add additional capacity to national institutions.”

Sri Lanka's increased militarisation has seen a record Rs. 253 billion allocated towards the defence budget (see more here).

See Ratnayake's full address here.