President AKD vows civilised Sri Lanka, professional armed forces

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake 

• Says political favouritism, underworld influence and conspiracies against Govt. are over
• Announces military downsizing by 2030: Army to 100,000, Navy by 40,000 and Air Force by 18,000
• Assures despite troop reductions, military capabilities will be enhanced with new technology, modern equipment
• Allocates Rs. 1,000 m to improve Police facilities, alongside plans to recruit 10,000 new Police officers and 4,000 Air Force personnel
• Ends favouritism in military promotions, pledging no undue service extensions
• Declares crackdown on organised crimes, stating no Govt. MP will protect criminal gangs
• Suggests a possible conspiracy behind sudden rise in organised crime and vows to dismantle it
• Crimes PTA will be repealed and replaced with a new legal framework
• Rejects claims that economic or political crises could topple his Govt., asserting traditional destabilisation tactics will not work
• Says economy is stabilising, with IMF expected to approve third bailout review soon
• Reveals $ 117 m in LCs 
• opened for vehicle imports without affecting foreign reserves or exchange rate stability

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday reaffirmed his commitment to transforming Sri Lanka into a civilised nation and restructuring its armed forces into professional institutions, declaring that the era of political favouritism, criminal underworld influence and conspiracies against the Government is over. 

Speaking in Parliament during the Committee Stage Debate on the 2025 Budget, the President who is also serving as Defence Minister, outlined his administration’s vision for national security, governance and economic stability.

“This is the turning point to build the civil society that everyone yearns for,” he declared, challenging the Opposition to rise to the new standard or risk becoming political fossils of the past.

Dissanayake also announced a major restructuring of armed forces, aiming to make them more efficient and technology driven. 

He said the military forces will be downsized by 2030. Sri Lanka Army personnel will be reduced to 100,000, Sri Lanka Navy reduced by 40,000 and Sri Lanka Air Force personnel will be reduced by 18,000. 

“We wish to transform our security personnel into professionals who are loyal to the nation, not towards individuals,” he affirmed.

However, he assures that while troop numbers would decrease, military capability would be strengthened through advanced technology and modernised equipment.

“The Air Force’s fighter jets, helicopters and weapons are nearing expiration,” he revealed.

The President noted that provisions have been made for acquiring new aircraft for the Air Force and warships for the Navy, alongside a Rs. 1,000 million allocation to improve Police facilities.

He said to boost security, the Cabinet of Ministers already approved recruiting 10,000 new Police officers and an additional 4,000 Air Force personnel.

Dissanayake affirmed that favouritism in military promotions has ended, noting that key figures in the previous administrations received excessive service extensions, a practice he pledged to eliminate.

The President also noted that State institutions and political authorities are working towards building a society free from organised criminal gangs.

Dissanayake made it clear that organised crime would not be tolerated, stating that his Government has actively begun dismantling underworld networks.

“No criminal gangs operating within the hidden criminal underworld would receive any protection or endorsement from members of the Government,” he said.

He revealed that five criminal gangs were responsible for recent crimes and suggested a potential conspiracy behind their simultaneous operations.

“We have observed that there is an instant rise in organised criminal activities. Once these conspiracies are identified, we will suppress them,” he stressed, asserting the Governmental power would no longer be destabilised by covert schemes.

Dissanayake reiterated that the Government will repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and introduce a new legal framework to address security threats without compromising civil liberties.

The President dismissed speculation that his Government could be toppled through economic or political crises, asserting that traditional tactics used to overthrow past Governments will not work under his leadership.

“If you all think this Government will collapse due to an economic crisis, it is just a dream. Do not waste your time,” he said, rejecting the notion that internal divisions within his administration could lead to its downfall. 

He also added that Sri Lanka’s economy was stabilising with the IMF expected to approve the third review of its bailout program soon. “We are expecting a favourable outcome from the review,” he said. 

Noting that around $ 117 million letters of credit were opened so far to import vehicles after a five-year hiatus, he said the operations are proceeding smoothly without any burden to foreign reserves and the stability of the exchange rate. 

He said street protests, another historical method of regime change would also fail, as the public no longer supports political destabilisation.