KDU Director International Relations Conducts Fireside Chat with Visiting Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Hon Richard Marles in Colombo
The Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Hon Richard Marles undertook a short visit to Sri Lanka on 3rd June 2025, and it marked the first time a Deputy Australian Prime Minister visited Sri Lanka and Mr Marles was the first Defence Minister from Australia to visit Sri Lanka in the 21st century. In his official visit he paid courtesy calls on President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath. He met Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya who was the Chief Guest at a special luncheon hosted at the Australia House in honour of the visiting Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence held a bilateral discussion with Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara. In this visit Australian High Commission in Colombo in partnership with Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute (LKI) organized a fireside chat with the Prime Minister to discuss strategic issues and foreign policy aspects in the context of Indian Ocean security and Sri Lanka Australia relations.
To host this fireside chat Dr Harinda Vidanage Director International Relations and Director Centre for Strategic Assessment was invited such high level interactions by KDU academic signifies the contribution KDU is making to the discourse and its global recognition as a premier defence university in the region.
