Admiral Steve Koehler, a four-star U.S. Navy Admiral and Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, paid a courtesy call on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (10). This visit marks the highest-level U.S. military engagement with Sri Lanka since 2021.

During the meeting, Admiral Koehler reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka, emphasizing a shared commitment to promoting an enduring, resilient, free, and open Indo-Pacific region. Discussions focused on addressing rising security challenges in the Indian Ocean, enhancing maritime domain awareness, and improving disaster response capabilities.

Admiral Koehler pledged the U.S. commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in combating transnational threats such as drug smuggling and terrorism. He praised Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts in combating drug smuggling and assured continued U.S. assistance in manpower training in the naval sector.