Prominent national and international scholars, heads of think tanks, and diplomats from across the globe will contribute their ideas to optimize the discourse and enrich two-day deliberations. This prestigious forum is a grand annual event, which hosted over 800 dignitaries including 102 delegates from over 54 countries last year. The organizers of the Colombo Defence Seminar 2019 aim at a wider international participation and expect to promote an intellectually rigorous discourse on international security.

The Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva welcomed the guests and the keynote address at the opening session was delivered by one of South Asia’s leading strategic analysts, Nitin A Gokhale.Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ravinatha Ariyasinghe and several government officials, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of tri-forces, former commanders and senior military officials were among the gathering.