Minister of Defence (Sri Lanka)

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Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka
ශ්‍රී ලංකා ආරක්ෂක අමාත්‍ය
Anura Kumara Disanayaka (2019) - img 04.jpg
since 24 September 2024
Ministry of Defence
Inaugural holder Don Stephen Senanayake
Formation24 September 1947
Website www.defence.lk

The Minister of Defence is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka who is responsible for the implementation of the Government of Sri Lankas defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The post was first created in 1947 as Minister of External Affairs and Defence, in 1978 the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence separated into two ministries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence. Prior to the separation of the post the Minister of External Affairs and Defence was held by the Prime Minister since 1947, with a Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and External Affairs who was an elected parliamentarian and was the de facto foreign minister.

Contents

List of Defence Ministers

No.PortraitName
(Born-Died)
TermPolitical PartyHead(s) of Government
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
Minister of External Affairs and Defence
1
Official Photographic Portrait of Don Stephen Senanayaka (1884-1952).jpg
D. S. Senanayake
(1883–1952)
24 September 194722 March 1952 4 years, 180 days UNP D. S. Senanayake
2
Dudley Shelton Senanayaka (1911-1973).jpg
Dudley Senanayake
(1911–1973)
22 March 195212 October 19531 year, 204 days UNP Dudley Senanayake
3
John Kotelawala (1951).jpg
John Kotelawala
(1895–1980)
12 October 195312 April 19562 years, 183 days UNP John Kotelawala
4
Official Photographic Portrait of S.W.R.D.Bandaranayaka (1899-1959).jpg
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
(1899–1959)
12 April 195626 September 1959 3 years, 167 days SLFP S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
5
Wijeyananda Dahanayake portrait.jpg
Wijeyananda Dahanayake
(1901–1997)
26 September 195920 March 1960176 days Sinhala Language Front Wijeyananda Dahanayake
(2)
Dudley Shelton Senanayaka (1911-1973).jpg
Dudley Senanayake
(1911–1973)
21 March 196021 July 1960122 days UNP Dudley Senanayake
6
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranayaka (1916-2000) (Hon.Sirimavo Bandaranaike with Hon.Lalith Athulathmudali Crop).jpg
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
(1916–2000)
21 July 196025 March 19654 years, 247 days SLFP Sirimavo Bandaranaike
(2)
Dudley Shelton Senanayaka (1911-1973).jpg
Dudley Senanayake
(1911–1973)
25 March 196529 May 19705 years, 65 days UNP Dudley Senanayake
(6)
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranayaka (1916-2000) (Hon.Sirimavo Bandaranaike with Hon.Lalith Athulathmudali Crop).jpg
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
(1916–2000)
29 May 197023 July 19777 years, 55 days SLFP Sirimavo Bandaranaike
7
Junius Richard Jayawardana (1906-1996).jpg
J. R. Jayewardene
(1906–1996)
23 July 19774 February 1978196 days UNP J. R. Jayewardene
Minister of Defence
1
Ranasinghe Premadasa.jpeg
Ranasinghe Premadasa
(1924–1993)
1989?? UNP Ranasinghe Premadasa
2
No image.png
Ranjan Wijeratne
(1931–1991)
??? UNP Ranasinghe Premadasa
3
No image.png
Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
(1916–2008)
7 May 199312 November 19941 year, 189 days UNP Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
4
Chandrika Kumaratunga with PM Modi (cropped).jpg
Chandrika Kumaratunga
(born 1945)
12 November 199412 December 20017 years, 30 days SLFP Chandrika Kumaratunga
5
Secretary Pompeo Meets With Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Marapana (47862759611) (cropped).jpg
Tilak Marapana
(born 1942)
12 December 20014 November 20031 year, 327 days UNP Chandrika Kumaratunga
(4)
Chandrika Kumaratunga with PM Modi (cropped).jpg
Chandrika Kumaratunga
(born 1945)
4 November 200319 November 20052 years, 15 days SLFP Chandrika Kumaratunga
Minister of Defence and Urban Development
1
WEF on the Middle East Arab and foreign Ministers Crop.jpg
Mahinda Rajapaksa
(born 1945)
19 November 20058 January 20159 years, 50 days SLFP Mahinda Rajapaksa
Minister of Defence
6
Maithripala- Russia (portrait).jpg
Maithripala Sirisena
(born 1951)
12 January 201518 November 20194 years, 310 days SLFP Maithripala Sirisena
7
Gotabaya Rajapaksa November 2019 crop.jpg
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
(born 1949)
28 November 201914 July 20222 years, 228 days SLPP Gotabaya Rajapaksa
8
Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on September 15, 2015 (1).jpg
Ranil Wickremesinghe
(born 1949)
15 July 202223 September 20242 years, 140 days UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe
9
Anura Kumara Disanayaka (2019) - img 04.jpg
Anura Kumara Dissanayake
(born 1972)
23 September 2024Incumbent70 days NPP Anura Kumara Dissanayake

See also

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References