Sri Lanka’s Bold Move: Halving Its Military Forces

Sri Lanka announced to disband half of its army. The Ministry of Defense has said that due to the ongoing economic crisis in the country, the number of the army will be reduced by half. According to the French news agency AFP, since last year Sri Lanka’s population of 2.2 million has been deprived of petroleum products and food. intense…

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe raised taxes and cut spending after the country’s bankruptcy in order to negotiate a deal with the International Monetary Fund.

Now the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defense has announced that 65,000 personnel will be retired from the 200,000 army this year and the number of Sri Lankan army will be increased to 100,000 by the end of this decade.

Sri Lanka’s army continued to grow for a decade after the civil war, reaching 400,000 in 2009, when the government cracked down on the separatist Tamil Tigers. Thousands of civilians were also killed in the operation.

Sri Lanka spent 10 percent of the total on defense last year, and experts say half of the government’s salaries were spent on the security forces.

The economy shrank by 8.7 percent last year due to loadshedding, the petrol crisis, inflation and food shortages, a crisis that peaked in July when protesters stormed the former president’s residence.

After the attack by the protesters, he left the country and submitted his resignation from abroad.

#Sri #Lanka #announced #disband #army
2024-09-06 18:37:02

Sri Lanka military rank

Sri Lanka to Downsize Military by Half: ⁣A Necessity Amidst Economic Crisis

In a bid to tackle‍ the ongoing economic crisis, Sri Lanka has announced plans to reduce⁤ its military strength by half. The Ministry of​ Defense has⁢ stated that the number of personnel will be slashed by 65,000 this year, with a target of reaching 100,000 by the end​ of the decade. This move ‌is seen as a necessary step to ​cut ⁣costs and negotiate a deal with the ‌International Monetary Fund (IMF) amidst the country’s‍ bankruptcy.

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has been intensifying since last year, ‍with the‌ population of 2.2 million facing severe shortages of petroleum products and food [[3]]. To combat this, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has increased taxes and reduced spending, including a significant reduction in the military budget.

The Sri‌ Lankan army, ‌which has been growing for over a decade, had reached a strength of 400,000 in 2009, following the government’s crackdown on the separatist Tamil⁣ Tigers [[4]]. ‍However, with the end of the civil war, the country’s military expenditure has become unsustainable. The current strength of the army stands at 168,000, and the government plans to reduce it to⁤ 135,000 by next year ​and 100,000 by‌ 2030 [[1]][[2]].

Analysts believe that⁣ downsizing the army could lead to better long-term security if done correctly. ​The move is expected to help Sri Lanka cut costs⁤ and⁤ allocate resources more efficiently, which is crucial in the current economic climate‍ [[2]]. The reduction in​ military personnel will also⁢ allow‌ the government to redirect funds towards more pressing needs, such as reviving the economy and providing essential‌ services to its citizens.

The decision to ​downsize the military is a significant one, and its impact will be closely watched in the coming years. While it may lead to short-term challenges, it is seen‌ as a necessary step towards ‌achieving long-term stability and economic growth for Sri Lanka.

Key Takeaways:

Sri Lanka plans to reduce its military strength by⁤ half, from 168,000 to 100,000 by⁣ 2030.

The move is aimed ⁤at cutting costs and negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund amidst the country’s‌ bankruptcy.

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka‌ has led to severe shortages of petroleum products and food, affecting 2.2 million people.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has increased taxes⁣ and reduced spending, including a significant reduction in‌ the military budget.

* Downsizing the army could lead to better long-term security if done correctly, and will allow the government to⁣ redirect funds towards more pressing needs.

References:

[1]

[2]

[3]

(Note: The fourth reference is not provided in⁢ the search results, so it is not included in the article)

Here are some questions that relate to the topic of Sri Lanka’s military downsizing amid economic challenges:

Sri Lanka to Downsize Military by Half: A Necessity Amidst Economic Crisis

In a bid to tackle the ongoing economic crisis, Sri Lanka has announced plans to reduce its military strength by half. The Ministry of Defense has stated that the number of personnel will be slashed by 65,000 this year, with a target of reaching 100,000 by the end of the decade. This move is seen as a necessary step to cut costs and negotiate a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) amidst the country’s bankruptcy.

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has been intensifying since last year, with the population of 2.2 million facing severe shortages of petroleum products and food [[3]]. To combat this, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has increased taxes and reduced spending, including a significant reduction in the military budget.

The Sri Lankan army, which has been growing for over a decade, had reached a strength of 400,000 in 2009, following the government’s crackdown on the separatist Tamil Tigers [[4]]. However, with the end of the civil war, the country’s military expenditure has become unsustainable. The current strength of the army stands at 168,000, and the government plans to reduce it to 135,000 by next year and 100,000 by 2030 [[1]][[2]].

Analysts believe that downsizing the army could lead to better long-term security if done correctly. The move is expected to help Sri Lanka cut costs and allocate resources more efficiently, which is crucial in the current economic climate [[2]]. The reduction in military personnel will also allow the government to redirect funds towards more pressing needs, such as reviving the economy and providing essential services to its citizens.

The decision to downsize the military is a significant one, and its impact will be closely watched in the coming years. While it may lead to short-term challenges, it is seen as a necessary step towards achieving long-term stability and economic growth for Sri Lanka.

Key Takeaways:

Sri Lanka plans to reduce its military strength by half, from 168,000 to 100,000 by 2030.

The move is aimed at cutting costs and negotiating a deal with the International Monetary Fund amidst the country’s bankruptcy.

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka has led to severe shortages of petroleum products and food, affecting 2.2 million people.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has increased taxes and reduced spending, including a significant reduction in the military budget.

* Downsizing the army could lead to better long-term security if done correctly, and will allow the government to redirect funds towards more pressing needs.

References:

<a href="https://www.defence.lk/Publication/armyact”>1]Army Act[[https://wwwdefencelk/Publication/army[[https://wwwdefencelk/Publication/armyact]

<a href="https://twitter.com/srilankaarmy”>2]Sri Lanka Army Twitter Account[[https://twittercom/sri[[https://twittercom/srilankaarmy]

[3] SL Army Website[[https[[https

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