March 15, Colombo (LNW): On Wednesday (13 March), Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence received a significant stock of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment through the Chinese Military Grant scheme. The official handover ceremony, held at the Army Headquarters, was presided over by Qi Zhenhong, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China in Sri Lanka, and General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong and Kamal Gunaratne conducted the formal signing of documents related to the grant of equipment, followed by the presentation of a video documentary showcasing the strong bonds of goodwill and cooperation between the militaries of both nations, as stated by the army.
The consignment included eighteen REOD 4000 Explosive Ordnance Disposal medium robots, eighteen REOD 400 Explosive Ordnance Disposal robots, ten Anti-Explosive Blankets, and ten Explosion Protection Tanks and Vehicles. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong symbolically handed over this equipment to Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, who then presented them to the Commander of the Army.
Senior Officers and invitees had the opportunity to closely examine the new equipment, which is expected to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka, according to the statement.
Among the distinguished attendees were Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Major General W.H.K.S. Peiris (Chief of Staff of the Army), Colonel Gao Bin (Deputy Defence Advisor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sri Lanka), as well as other Senior Officers, Officers, and ranks.
