World · Sri Lanka Bureau
Sri Lanka resumes elite police training for Maldives after 13-year gap
The Sri Lankan Police Special Task Force has launched an eight-week SWAT training programme for 36 Maldivian police officers, marking the resumption of bilateral security cooperation after more than a decade.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
A contingent of 36 officers and personnel from the Maldives Police Service commenced an intensive Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training programme in Sri Lanka on November 2, reviving security cooperation between the two Indian Ocean nations. The elite Police Special Task Force (STF) is delivering the eight-week course, which represents the first such training exchange between the countries since operations halted 13 years ago.
The training initiative underscores strengthening security ties between Sri Lanka and the Maldives at a time of heightened focus on regional stability and law enforcement capacity-building. The SWAT programme equips participants with advanced tactical skills and operational expertise in handling high-risk security situations.
The resumption of the training scheme follows coordination between the two nations' security establishments and reflects mutual interest in deepening professional exchanges. Sri Lanka's mission in the Maldives facilitated the arrangements for the current batch of trainees.
The Special Task Force, Sri Lanka's premier tactical police unit, has previously conducted similar training programmes for international partner nations, leveraging its operational experience and specialised capabilities in counter-terrorism and tactical interventions.