May 31, Colombo: State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon appreciated the Army’s role in saving valuable foreign exchange by producing a considerable number of its requirements locally with its own technology and technical expertise at the Army Ordinance Industries.

He also said that plans are afoot to develop this important Army asset and also produce varieties of ammunition.

The State Minister made these remarks when he made an inspection visit to the Army Ordnance Industries (AOI), yesterday (May 30).

The State Minister was received by the Colonel Commandant of the Sri Lanka Ordnance Corps Major General Priyantha Weerasinghe on his arrival at the AOI in Veyangoda yesterday morning.

The Colonel Commandant along with the Commandant of the AOI Brigadier Ananda Jayarathne accompanied the State Minister to the production area of the AOI and briefed him of its operations and productions.

Senior army officers including Director of Ordnance Services Brigadier GA Munasinghe and Centre Commandant Colonel K M A W K Perera were also present at the occasion.