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Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Sri Lanka refused permission for the United States to station two of its warplanes at an airport in the island’s south in early March, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday (March 20, 2026).
Also read: West Asia war updates on March 20, 2026
“They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles from a base in Djibouti to the Mattala International Airport from March 4 to 8 and we said ‘no’,” Mr. Dissanayake said.
Sri Lanka maintains close ties with the United States, its biggest export market, and Iran, which is a key buyer of tea, its main export commodity.
Published – March 20, 2026 01:00 pm IST
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Sri Lanka refused ground access to U.S. warplanes
