SriLanka, Aug. 15 -- Delivering the 2026 Gen. Denis Perera Memorial Oration, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Damian Fernando reflects on 75 years of naval inheritance, the lessons of asymmetric warfare, and the strategic imperative of preparing for tomorrow's maritime challenges

If I were to distil this evening's reflections into a single phrase, it would be 'Our Watch'-a simple concept carrying the accumulated weight of 75 years of naval service.

Tonight, our thoughts turn first to General Deshamanya Denis Perera-a soldier and institution-builder whose legacy cannot be measured merely by appointments, honours, or ribbons. Such things adorn a career; they do not define it. General Denis Perera understood a fundamental truth: individuals are...