Sri Lanka, Oct. 11 -- The Sri Lanka Army marked its 77th anniversary on October 10, with Army Commander Lieutenant General Nilantha Premaratne outlining plans to modernise the force, strengthen personnel welfare and expand its contribution to national development.

Established on October 10, 1949, at Diyatalawa, the Army has evolved from a small cadre into a major national security institution. Its responsibilities now extend beyond defence to disaster response, community development and support for national recovery efforts.

The Army's anniversary comes 17 years after the end of the war against the LTTE in May 2009. While maintaining its operational readiness, the Army is seeking to adapt to emerging security threats through technologi...