Minister of Defence (Sri Lanka)

Minister of Defence of Sri Lanka
Incumbent Maithripala Sirisena since 12th January 2015
Ministry of Defence
Inaugural holder	Don Stephen Senanayake
Formation	24 September 1947
Deputy	Ruwan Wijewardene
Website	www.defence.lk

The Minister of Defence is an appointment in the Cabinet of Sri Lanka who is responsible for the implementation of the Government of Sri Lankas defence policy and the headquarters of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. The post was first created in 1947 as Minister of External Affairs and Defence, in 1978 the Ministry of External Affairs and Defence separated into two ministries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defence. Prior to the separation of the post the Minister of External Affairs and Defence was held by the Prime Minister since 1947, with a Parliamentary Secretary for Defence and External Affairs who was an elected parliamentarian and was the de facto foreign minister.