Record groups of Department of Nationa Archives

Ministry of Defence

Identity area

Type of entity

Corporate body

Authorized form of name

Ministry of Defence

Parallel form(s) of name

Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules

Other form(s) of name

Identifiers for corporate bodies

Description area

Dates of existence

1982

History

The Ministry of Defence and External Affairs was established in 1948 with a nucleus of Staff from the former Chief Secretary’s office and the former Governors Office. The Ministry was in-charge of the Ceylon Army, Navy and Air Force, which were established under the Army Act (Cap.357), the Navy Act (Cap.358), and the Air Force Act (Cap.359) respectively, Defence and internal security matters also came under this Ministry.
The Police Department, the Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Department of the Registration of Indian and Pakistani Residents were also under this Ministry. In 1971 the Department for the Registration of persons was also attached to this Ministry.
After the Constitution of the republic of Sri Lanka was adopted on 22nd, May, 1972 the Prime Minister continued to be the Minister of Defence and External Affairs. In July 1977 the Ministry of Defence was separated from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and functioned as a separate Ministry. With the adoption of the constitution of the Democratic Socialist republic of Sri Lanka on February 4, 1978 the Ministry came under the President. The Department of Civil Aviation and Air Ceylon were also brought under the Ministry of Defence from May 1978. The primary function of the Ministry is defending the country and ensuring the security of the state.

Places

Legal status

Functions, occupations and activities

Mandates/sources of authority

Internal structures/genealogy

General context

Relationships area

Control area

Description identifier

LK-NA/187

Institution identifier

LK-NA

Rules and/or conventions used

ISAAR

Status

Final

Level of detail

Minimal

Dates of creation, revision and deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

  • Latin

Sources

Maintenance notes