Three Indian Navy training ships conclude Sri Lanka visit after joint naval exercise

Newswire reports that three vessels from the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron—INS Tir, INS Sujata and ICGS Sarathi—departed Sri Lanka on the 29th, concluding an official visit. Ada Derana reports that three Indian Navy ships departed Colombo after a joint naval exercise.

Newswire says the visit included professional exchange programmes, operational observation tours and friendly sporting events involving the visiting personnel and officer under-trainees. The programme also featured a beach cleanup, a joint musical performance by the Indian and Sri Lankan naval bands, and visits to cultural and historical sites around Sri Lanka.

Newswire reports that the ships took part in a Passage Exercise in the western seas with Sri Lankan Navy vessels SLNS Nandimithra and Fast Attack Craft P 492. The exercise addressed communications, navigation coordination and operational interoperability, according to Newswire.

Newswire says the Sri Lanka Navy described official visits and joint exercises as contributing to maritime cooperation, the exchange of professional expertise and the two countries’ shared capacity to address maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.