Sri Lankan Navy chief in India to deepen bilateral maritime cooperation
New Delhi, Aug 27. Sri Lankan Navy Commander Vice Admiral Damian Fernando is on an official four-day visit to India from August 26 to 29, aimed at strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation and expanding engagement between the Indian and Sri Lankan navies.
During his visit, Vice Admiral Fernando was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block in New Delhi on August 27. He also paid tribute to Indian soldiers who lost their lives in service by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.
The Sri Lankan Navy chief held talks with Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on ways to further expand maritime cooperation between the two countries. Discussions covered areas including joint operations, capacity building, training and maritime security.
The visit also includes meetings with senior Indian defence officials and interactions with representatives of the Indian defence industry. These engagements are expected to explore opportunities for greater cooperation and collaboration in the defence sector.
As part of his programme, Fernando is scheduled to travel to Kochi, where he will visit Indian Navy training establishments and the headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. The engagements are intended to strengthen training ties and facilitate professional exchanges between personnel of the two navies.
India and Sri Lanka share longstanding maritime security interests, with the Sri Lankan Navy being an important partner of the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region. Their cooperation encompasses operational coordination, training, capacity building and broader maritime security initiatives.
The visit by Vice Admiral Fernando is expected to provide fresh momentum to the multifaceted Navy-to-Navy relationship between the two countries and contribute to greater maritime security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
