Indian Navy Chief leaves for Sri Lanka on a 4 day visit to strengthen bilateral relations

Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh is all set for a four-day visit to Sri Lanka from December 19 to December 22. According to sources, the visit is intended to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral maritime relations between India and Sri Lanka. Singh arrived in Sri Lanka on Wednesday night where he was warmly welcomed. 

Navy Chief's engagements 

According to an official release, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) will be holding bilateral discussions with Vice Admiral KKVPH De Silva, Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, service chiefs and other senior government officials. He will also be interacting with the Sri Lanka Navy Board of Management which comprises the senior hierarchy of the Sri Lanka Navy. The Navy Chief will also be taking part as a chief guest at the commissioning and passing out parade of the 60th intake Midshipmen. The parade is scheduled on December 22 at the Naval Maritime Academy in Trincomalee. 

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India-Sri Lanka relations

The Indian Navy interacts with the Sri Lankan Navy through several mediums of staff talks, annual defence dialogue, and other operational interactions like port visits, passage exercises, training, and hydrography and so on. Further, the Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy have been participating in events organized by each other through the nomination of personnel, ships and so on. Further, the Sri Lanka Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and participates in activities conducted under the IONS construct.

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