New Delhi: Three Indian naval ships visited Colombo in Sri Lanka from November 22 to 25, further strengthening the bilateral naval engagement and reinforcing the longstanding tradition of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between the navies of the two countries, officials said on Wednesday.
Landing Craft Utility (LCU) platforms LCU 51, LCU 54 and LCU 57 visited Colombo as part of a port call.
An LCU platform had recently taken part in tri-service exercise “Trishul” at Porbandar, off the Saurashtra Coast in Gujarat.
The port call by the LCUs from the Andaman and Nicobar Command further strengthened the bilateral naval engagement and reinforced the longstanding tradition of friendship, mutual respect and cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), a Navy spokesperson said.
Upon arrival, the ships were accorded a ceremonial welcome by the SLN.
During the Operational Turnaround (OTR), the commanding officers of the three LCUs called on the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka and the Commander Western Naval Area (CWNA), SLN, the spokesperson said.
Discussions during the visit centred on interoperability, ongoing maritime initiatives and avenues for future collaborative engagements between the two navies.
As part of the visit, a friendly volleyball match between the personnel of the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy was conducted, promoting camaraderie, sportsmanship and mutual goodwill, the Indian Navy spokesperson said.
A structured ship-visit programme was also organised for SLN officers and sailors, providing them an opportunity to interact with the crew and gain insights into the operational capabilities of the LCUs, he added.
