Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Damian Fernando is on a four-day official visit to India from August 26 to 29, marking his maiden visit to the country after assuming command of the Sri Lanka Navy.
The visit is aimed at further strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation and deepening Navy-to-Navy engagements between India and Sri Lanka, with a focus on maritime security, operational cooperation and capacity building.
As part of his engagements, Vice Admiral Fernando was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block, New Delhi, on August 27. He also paid homage to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial.
The Sri Lankan Navy chief held discussions with Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on ways to further expand bilateral maritime cooperation. The discussions covered areas including joint operations, capacity building, training and maritime security, reflecting the close operational and professional ties between the two navies.
During his visit, Vice Admiral Fernando is also scheduled to meet senior Indian defence officials and interact with representatives of the Indian defence industry to explore opportunities for greater cooperation and collaboration.
The Sri Lankan Navy chief will also travel to Kochi, where he is scheduled to visit Indian Naval training establishments and Headquarters Southern Naval Command. The engagements are expected to focus on strengthening training linkages and enhancing professional exchanges between the two maritime forces.
Sri Lanka remains an important and longstanding maritime partner of the Indian Navy. The visit by Vice Admiral Damian Fernando is expected to further consolidate the multifaceted Navy-to-Navy relationship between the two countries and contribute to enhanced maritime cooperation and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
The visit underscores India and Sri Lanka’s continued efforts to deepen maritime security co-operation and strengthen their partnership in addressing common challenges in the region.
