During the visit, Admiral R Hari Kumar will assess the status of several bilateral defence cooperation initiatives

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar will visit Sri Lanka from December 13 to December 16, 2022.

While in Sri Lanka, he will also be the Chief Guest and Reviewing Officer for the Commissioning Parade at the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Trincomalee, on December 15.

The Navy Chief will also engage in discussions with prominent Sri Lankan political and military authorities. Additionally, he will be touring other defence facilities operated by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to assess the status of several bilateral defence cooperation initiatives.

Through yearly staff talks, the Indian Navy communicates with the Sri Lankan Navy often and pursues a number of operational engagements on a regular basis.

The Indian Navy also supports a number of Sri Lankan Navy capacity-building initiatives, such as the deployment of naval systems, including locally built offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and Indian Navy Dornier aircraft stationed in Sri Lanka from August 2022.

Additionally, the Indian Navy continues to be actively involved in several programs aimed at enhancing its capabilities, including training Sri Lankan sailors.

On the other hand, the Sri Lankan Navy frequently takes part in a variety of multilateral events that the Indian Navy hosts, including MILAN, the Goa Maritime Conclave, the Admiral's Cup Sailing Regatta, etc.

According to the Ministry of Defence, CNS Admiral Hari Kumar's upcoming trip to Sri Lanka will strengthen their long-standing bilateral defence collaboration, particularly in the maritime sector.