Colombo, Oct 25 (Daily Mirror) - A training squadron of the Indian Navy, comprising two naval ships and an Indian Coast Guard vessel, is scheduled to arrive at the Colombo Port on October 26 for a three-day goodwill visit aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.
The First Training Squadron (1TS), comprising Indian Naval Ships Tir and Sujata and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, will be in Colombo until October 28 as part of a long-range training deployment that also includes visits to Port Victoria in Seychelles and Malé in the Maldives before returning to its base port in Kochi.
The squadron is responsible for providing initial sea training to officer trainees of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies. It is commanded by Captain Tijo K Joseph, Senior Officer of the First Training Squadron and Commanding Officer of INS Tir.
Five Sri Lanka Navy officer trainees are participating in the long-range training deployment. The squadron's visit follows the visit of INS Tarangini, also part of the First Training Squadron, to Sri Lanka in March 2026 to provide ocean-sailing training and practical experience to officer trainees of the Sri Lanka Navy's Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee.
Director General Training of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Rohan Joseph, is scheduled to visit the ships upon their arrival at Colombo Port. He will interact with the commanding officers, training officers and trainees on board.
The Senior Officer of the First Training Squadron and the commanding officers of the visiting vessels are also scheduled to call on Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and Commander Western Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva.
During the visit, Indian and Sri Lankan naval officer cadets will participate in professional, training and sporting activities. Cross-visits involving Indian cadets at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee and Sri Lankan naval cadets aboard the training ships are also planned.
A joint band performance by the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy is scheduled to be held at Galle Face Green on October 27.
The visit is expected to further strengthen ties between the two countries' naval and coast guard services, in line with India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and its vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).
