INS Sindhukesari, a submarine of the Indian Navy, arrived at the Port of Colombo on May 3 for an Operational Turnaround, the Sri Lanka Navy said.
The submarine was welcomed in keeping with established naval traditions. During the call, the crew is scheduled to take part in programmes organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, including visits to tourist attractions across the country.
Submarine port calls in Colombo are uncommon compared with the steady rhythm of Indian Navy surface combatant visits. Operational Turnarounds typically cover replenishment, crew rest and short maintenance windows, and are a recurring element of the bilateral defence programme alongside SLINEX exercises and joint training.
The visit comes during a period of intense Indian naval activity in the region, with multiple navies monitoring conditions in the northern Arabian Sea and the approaches to the Strait of Hormuz. It also follows the recent port call by the diving support vessel INS Nireekshak in late April.
The Indian Navy’s heightened tempo in Sri Lankan ports forms part of New Delhi’s SAGAR (“Security and Growth for All in the Region”) maritime doctrine, which has framed naval engagement with Indian Ocean neighbours since 2015 and runs alongside the parallel push for shared maritime domain awareness with Colombo.
Source: NewsFirst.
