The Sri Lanka Navy, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard commenced joint Naval exercises yesterday off the coast of Colombo with the participation of four warships.
INS 'Shardul' of the Indian Navy and INCGS 'Varuna' of the Indian Coast Guard (with Indian cadets aboard) and SLNS 'Sayura', SLNS 'Samudura' and 'A 521' of the Sri Lanka Navy participated in the exercises, code named 'Cadex 2009'.
These naval training exercises are intended to provide Sri Lanka Navy Officer Cadets an opportunity to train on board Indian naval ships. In return, the Sri Lanka Navy will provide an opportunity for Indian Navy cadets to familiarise themselves with the tri-forces military training institutions
and to visit places of historical and cultural interest in Sri Lanka, in order to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
“The joint military exercises reflect the mutual cooperation of the two friendly navies and the long standing bilateral relations of the two neighbouring nations,” said Navy spokesman Captain D.K.P Dassanayake.
A highlight of the training exercises was the landing of a ‘cheetak’ light helicopter from INS Shardul on SLN Sayura -- which is capable of handling a helicopter of this kind as it (the Sayura) had been bought from the Indian Navy.
Captain Dassanayake said that Vice Admiral Tisara Samarasinghe, the commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, had extended an invitation to the Indian Navy to send group of ships to engage in training in Sri Lankan waters.
A contingent of 141 Indian cadet officers and 95 Sri Lankan cadet officers are participating in the training exercises which will continue for three days.
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