Navy chief to leave for Sri Lanka on 4-day visit to bolster maritime ties

Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh will leave for Sri Lanka on Thursday on a four-day visit to "consolidate and enhance" the bilateral maritime relations between the two countries, according to an official statement.

The visit of the Indian Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) comes a month after newly-elected Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa came to India.

Singh will hold bilateral discussions with Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva, Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, other service chiefs and senior Sri Lankan government officials, according to the official statement.

"CNS will interact with the Sri Lanka Navy Board of Management which comprises senior hierarchy of the Sri Lanka Navy," it said.

"The CNS will also take part as the chief guest during the commissioning and passing out parade of the '60th Intake Midshipmen' scheduled to be conducted at the Naval Maritime Academy, Trincomalee, on December 22," the statement added.

The Sri Lanka Navy is a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and participates in the activities conducted under the IONS construct.

"The Indian Navy regularly interacts with the Sri Lankan Navy through the medium of staff talks, Annual Defence Dialogue and other operational interactions which includes port visits, passage exercises, training, hydrography etc," the statement said.