INS Delhi departed Colombo, Sri Lanka, on September 3, 2023, after a two-day visit to the port city.
While the vessel was in port, several interactions took place between the vessel’s crew and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel, including cross-training of personnel on various topics of mutual interest. A cleanup operation on Crow Island beach was jointly undertaken by the visiting ship’s crew and SLN personnel. The ship also conducted an onboard familiarization tour for over 200 NCC cadets and a further 500 local visitors.
THE INS Delhi Commanding Officer interacted with RAdm Suresh De Silva, Commander Naval Area Western (COMWEST) and paid homage at the IPKF memorial by laying a wreath in honor of the Indian soldiers who lost their lives in Sri Lanka during IPKF operations from 1987 to 1991.
As part of India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative to deliver essential medical supplies to friendly countries, India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Shri Gopal Baglay, presented the state-of-the-art Arogya Maitri cube to the Honorable President of Sri Lanka The Parliament of Lanka during a reception hosted on board the INS Delhi. These medical cubes were developed in-house within the BHISHM Project (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri). In addition to the Honorable President, the reception was attended by several senior government officials, including the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense and all three service chiefs
The visit concluded with a passage exercise (PASSEX) at sea off Colombo between INS Delhi and the SLN vessel Vijayabahu.
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VM/JSN 148/23