Visit of submarine INS Vela to Colombo

Indian Navy’s submarine, INS Vela, arrived in Colombo on a three-day visit.

The Officer of the guard and band of the Sri Lanka Navy accorded the submarine a ceremonial welcome.

INS Vela is an indigenous Kalvari-class diesel-electric submarine commissioned into the Indian Navy on Nov. 25, 2021.

The Commanding Officer, Commander Kapil Kumaris, was scheduled to call on the Commander of the Western Naval Area, Rear Admiral WDCU Kumarasinghe, at Western Naval Headquarters.

Personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy and the High Commission of India were to conduct an organized visit.

A basketball match is also planned between the Submarine crew and SLN personnel at Sri Lanka Naval Base, Welisara.

The visit is classified as an Operational Turn Around (OTR), where the submarine will replenish provisions.

The crew will be able to visit places of interest in and around Colombo.

The submarine will depart the island on Nov. 13.

Indian Navy / Coast Guard ships and submarines have made regular port calls in Sri Lanka.

The visit further strengthens the bilateral cooperation and camaraderie between the two maritime nations in keeping with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘SAGAR’, which stands for “Security and Growth for all in the Region.”