Colombo, May 4 — The Indian Navy’s Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhukesari arrived in Colombo on Sunday for an Operational Turnaround (OTR) and was formally welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy, following naval protocol.
Operational Turnarounds are brief port calls for resupply, refuelling and crew rest during deployments. The Indian Navy said the visit underlines the expanding maritime partnership with Sri Lanka and is intended to boost interoperability and operational coordination between the two navies.
While alongside, personnel from INS Sindhukesari will take part in activities organised by the Sri Lanka Navy, including visits to local attractions and other engagement programs. The stopover comes after the recently concluded fourth edition of the bilateral diving exercise, IN-SLN DIVEX 2026, held in Colombo from April 21 to 28.
IN-SLN DIVEX 2026 saw participation from the Indian Navy’s Diving Support and Submarine Rescue Vessel INS Nireekshak along with diving teams from both navies. The exercise focused on complex underwater operations designed to improve joint procedures and capability, featuring advanced deep-sea and mixed-gas diving evolutions, harbour and open-sea dives, and missions carried out over World War-era wrecks such as SS Worcester and SS Perseus.
Divers from India and Sri Lanka conducted dives exceeding 55 metres, sharpening combined skills in underwater search, rescue and salvage operations. The exercise also included community engagement efforts, such as a beach clean-up at Galle Face, friendly sports fixtures and joint yoga sessions to build rapport between crews.
Rear Admiral SJ Kumara, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Area, visited INS Nireekshak during the exercise and praised the Indian Navy’s role in training Sri Lankan divers, underlining a commitment to continuing exchanges of expertise and best practices. The commanding officer of INS Nireekshak also paid respects at the IPKF Memorial to honour Indian personnel who lost their lives during the Indian Peace Keeping Force deployment in Sri Lanka.
As part of wider cooperation, two BHISM cubes were handed over under India’s Aarogya Maitri initiative to strengthen disaster response and medical preparedness. INS Nireekshak received a ceremonial send-off on completing the exercise, marking sustained maritime cooperation aligned with the MAHASAGAR vision and a shared commitment to peace, stability and security in the Indian Ocean region.
