By The Pulseline News Desk
India has further strengthened its maritime engagement with Sri Lanka with the arrival of the Indian Navy’s indigenously built stealth frigate INS Udaygiri at the Colombo Port on Tuesday (8), coinciding with Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s official visit to the island.
The warship is in Sri Lanka for a three-day Operational Turnaround (OTR), with the visit aimed at enhancing practical cooperation between the Indian and Sri Lankan navies through technical training and the exchange of operational experience.
According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, a mobile training team from the Indian Navy will conduct technical training and knowledge-sharing programmes with Sri Lanka Navy personnel during the visit.
The frigate has also arrived carrying essential machinery and equipment spares intended for both the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force, adding a practical dimension to the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries.
As part of the programme, INS Udaygiri’s Commanding Officer, Captain Vikas Sood, is scheduled to pay a formal call on Rear Admiral G.H.S.E. De Silva, Commander Western Naval Area.
A reception will also be hosted onboard the warship for Sri Lankan dignitaries in connection with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka.
Beyond official engagements, Indian and Sri Lankan naval personnel are expected to participate in professional and sporting activities aimed at strengthening ties between the two services. The crew will also take part in a beach-cleaning programme in Colombo under Sri Lanka’s “Clean Sri Lanka” campaign.
The latest visit also builds on an expanding record of operational cooperation between the two navies.
INS Udaygiri was previously in Colombo in November 2025, when it arrived alongside India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to participate in the Sri Lanka Navy’s International Fleet Review (SLN IFR-2025).
The frigate also played a role in India’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts following Cyclone Ditwah, delivering immediate relief supplies to affected communities and reinforcing India’s longstanding position as a first responder to emergencies in Sri Lanka.
The repeated deployment of Indian naval vessels to Sri Lankan waters comes as Colombo and New Delhi continue to place greater emphasis on maritime security, disaster response, capacity building and defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
For India, Sri Lanka’s strategic location at the centre of key Indian Ocean shipping routes makes maritime cooperation a significant component of its wider regional security policy. For Colombo, closer cooperation with regional partners provides opportunities for training, technical assistance and strengthening its capacity to respond to maritime and humanitarian challenges.
The Indian High Commission said such naval visits demonstrate New Delhi’s commitment to its vision of “Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions” (MAHASAGAR) and its “Neighbourhood First” policy.
Against this backdrop, INS Udaygiri’s latest call is more than a routine naval visit, highlighting the increasingly operational nature of India-Sri Lanka defence ties and the importance both countries place on maintaining regional security and stability.
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