The first overseas visit of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, Vice Admiral Damian Fernando, since assuming command of the Navy, further strengthened the longstanding maritime and defence partnership between Sri Lanka and India, with high-level discussions focusing on maritime security, training, capacity building and closer professional cooperation between the two countries.
Undertaken at the invitation of the Indian Navy, the visit from 26 to 29 August 2026 covered a broad range of engagements, from discussions with India’s senior defence leadership in New Delhi to professional exchanges with the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command and training establishments in Kochi, as well as interaction with India’s defence industry. The visit concluded with Vice Admiral Fernando’s return to Sri Lanka on 30 August.
In New Delhi, Vice Admiral Fernando was accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block and paid homage to India’s fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial. He subsequently held bilateral discussions with the Chief of the Naval Staff of India, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.
The discussions focused on further strengthening maritime security cooperation between the two navies, including joint operations, training, capacity building and other measures to enhance cooperation in the maritime domain. The two sides also exchanged views on expanding training opportunities and capacity-building programmes, reaffirming the importance of close professional engagement between the two navies in support of security in the Indian Ocean Region.
Vice Admiral Fernando also called on India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General N.S. Raja Subramani; Defence Secretary, Mr Rajesh Kumar Singh; and Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit. During these engagements, ongoing activities and projects under the Bilateral Defence Cooperation Plan were reviewed, alongside discussions on bilateral defence cooperation, joint training, capacity enhancement and opportunities to strengthen air and maritime cooperation.
The visit also included an engagement with India’s defence industry, providing an opportunity to explore avenues for cooperation and collaboration and to gain a better understanding of capabilities and technologies relevant to the maritime and defence sectors. This added an important practical dimension to the wider discussions on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.
The Kochi leg of the visit placed particular emphasis on the longstanding training relationship between the two navies. Vice Admiral Fernando visited INS Dronacharya, the Indian Navy’s premier gunnery and missile training establishment, where he himself underwent specialist training earlier in his career and was adjudged the Best All Round Officer. His return to the establishment, more than two decades after completing his training there, provided a particularly significant link between the longstanding professional relationship between the two navies and its continuing importance today.
Vice Admiral Fernando also met Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Southern Naval Command, at its headquarters in Kochi. Discussions focused on existing naval training exchange programmes and opportunities to introduce and expand further training initiatives and professional development between the two navies.
The Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy was also hosted by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India at Sri Lanka House in New Delhi. The engagement provided an opportunity to exchange views on matters of mutual interest, including Sri Lanka – India relations, maritime and defence cooperation, and the contribution of the Sri Lanka Navy to maritime security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
Vice Admiral Damian Fernando’s visit highlighted the depth and breadth of the Sri Lanka – India maritime partnership, extending from strategic-level dialogue and defence cooperation to training, professional exchanges, capacity building and opportunities for greater industry engagement.
As close maritime neighbours and longstanding partners, Sri Lanka and India share a strong interest in a secure, stable and peaceful Indian Ocean. The visit provided further impetus to the two navies’ continuing efforts to strengthen cooperation and contribute to maritime security and stability in the region.
31 August 2026
High Commission of Sri Lanka, New Delhi