Ships of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS) have reached Colombo, Sri Lanka, for a three-day port call running from 26 to 28 October, as part of their long-range training deployment.

The squadron comprises Indian Naval Ships INS Tir and INS Sujata and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarathi. The ships were accorded a ceremonial welcome by the Sri Lanka Navy, the Indian Navy said in a post on X, describing the visit as 'Anchoring Friendship, Strengthening Maritime Cooperation'.

The squadron is commanded by Captain Tijo K Joseph, Senior Officer of the First Training Squadron and Commanding Officer of INS Tir. It provides ab-initio sea training for officer trainees of the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign navies.

Five officer trainees from the Sri Lanka Navy are taking part in the long-range deployment. During the port call, Sri Lanka Navy's Director General Training, Rear Admiral Rohan Joseph, visited the ships and interacted with the commanding officers, training officers and trainees on board.

The programme includes professional, training and sporting interactions with the Sri Lanka Navy, cross-visits between Indian cadets and the Naval and Maritime Academy at Trincomalee, and a joint band performance by the Indian and Sri Lankan navies at Galle Face Green on 27 October.

The Senior Officer and the commanding officers are also scheduled to call on India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, and the Commander of the Western Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy, Rear Admiral Harsha De Silva.

Before Colombo, the deployment called at Port Victoria in Seychelles and at Male in the Maldives, where the squadron concluded training and military engagement, including a passage exercise with the Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard, before returning to its base port of Kochi. The Indian High Commission said such visits are intended to strengthen ties between the two navies, in line with India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and the MAHASAGAR vision.