Among the Ministers visiting the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera, the State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene. They were accompanied by the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka RK Sinha, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy. The occasion symbolized the long existing friendship and the strong defense cooperation between the two neighbouring countries.
The visiting dignitaries were shown around the impressive aircraft carrier by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) of the Indian Navy, Rear Admiral Ranveet Singh under whose overall command the Indian Navy’s largest naval ship is making her first overseas visit accompanied by the Indian Navy’s Guided Missile Destroyer “INS Mysore”. He briefed the visitors on the capabilities and the latest equipment onboard the ship.
“Vickramaditya” meaning brave as the Sun is 284 meters in length and 60 meters in width. The ship, which can carry 36 fighter aircraft, has 22 decks. The ship with a complement of 1,700 personnel has an endurance of 7,000 nautical miles. The long range air surveillance radar and modern electronic warfare equipment give the ship the capability of maintaining a 500 KM surveillance bubble. The ship has 30 MiG-29K fighter aircraft and 6 Kamov Ka-31 helicopters onboard. “INS Vickramaditya” is a Russian made aircraft carrier, which was modernized at a cost of 2.3 billion dollars. She was inducted in the Indian Navy in year 2013.
Further, the Indian naval personnel will take part in several cultural programmes, football and basketball matches at the Welisara naval base. Arrangements have been made to conduct a medical clinic in Neluwa, Galle by the Sri Lanka Navy with medical personnel of the Indian Navy. The ships will conduct several training programmes for Sri Lanka Navy and also conduct a naval exercise with the Sri Lanka Navy prior to the departure from the island.
The visit to Colombo by INS Vikramaditya is its maiden overseas port call after its arrival in India two years ago.
The ships are transiting from the West Coast of India to the city of Visakhapatnam on the East Coast of India to participate in the International Fleet Review being hosted by the Indian Navy next month. Naval ships from more than 25 countries, including Sri Lanka, will be participating in this prestigious event.
