Vice Admiral of Indian Navy pays homage at memorial of Indian soldiers in Sri Lanka

Indian Naval Vice Admiral Satish N Ghormade on Monday paid homage to the Indian soldiers at the IPKF memorial in Sri Lanka, which symbolises the sacrifice of Indian lives for bringing lasting peace to the island nation.

Indian Naval Vice Admiral Satish N Ghormade on Monday paid homage to the Indian soldiers at the IPKF memorial in Sri Lanka, which symbolises the sacrifice of Indian lives for bringing lasting peace to the island nation. "In a solemn Wreath Laying Ceremony at the IPKF Memorial, VAdm SN Ghormade, #VCNS paid homage to the brave #Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives to bring lasting peace in #SriLanka," Indian Navy said in a tweet.

Indian Navy Vice Chief Ghormade is in Sri Lanka for handing over a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft to the Sri Lankan military. India on Monday handed over maritime surveillance aircraft Dornier 228 to Sri Lanka on a gratis basis for two years. The aircraft was provided for an interim period of two years till a plane being manufactured in India for Sri Lanka is ready.

The aircraft comes as a sequel to the dialogue between India and Sri Lanka that took place on January 9, 2018, in New Delhi, when the Sri Lankan government sought the possibility of obtaining two Dornier Reconnaissance Aircraft from India. Handing over ceremony of Dornier Aircraft was held on Monday. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Indian High commissioner Gopal Baglay were present at the ceremony.

The Indian Naval Dornier (INDO-228) is basically a Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL), multirole light transport aircraft used by the Indian Navy for electronic warfare missions, maritime surveillance, disaster relief and other work with a turboprop twin-engine, produced since 1981. The Sri Lankan Air Force intends to effectively employ the Dornier aircraft specifically to conduct Maritime and Coastal Surveillance Operations within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Search and Rescue Operations (SAR), Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC) and Maritime Pollution Monitoring and Control within Sri Lankan Search and Rescue Region (SRR) to attain SLAF ultimate vision of "Ensuring the National Security through Effective Employment of Airpower" within Sri Lankan Airspace.

Notably, handing over of the Dornier aircraft by India comes a day before the Chinese ship 'Yuan Wang 5' will dock at the southern port of Hambantota on Tuesday for a week. Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister confirmed that the Chinese vessel 'Yuan Wang-5', widely believed to be a spy ship, has been given clearance to arrive at Hambantota Port on August 16. (ANI)

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