Colombo, April 26 (IANS) India handed over two Personal Watercrafts (PWCs) and safety gear to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard on Sunday.

The Indian government is assisting in enhancing the Sri Lanka Coast Guard’s capability in near-shore Search and Rescue (SAR), the High Commission of India in Colombo said on its X handle.

The Defence Advisor of the High Commission handed over the equipment to the Director of Operations in a ceremony held at the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Headquarters in Mirissa.

As part of its continuous humanitarian outreach, India, on April 24, presented two BHISM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri) cubes to the Sri Lankan authorities under India’s ‘Aarogya Maitri’ initiative.

The state-of-the-art portable medical units, capable of handling up to 200 emergency cases, are designed to provide rapid response and are equipped with essential medicines and surgical tools for basic procedures.

The medical units were delivered by the Indian Navy diving support and submarine rescue vessel, INS Nireekshak, which arrived at the port of Colombo on April 21 to participate in the 4th edition of IN-SLN DIVEX 2026, a bilateral diving exercise which is being held till April 27.

Advancing this shared maritime spirit, the INS Nireekshak crew joined the Sri Lanka Navy for a revitalising yoga session – fostering resilience, mindfulness and collective wellbeing at sea on Saturday, an Indian Navy spokesperson posted on X.

According to the Indian Navy, the IN-SLN Diving Exercise (DIVEX) is a key bilateral engagement that stands as a testament to the deep-rooted maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka. Sustained maritime collaboration and engagements with partner nations reaffirm the shared commitment to fostering stability, cooperation, and collective growth in the Indian Ocean Region, in line with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).

Further strengthening maritime security cooperation, the Indian Navy will also hand over 50,000 rounds of 9 mm ammunition to the Sri Lankan Navy.

–IANS

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