INDIAN AIR FORCE CHIEF VISITS SRI LANKA

Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria, Chief of the Air Staff, arrived at Colombo on Wednesday on an invitation from Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). SLAF celebrated its 70th anniversary on 2 March and presentation of the President’s colours to two of its units on 5 March.

As part of his visit, the CAS attended the inaugural ceremony, during which a Flypast and Aerobatic Display is scheduled. The air show at Galle Face Colombo will see participation by an IAF contingent comprising of Suryakiran & Sarang Aerobatic Display Teams and Tejas LCA. The IAF contingent arrived in Colombo on 27 Feb 21. The flypast will be significant and reminiscent of the IAF’s Suryakiran Display Team performance at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of SLAF, two decades ago.

During the course of the two day visit, CAS is scheduled to interact with various dignitaries and the heads of Services of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka. IAF and SLAF have had consistent cooperative exchanges over the years and interact regularly through Headquarter level Air Staff talks to share valuable experiences in the fields of ground and flying training, professional military education, HADR & operational best practices. Recent years have also seen the two Air Forces increase inter-personnel engagements through exchange visits of serving personnel and families to both countries.

The presence of the CAS during the inaugural day of the Air Show reinforces the strength of IAF-SLAF ties. The visit will further strengthen the existing cooperative process and open up newer avenues of mutual interest.