Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Gajabahu set sail on 25 October 2026 for India to take part in the inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise. The ship departed from the port of Colombo amid a traditional naval farewell.
The joint exercise involves India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand naval forces and coast guards as member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Scheduled from 30 October to 3 November, the exercise aims to enhance maritime domain awareness, build operational coordination across the Bay of Bengal region, and strengthen regional security cooperation.
Director General Operations Rear Admiral Chaminda Karunasena, Deputy Area Commander Western Naval Area Commodore Aruna Wijayawardhana, Director Naval Operations Commodore Athula Jayaweera were present on the occasion of the ship’s departure from Colombo. Meanwhile, Commanding Officer SLNS Gajabahu Captain Ashoka Weerasekara presented a memento to the Director General Operations on this occasion.
