Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi arrived here on a four-day visit, the first since India acquired controlling interests in Colombo Dockyard PLC, the country’s main ship builder and repairer, most lovingly nurtured by assassinated Minister Lalith Athulathmudali, on June 27 this year.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL), affiliated to the Indian Defence Ministry secured 51% of shares for USD 52.96 mn.
Tripathi is scheduled to attend the 12th edition of the Sri Lanka Navy organized “Galle Dialogue International Maritime Conference” on September 24 and 25 at the Wave n’ Lake Navy Hall in Welisara. The theme for this year’s conference ‘Maritime Outlook of the Indian Ocean under Changing Dynamics’.
Sources said that the visit is also the first by a service commander after India and Sri Lanka signed seven MoU, including one on defence yet to be disclosed to parliament.
Ahead of Tripathi’s arrival INS Satpura, a Shivalik-class stealth multi-role frigate that has been built at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, India arrived at the Colombo port (SF)
Athulathmudali served as the Trade and Shipping and later the National Security Ministry in the JR Jayewardene government.