IAF chief attends SLAF’s anniversary celebrations during two-day visit to Sri Lanka
Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria arrived in Colombo on a two-day visit on Wednesday and attended the inaugural ceremony of an air show celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF), according to an official statement.
The SLAF celebrated its 70th anniversary on March 2. It is conducting an air show from Wednesday to Friday to commemorate the occasion.
“During the course of the two-day visit, the CAS (Chief of Air Staff) is scheduled to interact with various dignitaries and the heads of the armed forces of Sri Lanka,” the statement issued by the Defence Ministry said.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and the SLAF have been interacting regularly through headquarters-level air staff talks to share valuable experiences in the fields of ground and flying training, professional military education and operational best practices, it added.
“The air show at Galle Face, Colombo, will see the participation of an IAF contingent comprising the Suryakiran and Sarang aerobatic display teams and the Tejas LCA (light combat aircraft),” the statement noted.
The IAF said on Twitter that Bhadauria met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne during the day.
Bhadauria also interacted with Sri Lankan President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was present during the inaugural ceremony of the air show.
The IAF chief is on a two-day visit to the island nation on an invitation from the Commander of the SLAF, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana.
“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,” the Defence Ministry statement said.
