Navy's First Training Squadron Ships Arrive at Colombo

Three ships of the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron (1TS) — INS Tir, INS Sujata and the Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Sarathi — entered the harbour at Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 26 October 2026. The Sri Lanka Navy received them with a ceremonial welcome and a naval band, opening the port call.

What the First Training Squadron does

The squadron carries sea trainees of the Indian Navy through their first stretch of training afloat, and a foreign port call is a planned part of that schooling. Soon after the ships berthed, the Director General of Naval Training and the Commander of the Eastern Naval Area of the Sri Lanka Navy went aboard and spoke with the trainees, sharing views on how the two navies prepare their young officers.

Activities during the visit

• Cross-training visits, in which personnel of each navy spend time aboard the other's ships and watch its drills.
• A Passage Exercise (PASSEX) at sea, the standard exercise two navies carry out when ships part company after a port call.
• Professional exchanges meant to familiarise each side with the other's practices and procedures and to tighten coordination between them.
• Community outreach ashore, with the ships opened to members of the public.

India and Sri Lanka at sea

The visit is being read as one more marker of a long maritime partnership between the two neighbours, whose navies meet regularly for exercises, training and coordinated patrols. The port call also sits within India's MAHASAGAR vision, short for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, which frames India's maritime outreach in terms of shared security and shared prosperity rather than one-sided assistance.

Points worth noting

Two of the three vessels, INS Tir and INS Sujata, belong to the Navy, while ICGS Sarathi is a Coast Guard ship sailing with the squadron, a reminder that India's sea training brings the two services together. For an examination the useful handles are the squadron's name and number, the three ships, the host port and country, the date of arrival, the exercise type conducted during such visits and the full form of MAHASAGAR.