In line with the 70th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Air Force, 23 aircraft of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy arrived here to participate in the event with an Aerobatic Display by Sarang (Advanced Light Helicopter), Surya Kiran (Hawks), Tejas Fighter Aircraft, Tejas Trainer and the Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.  

The Indian High Commission said , for the commemoration of this historical event, a Fly Past and an Aerobatic Display is also being organised for the first time in Sri Lanka at a grand scale at Galle Face from 03-05 Mar 21.   
The detachment for the Aerobatic Display arrived in Colombo on 27 Feb 21, with the support of the C17 Globe Master and C130J transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.   

  All the Indian aircraft on display are Made in India and as such represent the indigenous technical prowess of the Indian research and development sector & reliability of products of India’s Defence Industry. theTejas Trainer, on display for the first time, would also afford the opportunity of independent sorties for the Sri Lanka Air Force Pilots, accompanied with the Indian Pilots, the officers from the Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Navy will also have firsthand experience onboard the Indian Navy’s Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft.   Sri Lanka Air Force pilots and Sri Lanka Navy observers will fly along with the Indian crew. This is in continuation of the half yearly Dornier training sorties being facilitated for SLAF/ SLN. Sri Lanka is ‘Priority One’ partner for Indian in the sphere of Defence.   
The assurance of India’s fullest cooperation in the field of Defence and security was recently reiterated to Sri Lanka’s leadership by the National Security Adviser of India Mr Ajit Doval during his visit to Sri Lanka for the trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation talks among India, Sri Lanka and Maldives hosted by Sri Lanka in November 2020.   The participation of IAF and Indian Navy aircraft and personnel in the 70th Anniversary celebration of SLAF is indicative of the growing cooperation, camaraderie and friendship between the Armed Forces of the two nations,” the statement said.     

Pic by Kushan Pathiraja