Sri Lanka thanks India for strengthening its Navy

[TamilNet, Saturday, 29 August 2009, 04:36 GMT]
SLNS 'Sayurala', an Off Shore Patrol Vessel (OPV) was commissioned at the Sri Lanka Navy Dockyard, Trincomalee Friday morning by Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse. He thanked the Government of India for facilitating the acquisition of an Off Shore Patrol Vessel (OPV) “Vigraha” for the Sri Lankan Navy. Mr. Gothabaya Rajapakse handed over the Commissioning Warrant to the Commanding Officer of the Vessel Captain SA Weerasinghe, media reports said.

Gothabaya Rajapakse said the gesture of goodwill by the Government of India will strengthen the bilateral relations and build better cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

The former Indian Coast Guard Ship '’Vigraha' joined the Sri Lanka Navy fleet on August 23, 2008 and was assigned Pennant Number P 623.

The OPV was built by Mazagon Dockyard Ltd, of Mumbai in India in 1990. With a length of 74.10m and breadth of 11.40m, it has a speed of a maximum 21.5 Knots. Its draught is 3.58m maximum. The Net registered tonnage is 750 Tons and Gross registered tonnage is 1247 Tons. The Vessel is equipped with Marine Surveillance Radar and Communication equipment for the assigned role in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone.