A sailing team of Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala comprising one officer and three cadets won the Gold medal in the 5-nations Commandant’s Cup Sailing Regatta 2023 organized by the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA), Trincomalee from 09-11 January 2023.
2. The winners were felicitated by VAdm Priyantha Perera, Commander of Sri Lanka Navy, who handed over the Commandant’s Cup- 2023. High Commissioner of India Gopal Baglay also lauded the team for their achievement in his interaction with them on 12 January 2023.
3. Participation of the INA sailing team in the Commandant’s Cup is in line with Indian Navy’s endeavour to build ‘Bridges of Friendship’. A team comprising one officer and two cadets from NMA, Trincomalee had earlier participated in Admiral’s Trophy Sailing Regatta at INA from 04-10 Dec 2022. An ocean sail training course is being imparted to a team from Sri Lanka from 15 Dec 2022 to 15 January 2023 in India.
Further, five ocean going Indian Navy Sailing Vessels (INSVs) had visited Sri Lanka from 10-19 March 2022 during which ocean sail training and experience were provided to Sri Lanka Navy personnel. In addition, in response to a request from Sri Lanka, sailing gear for ten sailing boats was provided by the Indian Navy in March 2022. Driven by India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, cooperative engagements between the Navies of India and Sri Lanka in the field of sailing aim to instill the spirit of camaraderie, brotherhood and sportsmanship.
