New Delhi, Aug 11: Cooperative engagements in the fields of marine pollution response and maritime search and rescue topped agenda at the 8th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) held on Monday, an official said.

The meeting underscored the mutual resolve of ICG and SLCG to deepen operational coordination, share best practices, and further promote regional maritime stability through sustained cooperation, he said.

The talks marked another milestone in the strong and enduring maritime partnership between the two countries who reaffirmed their commitment to work closely, the official said in a statement.

The discussions centred on strengthening cooperative engagements in the fields of marine pollution response, maritime search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement, along with enhanced capacity building and technical assistance initiatives, said the statement.

The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Director General SLCG Rear Admiral Y.R. Serasinghe and the Indian delegation headed by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in addressing contemporary maritime challenges, ensuring safety, security, and environmental stewardship in the shared maritime domain, the statement said.

The SLCG delegation is visiting India from August 10-14, for the HLM and other professional interactions under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the ICG and SLCG in 2018.

Earlier, the Indian Navy announced that it is preparing for the simultaneous commissioning of two advanced frontline frigates - Udaygiri (F35) and Himgiri (F34) - on August 26 at Visakhapatnam.

This will be the first time that two major surface combatants from two prestigious Indian Shipyards are being commissioned at the same time, an official said.

Both ships are the result of an industrial ecosystem spanning over 200 MSMEs, supporting approximately 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs.

This milestone showcases the success of the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives in the defence sector, said an official statement. (IANS)

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