INS Sarvekshak, a Survey Ship of Indian Navy arrived in Colombo for Survey Assistance yesterday (24), the Indian High Commission said today (25).

The ship, equipped with the state of the art survey equipment including the Side Scan Sonar, would assist in the Survey efforts being undertaken in vicinity of the ill fated MV X-Press Pearl and off Colombo. INS Sarvekshak was deployed upon a formal request from the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure safety of navigation in area outside the Colombo harbour. The joint survey operations would have the coordinated participation of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka Navy and Indian Navy. A coordination meeting was conducted on today (25) to discuss further plan of the survey. The meeting was attended by Prof. A Navaratneraja, Chairman NARA, Dr. H.M.P. Kithsiri, Director General NARA, Captain Vikas Sood, Defence Adviser at High Commission of India in Sri Lanka and Capt Wijesooriya from the Sri Lanka Navy. In continuation of Operation Sagar Aaraksha 2, the joint Survey Operations would assist in restoring safe navigation in the area and compliment India’s 'Neighborhood First' policy that calls for, amongst other things, swift support in mitigating such calamities in the Indian Ocean Region.