The Indian Air Force aerobatic display teams, the fixed wing Suryakirans and rotary wing Sarang, along with the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas arrived at Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 27 February 2021 on an invitation from Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). The Suryakirans, Sarang and LCA Tejas participated at the Air Show at Galle Face, Colombo which took place 3-5 March 2021 as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of SLAF.
The IAF and SLAF have seen active exchanges and interactions for a number of years in diverse fields like training, operational exchanges and through professional military education courses. IAFs participation in the 70th anniversary celebration of SLAF is “a further manifestation of the strong professional bonds that the two Air Forces share”. The IAF Suryakiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) had earlier toured Sri Lanka in 2001 for the 50th anniversary celebrations of SLAF. A day before the event, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force arrived at Colombo on an invitation from Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). During the course of the two day visit, CAS interacted with various dignitaries and the heads of Services of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka.