Prime Minister Gaston Browne paid an early morning visit to the Indian naval training vessel INS Sudarshini on Sunday, just hours before the ship departed St. John’s Harbour following a five-day stop in Antigua and Barbuda.

During the visit, Prime Minister Browne met with Captain Ravikanth Nandoori and senior officers aboard the vessel, which arrived in Antigua after spending 19 days at sea crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

PM Browne with Captain Ravikanth Nandoori and other officials

The INS Sudarshini departed Antigua and Barbuda en route to Norfolk, Virginia, before continuing on to New York as part of its international voyage.

The vessel’s visit drew several high-level engagements throughout the week, reflecting the growing ties between Antigua and Barbuda and India. Among those who paid courtesy calls to the officers and crew were Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene, and Brigadier Telbert Benjamin of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force.

The visit by the INS Sudarshini also provided an opportunity for cultural exchange and diplomatic engagement between the crew and officials in Antigua and Barbuda, while highlighting the longstanding friendship between the two nations.