Indian Navy, Sri Lankan Navy joint maritime exercise underway (Photo: Indian Navy)
New Delhi: The 12th edition of joint maritime exercise – Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25) between India and Sri Lanka is underway in Sri Lanka from August 14, wherein INS Rana – a guided missile destroyer and INS Jyoti, the fleet tanker are participating.
Conceptualized in 2005, SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that has strengthened maritime cooperation between the two nations over two decades.
SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations.
The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted at Visakhapatnam, India from December 17 – 20, 2024.
The exercise will be conducted in two phases – the Harbour phase in Colombo from August 14 – 16, followed by Sea phase from August 17 – 18.
SLNS Gajabahu and Vijayabahu (both Advance Offshore Patrol Vessels) will be representing the Sri Lankan Navy and Special Forces of both the navies will also feature in the exercise.
During the harbour phase, professional interactions, Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), sharing of best practices, cultural & social exchanges along with yoga sessions and sporting events are planned, which would further bolster the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between both the navies.
The naval drills planned during the sea phase include gunnery firing serials, communication protocols, navigation, seamanship evolutions, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and fueling at sea.
The SLINEX maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka, which has strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain in consonance with India’s policy of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions MAHASAGAR.
