The 10th Edition of the annual Indian - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 is being held in Colombo.
The exercise is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase. The Harbour Phase was organized from April 3-5, followed by the Sea Phase from April 6-8.
The Indian Navy is represented by INS Kiltan and INS Savitri while Sri Lanka Navy is represented by SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS Samudura.
The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Visakhapatnam from 07-12 March 2022. Prior to that, the previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Trincomalee in October 2020.
The bilateral naval exercise, SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, improving mutual understanding and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations. Professional, cultural and sporting events, as also social exchanges are planned during the harbour phase to further bolster the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between both the navies.
India and Sri Lanka have a long-standing bilateral relationship, more so in the maritime domain. The cooperation between the two countries has been robust, covering various areas such as political engagement, economic and commercial ties, people-to-people connections, and cultural exchanges.
SLINEX-2023 is a testament to the deep maritime engagement between India and Sri Lanka. It aims to further enhance the cooperation between the two navies and reinforce the shared values and bonds of friendship and camaraderie.
SLINEX has grown in scope over the years to strengthen mutual cooperation, in consonance with India’s policy of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and PM Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’.
Key Takeaways
- The 10th Edition of the annual Indian - Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 is being held in Colombo.
- The exercise is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase.
- The Harbour Phase was organized from April 3-5, followed by the Sea Phase from April 6-8.
- The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted off Visakhapatnam from 07-12 March 2022.
