Visakhapatnam: Indian Navy ships INS Rana, guided missile destroyer, and INS Jyoti, fleet tanker, are in Sri Lanka, participating in the 12th edition of Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25) scheduled from August 14 to August 18, a media release from the Eastern Naval Command said on Saturday. Conceptualised in 2005, SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that has strengthened maritime cooperation between the two nations over two decades. The exercise aims at jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations to enhance interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchange best practices between the two navies.Visakhapatnam hosted the previous edition of SLINEX from December 17 to December 20 last year. The SLINEX harbour phase exercises took place in Colombo from August 14 to August 16. The sea phase will be on August 17 and August 18. Sri Lankan Naval Ships Gajabahu and Vijayabahu, both advanced offshore patrol vessels, are representing the Sri Lankan Navy in the joint naval exercises in which special forces of both the navies are participating
The harbour phase deals with professional interactions, subject matter expert exchange (SMEE), sharing of best practices, cultural and social exchanges, yoga sessions and sporting events, thereby bolstering the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between the two 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 fuelling at sea. SLINEX maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka. This has strengthened cooperation between the two countries in the maritime domain in consonance with India’s policy of mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions
Leave Comments