INS Rana, a guided missile destroyer, and INS Jyoti, a fleet tanker, have arrived at Colombo to participate in the 12th edition of the exercise, running from August 14-18, a Navy spokesperson said.
SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchanging of best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations.
The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted at Visakhapatnam, India from December 17-20 last year.
The exercise will be conducted in two phases – the harbour phase in Colombo from August 14-16 followed by the 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,” the spokesperson said. During the harbour phase, professional interactions, subject matter expert exchange, sharing of best practices, cultural and 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 Indian Navy said. “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,” it said.
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), the spoksperson said.
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