The Sri-Lankan and Indian Navies successfully conducted and concluded the 12th edition of exercise (SLINEX-25) in the western seas off Colombo. The exercise is a shared commitment of both navies towards safeguarding security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“Both navies carry out a wide spectrum of operations across the ocean region to fulfill the nations' and regional maritime aspirations. These regular maritime exercises play a vital role in sustaining their operational readiness by enhancing their capabilities, advancing technology, and sharpening professional skills”, says the official statement.
The Sri Lanka Navy was represented by the Offshore Patrol Vessels SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS Sayura, while the Sri Lanka Air Force contributed a Bell 412 helicopter. The tanker-class INS Jyoti and the destroyer-class INS Rana were the Indian Navy’s representatives for SLINEX-25. Harbour and sea phases of the naval exercise helped both nations to strengthen their coordination and readiness.
The statement further observed that on the sidelines of SLINEX-25, Dr Satyanjal Pandey, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, embarked on the visiting Indian Naval Ships in Colombo. Also, the Indian High Commissioner, Santosh Jha, along with the Commanding Officers of the ships, honoured the fallen by placing floral tributes at the Indian Peace Keeping Force Memorial in Battaramulla.
As per the statement, the Indian Navy personnel "joined a series of goodwill events hosted by the Sri Lanka Navy, from training exchanges and friendly sports events to cultural visits and sightseeing tours, strengthening cooperation and friendship between the two navies".
Conceptualised in 2005, SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that has helped strengthen maritime cooperation between Sri-Lanka and India over 20 years. The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted at Visakhapatnam, India, from December 17 to 20, 2024.
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