Colombo [Sri Lanka], August 20 : The 12th edition of the Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25) successfully concluded on August 18, in the western seas off Colombo, as per an official statement by the Sri Lankan Navy.
As per the statement, "both the 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 its capabilities, advancing technology and sharpening professional skills."
The annual SLINEX strengthened the cooperation and interoperability between the two navies, thereby reaffirming their shared commitment towards safeguarding security in the Indian Ocean Region.
As per the official statement, during SLINEX-25, 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 Indian Navy participated with the tanker-class INS Jyoti and the destroyer-class INS Rana.
The exercise had both harbor and sea phases, which strengthened the seamless coordination and readiness of the Indian and Sri Lanka naval forces.
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".
Snippets from the exercise were shared by the Indian Navy in several posts on X.
https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1956888620469813334
https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1957470779156660579
Conceptualised 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 to 20, 2024.
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.