- The 10th Edition of the annual Indian – Sri Lanka Bilateral Maritime exercise SLINEX-2023 is scheduled to be held in Colombo on the 3rd of April.
- The exercise is being conducted in two phases of three days each, the Harbour Phase followed by Sea Phase.
- The Indian Navy will be represented by INS Kiltan and INS Savitri while Sri Lanka Navy will have SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS Samudura.
- In addition, the Indian Navy Chetak helicopter and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft along with Sri Lanka Air Force Dornier and BEL 412 helicopters would also participate in the exercise.
- The exercise will also have the Special Forces of the two navies participate together.
- SLINEX-2023 will aim to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures in multi-faceted Maritime operations between both Navies.
- The Harbour Phase would include sports fixtures, yoga sessions and cultural events which would provide an opportunity for personnel from both navies to learn from each other, and re-enforce shared values as well as build bonds of friendship and camaraderie.
- The port phase will include sports events, yoga sessions and cultural programs which will provide an opportunity to build bonds of friendship and brotherhood.
SLINEX:-
- SLINEX (Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise) took place for the first time in 2005. The 9th SLINEX-2022 was held from 7-10 March 2022 at Visakhapatnam and Bay of Bengal.
- India and Sri Lanka also conduct joint military exercise “Mitra Shakti”.
- In addition trilateral exercise ‘DOSTI’ (between Coast Guards of India, Maldives and Sri Lanka) is conducted.
