By News: The eighth editions of annual India Navy – Sri Lanka Navy bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-20 has scheduled at Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 October 2020. The Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLN Ships Saurya (Offshore Patrol Vessel) and Gajabahu (Training Ship) led by Rear Admiral Bandara Jayathilaka, the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Sri Lanka Navy. The Indian Navy will represent indigenously built ASW corvettes Kamorta and Kiltan under the command of Rear Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. Also, Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Chetak helicopter embarked onboard IN ships, and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft will take part.
About SLINEX-20
This exercise aims to build up inter-operability, improve mutual understanding and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations linking both navies. Moreover, the exercise will also exhibit the capabilities of our indigenously constructed naval ships and aircraft.
To enhance the high degree of interoperability between two navies, they will be planning to include surface and anti-air exercises covering weapon firing, seamanship evolutions, manoeuvres and cross deck flying operations.
SLINEX Exercise
The first SLINEX exercise took in 2005.
From 4 to 7 November 2013, SLINEX-13 was conducted off the coast of Goa. In this exercise, INS Talwar and SLNS Sagara participated. This exercise conducted major activities were replenishment at sea approaches, visit, board, search and seizure exercise, surface firing on a floating target, flying operations and asymmetric threat operations.
The fourth SLINEX was conducted on 27 October and 15 November, off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. SLNS Saurya, SLNS Samudra, SLNS Sagara, INS Kora, INS Kirpan and INS Savitri included.
SLINEX 2018 conducted from 7 to 13 September 2018, off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. SLNS Sayurala, SLNS Suranimala, SLNS Samudura, INS Kirch, INS Cora, and INS Sumitra together with helicopter and two Dornier air crafts of the Indian Navy included.
SLINEX series of exercise represents the deep combat between India and Sri Lanka, which has strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain. Cooperation between the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy has also grown remarkably in recent years, in consonance with India’s Policy ‘Neighbourhood First and Hon’ble PM’s vision of Security and Growth for all in the region (SAGAR)’. Synergy developed during SLINEX exercise which shows the result seamless coordination of joint IN – SLN efforts in September 2020 to assist to MT New Diamond, a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), which had caught fire off the East Coast of Sri Lanka.
Source: PIB
