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India, Sri Lanka Conclude SLINEX-26 Maritime Exercise, Bolstering Regional Security
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News18•24-09-2026, 16:15
India, Sri Lanka Conclude SLINEX-26 Maritime Exercise, Bolstering Regional Security
- •The Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy successfully completed the 13th edition of their bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX-26, off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
- •The five-day exercise included a harbour phase for camaraderie and a sea phase with complex operational manoeuvres.
- •Naval units executed high-intensity operations, including tactical seamanship, air operations, night replenishment-at-sea, and Special Forces drills like VBSS and combat slithering.
- •Participating assets included India’s INS Kavaratti and INS Jyoti, and Sri Lanka’s SLNS Sindurala.
- •SLINEX-26 underscores deepening defence cooperation, mutual trust, and commitment to maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region, aligning with India's MAHASAGAR vision and Neighbourhood First policy.
Key Questions Answered
The 2026 iteration featured India's indigenous anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kavaratti and fleet tanker INS Jyoti, alongside the Sri Lanka Navy's offshore patrol vessel SLNS Sindurala.
The bilateral maritime exercise took place off the coast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, India.
The sea phase included seamanship evolutions, air operations, night replenishment at sea, and Special Forces drills such as Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) and combat slithering operations.
