New Delhi: The tenth edition of SLINEX-2023 bilateral maritime exercise is scheduled at Colombo from 3- 8 April 2023, the Ministry of Defence said.

The SLINEX-2023 is being conducted in two phases - the Harbour Phase in Colombo from 3-5 April , followed by Sea Phase from 6-8 April, off Colombo. According to press release, the Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by the SLNS Gajabahu (Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel) and SLNS Sagara (OPV), while the Indian Navy will be represented by the INS Kiltan (Advanced Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette) and INS Savitri (Offshore Patrol Vessel).

Participating in the drill will be the Dornier and BEL 412 helicopters of the Sri Lanka Air Force, the Dornier and Chetak helicopters of the Indian Navy, and the Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The practise will also include the two navies' special forces.
SLINEX's previous iteration took place in Visakhapatnam from March 7–12, 2022. SLINEX strives to improve interoperability, mutual understanding, and best practises exchange while cooperating on complex maritime operations.
"Professional, cultural, sporting, as well as social exchanges, are planned during the harbour period to further strengthen the links of friendship and solidarity between both navies," the ministry said.

The yearly  maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka, which has strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain. The aim of the exercise is to improve mutual understanding, enhance inter-operability, and exchange best practices and procedures in multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies 

It is also a testament to the strong engagement between India and Sri Lanka, which has resulted in increased cooperation in the maritime. The navies of both countries have been interacting more frequently in recent years in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR).

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