SLINEX

On October 19, 2020, India and Sri Lanka are to begin a three-day military exercise “SLINEX”.

• On October 19, 2020, India and Sri Lanka are to begin a three-day military exercise “SLINEX”.
• The eighth edition of the exercise is to be held off coast of Trincomalee.
• It is to be conducted in non-contact at-sea only format. This strategy has been adopted due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• The drill will include series of anti-air weapons firing, cross deck flying operations to fine tune high degree of inter-operability.
• Indian Navy is to deploy INS Kiltan and INS Kamorta, Chetak helicopters and Dornier maritime patrol aircrafts in the exercise.  
• The Sri Lankan Navy is to be represented by SLN Ships Sayura and Gajabahu.
• Gajabahu is a training ship and Sayura is an offshore patrol vessel.
• In 2019, the SLINEX exercise was conducted in Vishakhapatnam. The exercise is being conducted in consonance with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region) and Neighborhood first policy of India.