BILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISE SLINEX-26

Sep 23, 2026

1 min read

VIVEK NALI

The 13th edition of the India–Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise, SLINEX-26, concluded at Visakhapatnam on 21 Sep 2026.
Conducted from 17–21 Sep 26, the exercise provided opportunities for professional interactions, exchange of best practices and enhancement of interoperability between the two Navies.
The harbour phase of the exercise featured professional exchanges, cross-deck visits and sporting interactions between the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy.
The Sea Phase featured coordinated maritime manoeuvres, air operations, night replenishment at sea and Special Forces drills, including Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) and slithering operations.
These activities provided valuable opportunities to hone operational coordination and interoperability between the participating forces.
SLINEX-26 reflects the strong maritime partnership between India and Sri Lanka and their shared commitment towards a secure and stable Indian Ocean Region.
The exercise contributes to India’s vision of MAHASAGAR and the Neighbourhood First policy through enhanced maritime cooperation, interoperability and capacity building.