Indian Naval Ships in Sri Lanka for SLINEX-25

Indian Naval Ships INS Rana (a Guided Missile Destroyer) and INS Jyoti (Fleet Tanker) arrived at Colombo to participate in the 12th edition of Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25) scheduled from 14-18 August 2025. Conceptualised in 2005, SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise that has strengthened maritime cooperation between the two nations over two decades. SLINEX aims at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations. The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted at Visakhapatnam, India from 17-20 December 2024.

The exercise was conducted in two phases: Harbour phase in Colombo from 14- 16 August followed by Sea phase from 17-18 August. SLNS Gajabahu and Vijayabahu (both Advance Offshore Patrol Vessels) represented the Sri Lankan Navy and Special Forces of both the navies also featured in the exercise.

During the harbour phase, professional interactions, Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE), sharing of best practices, cultural and social exchanges along with yoga sessions and sporting events were held to further bolster the bonds of friendship and camaraderie between both the navies. The naval drills planned during the sea phase included gunnery firing serials, communication protocols, navigation, seamanship evolutions, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and fuelling at sea.

The SLINEX maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka, which has strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain in consonance with India’s policy of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).