SLINEX

SLINEX (Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise) are a series of naval exercises between the Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy. The first SLINEX exercise took place in 2005.^[1] The 12th edition took place in 2025.

INS Talwar and SLNS Sagara during SLINEX 2013.

SLNS Sindurala and INS Sumedha during SLINEX 2019

SLINEX 2013

SLINEX-13 was conducted off the coast of Goa from 4 to 7 November 13.

INS Talwar and SLNS Sagara participated in the exercise. The exercise was conducted over two phases with the harbour phase from 4 to 5 November 13 and the sea phase with debrief from 6 to 7 November 13.

The major activities conducted as part of the exercise were replenishment at sea approaches, visit, board, search, and seizure exercise, surface firing on a floating target, flying operations and asymmetric threat operations.

SLINEX 2015

The fourth SLINEX took place between 27 October and 15 November 2015, off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The vessels taking part included SLNS Sayura, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Sagara, INS Kora, INS Kirpan and INS Savitri.^[2][3]

SLINEX 2018

SLINEX 2018 took place between 7 and 13 September 2018, off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. The vessels taking part included SLNS Sayurala, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Suranimala, INS Sumitra, INS Kirch and INS Cora together with 2 Dornier air crafts and a helicopter of the Indian Navy.^[4]

SLINEX 2020

The navies of India and Sri Lanka with anti-submarine warfare corvettes INS Kamorta and INS Kiltan as well as offshore patrol vessel Sayura and training ship Gajabahu respectively begin a three-day exercise Slinex 2020 to highlight growing congruence.^[5] The eighth edition was scheduled off Trincomalee, Sri Lanka from 19 to 21 October.^[1]

SLINEX 2024

The exercise was conducted between 17 and 20 December 2024 which included the Harbour Phase (17 to 18 December) and Sea Phase (19 to 20 December). The exercise will be conducted from Visakhapatnam. Both the countries will deploy an Offshore Patrol Vessel each embarked with a Special Forces team. INS Sumitra and SLNS Sayura will take part in the exercise. The Sea Phase will include joint exercises with Special Forces operations, gun firing, communication drills, and helicopter operations among others.^[6]

SLINEX 2025

This was the 12th edition of the SLINEX and was hosted by Sri Lanka between 14 and 18 August 2025. The harbour phase was conducted from 14 to 16 August at Port of Colombo while the sea phase was held on 17 and 18 August. India and Sri Lanka was represented by a guided missile destroyer, INS Rana (D52), a replenishment oiler, INS Jyoti (A58); and two advanced offshore patrol vessels SLNS Gajabahu (P626) and SLNS Vijayabahu (P627), respectively. A Special Forces team of both the navies also participated in the exercise. While the 147 m-long, 300 crew-strong INS Rana was commaned by Captain KP Sreesan, the 180.16 m-long, 200 crew-strong INS Jyoti was commaned by Captain Chetan R Upadhyay.^[7]