Sri Lanka, India begin joint naval exercise

A six-day joint naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka commenced in the seas off Trincomalee, in the eastern part of the island nation on Tuesday, the navy media unit said.

The joint exercise titled "SLINEX 2015" is scheduled to terminate on Nov. 1. Six naval ships and six Fast Attack Craft of the Sri Lankan Navy and three ships of Indian Navy will take part in the joint training this year.

The navy said that this exercise paves the way for operational effectiveness through common understanding of neighboring navies.

Moreover, it concerns on maintaining effective maritime security in the region by integrating forces through cooperation, coordination and collaboration, the navy said.

"This leads to mutual understanding of limitations and capabilities, to enhance service interoperability and system compatibility in countering challenges," the navy media unit said.

The joint exercise is seen as a great opportunity for both the navies to rehearse and improve capabilities such as cross deck operations, replenishment at sea and information sharing. Furthermore, they will also carry out coordinated helicopter operations at sea during the exercise.

"Indian Navy has been a great mentor of Sri Lanka Navy in many maritime aspects. Regular joint exercises have facilitated both the navies to gradually and systematically develop professionalism through these interactions," the navy said. Enditem