Sri Lanka and India are conducting the sea phase of their annual bilateral naval exercise SLINEX 2026 off India's east coast on September 20 and 21.
Sri Lanka Naval Ship Sindurala arrived at Visakhapatnam on September 17 to represent the Sri Lanka Navy in the exercise.
The vessel was formally welcomed by the Indian Navy according to naval traditions.
On September 18, Sindurala's Commanding Officer Captain Sunanda Appuhamy held official discussions with Commander Suraj Aiyappa, Commanding Officer of INS Kavaratti, aboard the two vessels.
The annual exercise is intended to strengthen cooperation, interoperability and professional exchanges between the Sri Lankan and Indian navies.
Personnel from Sindurala are also participating in professional and cultural programmes organised by the Indian Navy.
The exercise is a scheduled bilateral naval exercise and should not be characterised as evidence of a new defence treaty, military alliance or basing arrangement.