New Delhi: The Indian Navy is hosting the 29th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) from 26 to 30 October at Visakhapatnam. SIMBEX-2022 is being conducted in two phases – Harbour Phase at Visakhapatnam from October 26 to 27 followed by the Sea Phase in the Bay of Bengal from October 28 to 30. Two ships from the Republic of Singapore Navy, RSS Stalwart (a Formidable Class Frigate) and RSS Vigilance (a Victory Class Corvette) arrived in Visakhapatnam on October 25 for participation in the exercise.
Rear Admiral Sean Wat Jianwen, Fleet Commander, Republic of Singapore Navy called on Vice Admiral Biswajeet Dasgupta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command and Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet on October 25. During the meetings, issues of common concerns were discussed.
The Harbour Phase witnessed extensive professional and sporting interactions between the two navies including cross deck visits, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) and planning meetings.
SIMBEX series of exercises began in 1994 and were initially known as Exercise Lion King. The scope and complexity of the exercise has risen substantially over the past two decades to include advanced naval drills covering a wide spectrum of maritime operations. The exercise exemplifies the high level of cooperation between India and Singapore in the maritime domain. It also highlights the commitment and contribution of the two nations towards enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.
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