VISAKHAPATNAM: For 33 years, India and Singapore have strengthened their maritime cooperation through SIMBEX, one of the Indian Navy’s longest-running bilateral naval exercises with a foreign country.
The 33rd edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) commenced at the Eastern Naval Command headquarters in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
The Indian and Singaporean naval personnel are set to undertake a series of professional exchanges and maritime drills over six days.
Singapore’s Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) ship RSS Supreme arrived in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday to participate in the exercise, joining Indian Navy ships INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta.
The opening ceremony was held onboard the two Indian Navy ships, and attended by senior officers from both navies, including Rear Admiral Manoj Jha, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Eastern Naval Command, and Colonel Bertram Ang, Fleet Commander, Republic of Singapore Navy.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Rear Admiral Manoj Jha said the Indian Navy valued Singapore’s continued commitment to the exercise, which reflected the mutual trust and professional cooperation between the two maritime forces.
“Our partnership demonstrates how two professional maritime forces can strengthen one another through shared learning, mutual trust and a common commitment to excellence,” he emphasised.
Highlighting Visakhapatnam’s maritime importance, he noted that the city, with its maritime heritage and position as a major naval hub on India’s eastern coast, provided an appropriate setting for the exercise.
The Bay of Bengal connects India with Southeast Asia and underlines the importance of maritime cooperation between the two countries, he added.
He also welcomed the Singapore delegation and encouraged its members to experience the city’s hospitality and culture.
SIMBEX began in 1994 as Exercise Lion King and has since evolved into one of the Indian Navy’s longest-running bilateral naval exercises with a foreign country. Notably, the exercise has been conducted every year without a break, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the two navies adopted virtual planning and contactless formats.
Over the years, the exercise has expanded in scope and complexity, with live-firing drills, submarine participation and missile-firing activities demonstrating the professional trust between the two navies. It provides a platform for exchanging operational expertise, improving coordination and strengthening maritime security cooperation.
The six-day exercise will be conducted in two phases. The Harbour Phase, from October 21 to 23, will include professional interactions, subject matter expert exchanges, cross-deck visits, sporting engagements and planning conferences.
The Sea Phase, from October 24 to 26 in the Bay of Bengal, will feature maritime operations and tactical drills, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface and anti-air warfare exercises, seamanship evolutions and tactical manoeuvres.
The exercise seeks to enhance interoperability between the two navies and strengthen their ability to address common maritime security challenges. The sustained engagement between the Indian Navy and the RSN also reflects their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.