25th maritime exercise “SIMBEX-18” started between India and Singapore

The 25th edition of bilateral maritime exercise “SIMBEX-18” has started between the Navies of the Republic of Singapore and India from 10th to 21st November 2018 off Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. The SIMBEX 2018 will be the largest edition since 1994 in terms of scale and complexity. The initial harbour phase will be held at Port Blair, the capital of Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 10 to 12 November followed by Sea Phase from 12 to 16 November in the Andaman Sea. The second harbour phase from 16 to 19 November will be held at Visakhapatnam – ‘the City of Destiny’. The final sea phase would be held in the Bay of Bengal from 19 to 21 November. The 2018 edition marks the Silver Jubilee of Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX). To mark the historical occasion, both navies are undertaking exercises over an extended geography. The 25th edition will witness a diverse range of exercises at sea ranging from live weapon drills including Heavy Weight Torpedo (HWT), advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercises, integrated Surface and Anti-Air Warfare (AAW); Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations and Cross Deck Helicopter flying among others.