28th edition of Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)

CategoryDefence

Last Updated05/09/2021

The 28th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) was conducted in the southern fringes of the South China Sea from 02 to 04 Sep 2021.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s SIMBEX was planned without any physical interactions as an ‘at-sea only’ exercise hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

SIMBEX, initiated in 1994, is the Indian Navy’s longest uninterrupted bilateral maritime exercise with any foreign navy.
Participants from Indian Navy -- Guided Missile Destroyer INS Ranvijay with a shipborne helicopter, ASW Corvette INS Kiltan and Guided Missile Corvette INS Kora and one P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
Participants from the RSN -- Formidable Class Frigate, RSS Steadfast, embarked with an S-70B naval helicopter, one Victory Class Missile Corvette, RSS Vigour, one Archer Class Submarine and one Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
Both navies have a representation in each other’s Maritime Information Fusion Centres.

India and Singapore have a longstanding and comprehensive partnership in the area of defence
Both countries have Annual Ministerial and Secretary-level dialogues, Staff level talks between the three wings of Armed forces to strengthen the defence cooperation.
Singapore participates in IONS and multilateral Exercise MILAN hosted by the Indian Navy.
India provides training to Singapore Army and Air force in India every year.
In January 2021, both countries had signed an implementing agreement on submarine rescue support between their navies.
India also signed a naval pact with Singapore to access each other’s bases and reciprocal logistics support for warships, as part of the overall policy to steadily build military ties with ASEAN countries to tackle down Chinese influence.

strength of bilateral defence ties between both countries.
military-to-military exchanges to humanitarian aid and disaster relief and cyber security.