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SIMBEX-2026 ends at Visakhapatnam: Indian and Singapore navies drill in the Bay of Bengal

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The 33rd edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, SIMBEX-2026, hosted by the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam, concluded on Monday, 26 October 2026, the Ministry of Defence said in a PIB release issued on Tuesday.

SIMBEX-2026: A helicopter takes off from a ship's deck during SIMBEX-2026 in the Bay of Bengal
A helicopter takes off from a ship's deck during SIMBEX-2026 in the Bay of Bengal Photo: PIB (Government of India, free to use with credit).

How SIMBEX-2026 was conducted

The exercise was held in two phases. The harbour phase included subject matter expert exchanges, cross-deck visits, professional interactions, sports fixtures and planning conferences, meant to share operational knowledge between the two navies. The sea phase in the Bay of Bengal covered maritime interdiction operations, anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare and anti-surface warfare drills, along with seamanship evolutions and cross-deck flying, aimed at improving coordination and interoperability, the ministry said. Singapore’s Ministry of Defence said the exercise ran from 21 to 26 October, with a shore phase followed by the sea phase off Visakhapatnam. An earlier PIB release said the harbour phase ran from 21 to 23 October and the sea phase from 24 to 26 October, and that the opening ceremony was held on board INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta on 21 October.

Key Facts

  • Edition: 33rd SIMBEX
  • Host: Indian Navy, Visakhapatnam; ended 26 Oct 2026
  • Singapore: RSS Supreme with SH-70B helicopter
  • India: INS Nilgiri, INS Kamorta, P-8I, Dornier, Hawk, MH-60R
  • Drills: interdiction, ASW, anti-air, anti-surface

Ships and aircraft in the Bay of Bengal drills

The Republic of Singapore Navy was represented by RSS Supreme, a Formidable-class stealth frigate with an embarked SH-70B helicopter. The Indian Navy fielded the indigenously built stealth frigate INS Nilgiri, the anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta, and aviation assets including P-8I and Dornier maritime patrol aircraft, Hawk advanced jet trainers and MH-60R helicopters. During the exercise, Colonel Bertram Ang, Fleet Commander of the Singapore Navy, called on Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, and the two exchanged views on strengthening maritime cooperation. Singapore’s defence ministry also listed the Sindhughosh-class submarine INS Sindhukirti among the Indian units, and said the sea phase included gunnery firing, air defence and anti-submarine serials and ended with a sail-past. Shore-phase exchanges covered unmanned systems operations, submarine rescue and maritime air operations, it said.

Why SIMBEX matters for the Indian Ocean

The ministry said SIMBEX has served as an important platform for bilateral maritime cooperation, operational interoperability and professional engagement between India and Singapore, and that this edition showed both countries’ commitment to maritime security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region. Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command. The exercise ended before Cyclone Arnab approached the Andhra Pradesh coast; the release did not mention the storm. First held in 1994 as Exercise Lion King, SIMBEX is one of the Singapore Navy’s longest-running bilateral maritime exercises, according to both governments. “SIMBEX is a strong testament to the enduring and evolving defence relationship shared by the RSN and the IN,” Colonel Ang said, according to Singapore’s defence ministry.

Why It Matters: Regular drills with Singapore, which sits at the mouth of the Malacca Strait, help India keep sea lanes in the Indian Ocean secure.

Also on TrendDesh: INS Trishul reaches Civitavecchia in Italy after a passage exercise with the Italian Navy · GARUDA SHAKTI 2026: India and Indonesia special forces begin jungle exercise at Banyuwangi

Source: PIB, 27 Oct 2026 · MINDEF Singapore, 26 Oct 2026 · PIB: SIMBEX-2026 begins

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