IMNEX-26 India-Myanmar Naval Exercise Begins at Visakhapatnam

The eighth edition of the India-Myanmar Naval Exercise, known in short as IMNEX-26, is under way at Visakhapatnam. The exercise runs from 10 to 14 November 2026, and the Ministry of Defence gave out the details on 11 November 2026. Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command, which makes it the natural host for a bilateral exercise with a neighbour on the Bay of Bengal.

Ships and the opening

The Myanmar Navy ship UMS King Sin Phyu Shin reached Visakhapatnam on 10 November 2026 to join the exercise. From the Indian side, two ships are taking part: INS Rana and INS Sumedha. The opening ceremony was held on board INS Rana on 10 November 2026, which formally began the bilateral exercise.

Harbour phase

As with most bilateral naval exercises, IMNEX-26 has been split into a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase covers:

• Professional interactions between officers and sailors of the two navies.
• Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, or SMEEs, in which specialists brief each other on their own methods.
• Cross-deck visits, so that each crew can see how the other side runs its ship.
• Sporting engagements and discussions on operational matters.

Sea phase

The sea phase that follows will take in coordinated maritime operations, tactical manoeuvres and drills built to improve interoperability between the participating units. The aim is that the two navies can work from a common understanding of procedure when they operate together at short notice.

Why the exercise matters

India and Myanmar share a land border as well as a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal, and IMNEX is the platform the two navies use to carry forward maritime cooperation. The exercise gives each side a chance to exchange professional expertise, improve mutual understanding and build operational synergy. The Ministry of Defence placed IMNEX-26 within the government's MAHASAGAR vision, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and said the exercise reflects the commitment of both navies to a secure and stable regional environment. For an exam candidate, the useful points are the edition, the host port, the dates and the names of the three ships involved.