SIMBEX-2026 Opens at Visakhapatnam in Its 33rd Edition

The 33rd edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise, called SIMBEX-2026, opened at Visakhapatnam on 21 October 2026. The drill keeps the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) at sea and in harbour together until 26 October 2026.

How the edition opened

The RSN warship RSS Supreme reached Visakhapatnam on the opening day to take part. The opening ceremony was held aboard two Indian Navy warships, INS Nilgiri and INS Kamorta. Officers of both navies were present, among them the Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Eastern Naval Command and the Fleet Commander of the RSN.

It began as Exercise Lion King

The series dates to 1994, when it was first held under the name Exercise Lion King. It has grown wider and harder with each edition, and now counts among the steadiest naval engagements India keeps with any partner. Repeated editions have built familiarity between the two fleets and let them work to common procedures at short notice.

The two phases

The harbour stage puts crews in the same rooms ashore and aboard each other's decks. The sea stage moves the two fleets into the Bay of Bengal, where the serious gunnery and sensor work is done.

What the sea phase drills

• Anti-submarine warfare, abbreviated ASW
• Anti-surface and anti-air warfare drills
• Seamanship evolutions
• Tactical manoeuvres by ships in company

Why it matters

The exercise is read as a marker of the maritime partnership between India and Singapore. Both navies describe the aim as better interoperability, a shared answer to common maritime security problems, and peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific. For an aspirant the exercise is a standard pairing question: SIMBEX is India with Singapore, and nothing else.