SITMEX-2021

SITMEX-2021

The third edition of the trilateral naval exercise Singapore-India-Thailand Maritime Exercise (SITMEX) has been conducted in the Andaman Sea of the Indian Ocean.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • It is conducted annually, and was announced by India at Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018.
    
    • The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia’s premier defence summit. It was launched in 2002.
  • The first edition of SITMEX was hosted by the Indian Navy, and was conducted off Port Blair in September 2019.
  • Singapore hosted the second edition of the exercise in November 2020. The 2021 edition of the exercise is being hosted byThailand.
  • It includes a number of tactical training drills such as naval manoeuvres and surface warfare exercises.
  • It aims to strengthen mutual confidence and develop common understanding and procedures towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.
    
    • The exercise is in line with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
• Other Military Exercises between India and Thailand:
  
  • MAITREE (Army)
  • SIAM BHARAT (Air Force)
  • Indo-Thai CORPAT (Navy), which was conducted recently.
• Other Military Exercises between India and Singapore:
  
  • Bold Kurukshetra (Army)
  • Joint Military Training (Air Force)
  • SIMBEX (Navy)