SIMBEX 2021

• 06 Sep 2021

Why in News

Recently, India and Singapore have carried out 28^th edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).

Key Points

• About:
  
  • Initiated in 1994, SIMBEX is the Indian Navy's longest uninterrupted bilateral maritime exercise with any foreign navy.
  • 28^th edition of SIMBEX was a mega naval wargame in the southern fringes of the South China Sea, in reflection of their growing congruence of interests in the strategically key region.
• Other Defence Cooperation:
  
  • Both navies have a representation in each other's Maritime Information Fusion Centres and have also recently signed an agreement on mutual submarine rescue support and coordination.
  • Singapore participates in Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and multilateral exercise MILAN hosted by the Indian Navy.
  • Singapore’s membership of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and India’s membership of ADDM+ (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus) provides a platform for both countries to coordinate positions on regional issues of mutual concern.
• Other Exercises:
  
  • Bold Kurukshetra (Army)
  • Joint Military Training (Air Force)
  • Trilateral Maritime Exercise SIMTEX (with Thailand).

Note:

• Singapore has been Ranked 2^nd in the most powerful passport report ‘Henley Passport Index 2021’.
• The first UN treaty to be named after Singapore, the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (or, Singapore Convention on Mediation) recently came into force.
• Recently, the Hawker Culture in Singapore was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Source: TH