NEW DELHI (PTI): Three Indian naval ships reached Trincomalee for the sixth edition of the SLINEX 2018 -- a bilateral naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka -- which began on Friday.

The inaugural ceremony of the exercise was held on board Sri Lankan Navy's SLNS Sayurala and was attended by Rear Adm Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, Indian Navy's Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, and Sri Lankan Navy's Rear Adm S A Weerasinghe, Commander Eastern Naval Area and Rear Adm Ananda Kumar Guruge, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, a statement by the Indian Navy said.

Earlier, Indian naval ships Kirch, Sumitra and Cora Divh entered Trincomalee to participate in the sixth edition of the SLINEX 2018 from September 7 to 13, it said.

In addition to three ships, one ship-borne integral helicopter and two maritime patrol aircraft Dornier are participating from the Indian side, while the Sri Lankan Navy is represented by SLN Ships Sayurala, Samudra and Suranimala.

The exercise is being conducted in two phases. The first is the 'harbour phase' from September 7 to 10 at Trincomalee during which the participants will engage in professional, sporting and social interactions, the statement said.

The 'harbour phase' will be followed by the 'sea phase' from September 11 to 13 in the Bay of Bengal off Trincomalle and will include gun firings, communication procedures, seamanship as well as navigation evolutions and helicopter operations.

The SLINEX series of bilateral maritime exercises were initiated in 2005 and since then five successful engagements have been conducted.