NEW DELHI (PTI): With political parties in Tamil Nadu vehemently opposing military ties with Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry has asked the Indian Navy to hold joint exercises with the island nation in future away from four southern states.
The Indian Navy has so far held two exercises under code name 'SLINEX' and the last edition was held along the coast of Trincomalee in September, 2011 after the first in 2005.
"The Defence Ministry has advised us to hold the SLINEX-series exercises with our Sri Lankan counterparts away from the coasts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka," a Navy official told PTI here.
The Defence Ministry has issued the advisory probably keeping in mind the sensitivities involved in the whole episode, he said.
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