An Indian naval officer stands guard before the Indo-Lanka joint naval exercise at Trincomalee navy base in Trincomalee, about 275km (171 miles) east of Colombo, September 23, 2011. The five-day joint exercise, which involves over a dozen ships, helicopters and one maritime reconnaissance aircraft, aims to strengthen ties and foster an exchange of knowledge between both navies. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte (SRI LANKA - Tags: MILITARY POLITICS)