Indian Navy’s multi-national exercise, MILAN 24, is all set to be organised in the City of Destiny, Visakhapatnam from 19 to 27 Feb 24. Previously, the eleventh edition of this exercise was held in Feb-Mar 22 in Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command with the theme ‘Camaraderie–Cohesion–Collaboration’.
MILAN is a biennial multi-national naval exercise which started in 1995 with participation of four foreign countries (Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand) in consonance with India’s ‘Look East Policy’. The exercise flourished under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar Command till its tenth edition. With the growing stature of the exercise and requirement of a larger staging and hosting base, Vishakhapatnam, the city of destiny was chosen as the preferred venue for future MILAN exercises. The city is ideal to host the event owing to various aspects, namely major commercial hub, large port, steep coastal gradient closer to its shores enabling Ships to operate closer to the shore and long coastline offering excellent viewing experience for the public. The scenic view from RK Beach in particular, coupled with excellent infrastructure is conducive to host various events planned during MILAN for the local populace along the shore, such as Operational Demonstration and International City Parade.
MILAN 24 exercise would comprise two phases – ‘Harbour phase’ and ‘Sea phase’. The harbour phase, aimed to promote cultural sharing amongst the participating nations, would comprise of International Maritime Seminar, International City Parade, Maritime Tech Exhibition, Subject Matter Expert Exchange, Milan of Young Officers and various sporting events. During the Sea phase, ships along with Maritime Patrol aircraft and submarines of Friendly Foreign Countries would participate along with the Indian Navy’s Aircraft Carriers and other units. It will involve large-force manoeuvres, advanced air defence operations, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface operations.
The MILAN exercise is an exemplary demonstration of India’s commitment towards promoting maritime cooperation and security in the Indian Ocean region. In a world where maritime security is of paramount importance, the MILAN exercise stands as a shining example of nations coming together to address common challenges and create a more secure and prosperous maritime environment. India’s growing strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region has further elevated the significance of MILAN exercise. It has become attractive platform for nations to build partnerships, exchange ideas, and enhance maritime security reflecting India’s commitment to being a responsible maritime power.
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Among the countries invited to MILAN 24 are Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Fiji, France, Gabon, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, Tonga, UAE, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam and Yemen.
