70 Nations Join India's MILAN 2026 Naval Exercise Inaugurated by Rajnath Singh

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi will be present on the occasion. Earlier, on February 15, the MILAN Village was inaugurated by Eastern Naval Command Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla. The harbour phase of MILAN 2026 commenced on Wednesday, followed by cultural performances and a formal dinner hosted for participating delegates in the evening.

Ahead of the official inauguration of the exercise, a two-day international maritime seminar will begin on Thursday.

The sea phase of MILAN 2026 is scheduled to start on February 21 and will conclude on February 25. Both the harbour and sea phases are designed to enhance interoperability among participating navies, strengthen maritime domain awareness, and conduct advanced drills in anti-submarine warfare, air defence, and search-and-rescue operations.

The exercise seeks to bring together navies of friendly foreign countries to deepen professional ties, exchange operational best practices and expand maritime cooperation.

The operational component of the exercise will emphasise large-scale, multilateral maritime operations, offering participating forces extensive experience in functioning as a coordinated and cohesive maritime grouping.

Initiated by the Indian Navy in 1995, MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval engagement that began with the participation of four regional countries -- Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The exercise was originally aligned with India's 'Look East Policy', which subsequently evolved into the 'Act East' policy and the vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR). The inaugural edition was conducted at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Over the years, the scope of the exercise has expanded significantly, transitioning from basic interoperability drills to complex, high-intensity warfare scenarios, including anti-submarine and anti-air operations, reflecting India's expanding maritime footprint.

Although traditionally hosted in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the venue was shifted to Visakhapatnam in 2020 owing to its more extensive and advanced naval infrastructure. While 42 nations participated in the 2022 edition, the ongoing edition has seen participation from 70 countries, marking a significant expansion in its global outreach.

- IANS