The prestigious international naval exercise—MILAN 24—got off to a splendid start in the coastal Andhra city of Visakhapatnam, the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command.
Over 50 countries are participating in the eight-day-long event. As many as 15 ships and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft from friendly foreign countries are participating in the sea exercise.
From the Indian Navy, nearly 20 ships including aircraft carriers Vikrant and Vikramaditya and nearly 50 aircraft including MiG 29K and P8I will participate in the exercise. The US had sent its Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer, USS Halsey (DDG-97), which had reached Vizag coast on Sunday morning.
During the sea phase, participating navies will conduct advanced Air Defence, Anti- Submarine and Anti-Surface Warfare drills. Gunnery shoots on aerial and surface targets, manoeuvres and underway replenishment would also be conducted.
MILAN is being viewed as an excellent platform for the participating navies to share ideas to enhance security on the high seas and ensure the safety of maritime commerce for the growth and prosperity of all. Sea exercise would enhance interoperability, enable exchange of best practices and will boost confidence to undertake missions together in the future, to tackle common challenges.
From being a regional event, MILAN has metamorphosed into a prestigious, multilateral maritime exercise with participation by friendly foreign countries across continents. It made a modest beginning in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1995. The navies of Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand participated in this edition. This biennial congregation of friendly navies, over the last two and a half decades, has progressively grown in magnitude.
The previous edition, MILAN 2022 was also held in Visakhapatnam under the aegis of Eastern Naval Command.
“As the age-old adage goes, 'Oceans unite, they don't divide' - the seas connect all of us. In our professional lives, we navigate waters vastly separated by distance, but to a common destination of 'Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration' - the theme of MILAN 2024.
This spirit also derives from India's vision of 'SAGAR' - Security And Growth for All in the Region. It is also a reaffirmation of India's G20 Presidency theme - 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' or 'One Earth, One Family, One Future',” said chief of naval staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar.
He said that the 12th edition of MILAN aims to carry this shared idea forward. The events during this exercise will provide participants with an invaluable opportunity to share operational insights in the harbour, hone skills at sea, enhance camaraderie on the sports fields, and gain exposure to Indian culture.
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