Sea phase of MILAN to commence today in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: The sea phase of multilateral naval exercise MILAN will commence on Sunday in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam, marking the operational core of Indian Navy's exercise involving friendly foreign navies. Ships from friendly foreign countries will participate with Indian naval ships, submarines, and aircraft in the sea phase. Aircraft carrier INS Vikrant will also be part of the exercise.The sea phase will feature maritime operations, formation manoeuvres, and a range of naval warfare exercises aimed at strengthening interoperability among participating navies. Key activities include surface firings, anti-air and anti-submarine warfare drills, cross-deck helicopter operations, and aircraft carrier operations. As one of the largest multilateral naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific, MILAN-2026 brought together navies from across the globe to strengthen interoperability, maritime domain awareness, and collective response capabilities.The sea phase exercise will focus on complex maritime operations, including anti-submarine warfare, air defence, search and rescue, and cooperative security missions, reinforcing a shared commitment to free, open, inclusive, and rules-based seas. MILAN represents a major operational manifestation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘MAHASAGAR' (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth across Regions) vision, reaffirming India's role as a preferred security partner and a responsible stakeholder in the global maritime partnership.The participating navies will exercise in all domains of maritime warfare, namely surface, sub-surface, and air. They will also undertake complex and advanced exercises to consolidate interoperability and enhance mutual understanding to operate as a combined task force at sea.As part of MILAN, the Milan of Young Officers (MOYO) witnessed participation of over 60 young naval officers from friendly navies for two days of professional engagement. The highlights of the event were ship-handling simulator training at the maritime warfare centre, cross-deck visits onboard warships, sail training ship familiarisation onboard INS Tarangini, and a visit to the maritime museum of Vizag.As part of IFR-2026 and MILAN, visiting foreign naval dignitaries and personnel from friendly foreign navies visited Agra, marvelling at the timeless beauty and craftsmanship of the iconic Taj Mahal. It was a profound cultural exchange, deepening understanding of India's rich history, values, and heritage, and strengthening bonds through shared wonder.