MILAN-22 gets under way in Visakhapatnam
- The biennial Multilateral Naval Exercise, MILAN-22, was officially inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence at a programme organised at Samudrika Auditorium at Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on Saturday.
- MILAN would be conducted till March 4. After the Harbour Phase, the Sea Phase, which comprises complex naval exercises, would begin from March 1.
MILAN EXERCISE
- It is a multilateral, biennial naval exercise that began in 1995.
- Since 1995, the Navy has organised ten editions of the Milan exercise, with the subject of ""synergy across the seas,"" to improve professional contacts and acquire best practises from friendly foreign fleets.
- This was the 11th edition of MILAN and the first to be hosted by the Eastern Naval Command in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam.
- All the previous editions had been held at Port Blair under the aegis of the Tri-Service Andaman and Nicobar Command.
- This was a large congregation of friendly navies and it gave significance to the word ‘MILAN’, which means “meeting” or “confluence” in Hindi.
- The participants included 13 ships from friendly foreign countries, 39 delegations, and one maritime patrol aircraft.
Importance of MILAN Exercise
- MILAN endeavours to promote “Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration” between like-minded navies.
- The goals of MILAN are aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.
- MILAN-22 will play a vital role in establishing regional synergy for achieving peace and prosperity through cooperation and collaboration.
- This edition of MILAN is larger and more complex than the previous ones, reflecting India’s growing stature as a responsible and reliable partner in the maritime domain, underscoring the Indian Navy’s commitment to maritime security across the global commons.
Various bilateral and multilateral military exercises
- Sampriti: India & Bangladesh
- Mitra Shakti: India & Sri Lanka
- Maitree Exercise: India & Thailand
- Vajra Prahar: India & US
- Yudh Abhyas: India & US
- Nomadic Elephant: India & Mongolia
- Garuda Shakti: India & Indonesia
- Shakti Exercise: India & France
- Dharma Guardian: India & Japan
- Surya Kiran: India & Nepal
- Hand in Hand Exercise: India & China
- SIMBEX: India & Singapore
- Shakti Exercise: India & France
- CORPAT: India & Thailand