The biennial Multilateral Naval Exercise, MILAN-22, was officially inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt 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.
The Union Minister inaugurated the event in the presence of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chiefs of Navies, delegation heads of participating countries, and the commanding officers and crew of all participating ships.
This was the 11th edition of MILAN and the first to be hosted by the Eastern Naval Command in Vishakhapatnam.
All the previous editions had been held at Port Blair under the aegis of the Tri-Service Andaman and Nicobar Command.
The participants included 13 ships from friendly foreign countries, 39 delegations, and one maritime patrol aircraft.
Inaugurating the event, the Union Minister said this was a large congregation of friendly navies and it gave significance to the word ‘MILAN’, which means “meeting” or “confluence” in Hindi.
MILAN endeavours to promote “Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration” between like-minded navies, he added.
“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,” said Admiral Hari Kumar.
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.
As a part of the Harbour Phase, a MILAN village has been set up at Tarang Naval Institute. The village will provide a glimpse of Indian culture to the visitors, showcasing Indian handicrafts, cuisine and arts, especially from the State of Andhra Pradesh. The village will also provide a venue for social interaction and cultural exchange between the participating navies.
City Parade
As part of MILAN, a City Parade and Operations Demonstration would be conducted on Sunday at R.K. Beach.
The programme includes an address by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who is the chief guest, dance by children from schools, parade by marching contingents from the participating navies, operation demos by the Marine Commandos, flypast by naval aircraft, cultural and tableaux display, illumination of ships, laser show, and fire works display. The programme will begin at 5.30 p.m.
