As the Indian Navy looks to mark Navy Day on December 4, it is also gearing up to host its largest multilateral exercise early next year. The next edition of Exercise MILAN is scheduled to be held in February 2024, and is expected to see the participation of over 50 countries, defence sources said while noting that this reflects the significant expansion of the Navy’s engagements as well as capacity to assist countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as the first responder and Preferred Security Partner.
“Presence and operational reach by the Indian Navy through Mission Based Deployments and other operational engagements has steadily enhanced. There are 17 multilateral and 20 bilateral exercises that the Navy conducts annually which exemplifies India’s commitment to maintaining strong defence ties,” a defence source said. “These exercises are crucial for honing operational capabilities, sharing best practices, building mutual trust, fostering interoperability, strengthening diplomatic ties, and enhancing maritime security. They not only demonstrate India’s naval prowess but also contribute to the shared goal of ensuring a secure and stable maritime environment.”
Exercise Milan is a biennial multilateral naval exercise which began in 1995, and has since significantly expanded in scope and scale to become the largest exercise held by India. The mid-planning conference of Milan-24 was held in October this year. The last edition of Milan, which is held off Visakhapatnam, saw participation from over 40 countries.
