Exercise Milan has grown from 5 IOR navies to 50 navies across the Indo-Pacific: Indian Navy chief

New Delhi/Visakhapatnam: From five Indian Ocean Region (IOR) navies in 1995 to 50 navies across the Indo-Pacific today, 'Milan' reflects the growing stature and increasing importance of such collective and cooperative endeavours in the maritime domain, Indian Navy chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar said on Wednesday.

In his address on the opening ceremony of ‘Exercise Milan 2024’, he said: "In the spirit of this shared humanity and a commitment to a safer, more collaborative maritime future, the Indian Navy looks forward to meaningful interactions, constructive engagements and positive outcomes with our friends and partners during this 'Milan'.

"Therefore, MILAN 2024 has been carefully curated to provide an all-encompassing experience to our participants."

More than 50 nations have come together to participating in this exercise, which aims to strengthen collaboration among participating navies. As many as 15 ships from friendly foreign countries and nearly 20 ships from the Indian Navy are part of the sea exercise, while nearly 50 aircraft including MiG 29K and P8I, and aircraft carriers Vikrant and Vikramaditya will also participate.

"The harbour phase that commenced on Tuesday has seen insightful discussions through Subject Matter Expert Exchanges and Table Top Exercises. While the International Maritime Seminar scheduled over next two days will provide senior commanders a platform to exchange ideas on crucial maritime challenges and opportunities, our young officers have been honing their sailing, submarine rescue and damage control skills at training simulators here," Admiral Hari Kumar said.

"Moving to the sea phase commencing February 24, we will see our warships sailing in unison and participating in a diverse array of operational drills pushing our collective boundaries and refining our skills together. These are not merely naval exercises, but a testament to the collective expertise and strength we bring to the fore as maritime nations," he said.

"This year, we have also organised a Milan Technical Exposition or MTEX to provide you a glimpse of India's promising indigenous industry powered by the vibrant Startup ecosystem and MSMEs," he added.

The Indian Navy chief welcomed all the partners from across the oceans and complimented the Eastern Naval Command for their efforts in organising this landmark event.

He said that it is a matter of singular privilege to welcome the Chief Guest, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

In addition to the professional interactions, recreational events, social gatherings, cultural tours, exhilarating sports competitions, and a captivating city parade are being organised to strengthen camaraderie, create long-lasting relationships and provide a flavour of India's rich heritage and culture.