Preparations are underway for the twelfth edition of the Multilateral Exercise (MILAN), scheduled from February 19 to 27 in Visakhapatnam. With the Eastern Naval Command expecting the largest participation to date, over 50 countries have been invited to the event.

The city of Visakhapatnam is being transformed, with elaborate arrangements and a focus on the beach road from the Fishing Harbour to the Appughar area. GVMC Commissioner CM Saikanth Varma assured good hospitality for the delegates to ensure their comfort during their stay.

MILAN 2024 aims to enhance professional interaction among friendly navies and gain experience in multilateral large force operations at sea. Originally launched by the Indian Navy in 1995, MILAN has evolved with India's foreign policy initiatives like the 'Act East' policy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Security and Growth for All' (SAGAR) initiative.

The event will kick off with the opening ceremony at the Samudrika Naval Auditorium on February 21, followed by the International City Parade on the R Beach Road the next day. The beach road has been barricaded, and a MILAN Village is being recreated for the occasion.

The Harbour Phase will include an international maritime seminar, Swavlamban Expo, subject matter expert exchange, and meetings of young officers. Friendly foreign countries will join the host country in large force manoeuvres, advanced air defence operations, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface warfare operations during the sea phase.

Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Chief of Staff, ENC, highlighted the command's high tempo of activities and its focus on ensuring operational readiness. He praised ENC's deployments around the globe, supporting operations in diverse regions.

Looking ahead, Vice Admiral Saxena mentioned upcoming activities, including MILAN 2024 and large-scale theatre-level and multilateral exercises. He stressed the significance of the entire command's participation in making MILAN 2024 a resounding success, with representatives from over 50 countries and 20 ships and aircraft expected to arrive in Visakhapatnam for the event.

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