New Delhi: Exercise MILAN 2026, the Indian Navy’s flagship multilateral maritime drill, concluded on Wednesday with a ceremonial closing onboard the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of Visakhapatnam.
The ceremony was presided over by Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. Commanding Officers and officers from all participating navies attended the event, marking the successful completion of one of the largest editions of the exercise.
Held under the theme “Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration,” Exercise MILAN 2026 saw participation on an unprecedented scale. A total of 42 ships, submarines, and 29 aircraft took part in the exercise. This included 18 ships from Friendly Foreign Countries, highlighting growing global maritime cooperation, according to an official statement.
In addition to helicopters embarked on foreign warships, maritime patrol aircraft from France, Germany, and the US also joined the drills.
The exercise began with a Harbour Phase featuring bilateral engagements, Subject Matter Expert Exchanges, and an International Maritime Seminar. Cultural programmes, cross-deck visits, and professional interactions strengthened ties among participating navies.
Special initiatives such as the MILAN of Young Officers interaction and friendly sports fixtures encouraged informal engagement and exchange of best practices.
The Sea Phase followed with high-intensity operational drills. These included integrated air defence exercises, anti-submarine warfare operations, maritime interdiction drills, surface strike coordination, communication exercises, and cross-deck flying operations. Live surface gun shoots and anti-air firings were also conducted to enhance combat preparedness.
