VISAKHAPATANAM: The sea phase of Exercise MILAN 2026 will commence on Sunday in the Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam, marking the operational core of the Indian Navy’s flagship multilateral naval exercise.
The exercise brings together friendly foreign navies to participate alongside Indian naval ships, submarines and aircraft in coordinated maritime operations.
The aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, one of the Navy’s latest and most significant platforms, will take part in the sea phase along with other frontline warships.
Participating foreign naval ships will operate in close coordination with Indian units, reflecting the growing scope and scale of the exercise.
The sea phase will feature a range of structured maritime operations and naval warfare drills designed to strengthen interoperability among participating navies.
Activities will include formation manoeuvres, surface firings, anti-air warfare drills, anti-submarine warfare exercises, cross-deck helicopter operations and aircraft carrier operations.
The exercise will cover all domains of maritime warfare, surface, sub-surface and air, enabling participating forces to train together in complex operational scenarios.
Submarines and anti-submarine warfare units will conduct coordinated drills to detect and track underwater threats, while air defence units will undertake exercises aimed at countering aerial challenges.
Search and rescue operations and cooperative security missions will also form part of the operational schedule.
MILAN 2026 is among the largest multilateral naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific region.
The mega event in Bay of Bengal has brought together navies from across the globe to enhance maritime domain awareness, operational coordination and collective response capabilities.