NEW DELHI: India’s biggest maritime exercise, which included warships from the navies of Russia and the Quad countries, concluded on Saturday. Russia and the US relations are under strain since Russia initiated military operations in Ukraine.
“The sea phase of the eleventh edition of MILAN which witnessed participation of 26 ships, one submarine and 21 aircraft, culminated on March 4,” the Indian Navy said. A source said, “A delegation of Russia, Navy Chief of Australia, Chief of Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force and the Chief of the United States Indo-Pacific Command attended the exercise.”
The exercise was significant as, “A series of complex and advanced exercises were undertaken in all three dimensions of Naval operations to enhance compatibility, interoperability, mutual understanding and maritime cooperation amongst the partner Navies.” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
The first two days of exercises at sea included complex Anti Air Warfare drills with US P8A aircraft shepherding a strike of Indian fighter aircraft on a formation of warships of the participating navies, the Navy said.
Additionally, weapon firings against low flying air targets were conducted, which reflected the high levels of interoperability. The exercise also “saw an increase in complexity including underway replenishment, advanced anti-submarine exercises with participation by aircraft, surface target firings and simulation of complex operational scenarios.”
MILAN Series of Multilateral Naval Exercise, made a modest beginning in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1995 with participation of four littoral navies of Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand.