Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally inaugurate a major multilateral naval exercise on Thursday at the Samudrika Auditorium, marking the start of a large international maritime engagement focused on operational cooperation and regional security.
Chief of the Naval Staff Dinesh K. Tripathi will attend the ceremony. Earlier preparations included the inauguration of the MILAN Village on February 15 by Sanjay Bhalla, Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command. The harbour phase began Wednesday, followed by cultural programmes and a formal dinner for international delegates.
Ahead of the official inauguration, organisers scheduled a two-day international maritime seminar beginning Thursday. The event will bring naval representatives and experts together for discussions on maritime cooperation and operational coordination.
The sea phase of the exercise will run from February 21 to February 25. Organisers designed both harbour and sea components to improve interoperability among participating navies, expand maritime domain awareness and conduct coordinated drills. Planned activities include anti-submarine warfare exercises, air defence operations and search-and-rescue coordination, reflecting the operational scope of the engagement.
The exercise aims to strengthen professional ties among friendly foreign navies, facilitate exchange of operational practices and promote broader maritime cooperation. Officials emphasise that large-scale multilateral operations will provide participating forces with experience in functioning as a cohesive maritime grouping.
The initiative originated in 1995 under the Indian Navy as a biennial multilateral engagement. The first edition involved four regional participants, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and was held at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Initially aligned with India’s regional outreach policy frameworks, the exercise has expanded significantly over time. Its operational complexity has evolved from basic interoperability activities to high-intensity warfare scenarios, including anti-submarine and anti-air operations, mirroring India’s expanding maritime engagement.
Although the exercise traditionally took place in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, authorities shifted the venue to Visakhapatnam in 2020 because of its more advanced naval infrastructure and logistical capacity. Participation has also grown steadily, with 42 nations involved in the 2022 edition and 70 countries taking part in the ongoing edition, signalling a notable expansion in international outreach.
Officials describe the exercise as a continuing platform for maritime collaboration, professional exchange and coordinated naval operations among participating countries.
