Milan 2026, the Indian Navy’s flagship multilateral exercise, included record participation by 75 nations, highlighting its growing importance as a platform for collective security, interoperability and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Hosted in and around Visakhapatnam, the exercise’s harbor and sea phases involved expert exchanges, complex maritime maneuvers, coordinated drills and aerial operations. Forces came from the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, reflecting international interest in maritime cooperation. Notably, five countries were first-time participants: Oman, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Milan’s sea phase included 42 ships and submarines, and 29 aircraft. Among them were 18 multinational warships, and patrol aircraft from partners including France, Germany and the United States. Complex exercises featured combined anti-submarine and air defense training, coordinated aerial missions, and maritime interdiction operations that simulated boarding and search operation scenarios.
Indian Navy Rear Adm. Alok Ananda, commander of the Eastern Fleet, emphasized that the exercise’s theme — Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration — illustrates why Milan was created and why it has grown: to build trust, professional familiarity and coordinated responses among diverse naval partners. Professional engagements, including young officers’ programs and planning conferences, develop shared procedures, communication protocols and mutual understanding, he said, according to media reports.
Blending interoperability and professional ties equips navies to respond more effectively to shared challenges, such as piracy, trafficking, humanitarian emergencies and threats to freedom of navigation.
Exercise Milan’s importance surpasses tactical drills. In an era of evolving geopolitical competition and increasing maritime traffic, such exercises send strong strategic signals. The participation of navies from major maritime regions reinforces international law and a shared commitment to secure sea lanes that are crucial for global commerce.
U.S. Navy participation, for example, included a P-8A Poseidon aircraft conducting anti-submarine surveillance missions alongside partner units, illustrating how collective training enhances deterrence and collaboration.
Moreover, the inclusion of new participants signals that navies with limited experience of multilateral cooperation value the opportunity to integrate into broader security architecture.
By bringing together an array of nations, platforms and capabilities, the exercise improves technical interoperability as it reinforces the interconnected nature of security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. As maritime threats become more complex, such engagement — rooted in shared values and practical cooperation — will continue to secure regional peace and stability.