Exercise Milan 2026: Visakhapatnam Naval Drills & MCQs

Exercise Milan is the largest multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy, bringing together navies from across the Indo-Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Exercise Milan originated in 1995 at the Andaman and Nicobar Command with four foreign navies: Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam provides deep-water berthing, expansive sea maneuvering space, and world-class maritime infrastructure for over 50 participating navies.

Headquartered in Visakhapatnam, the Eastern Naval Command coordinates the harbor and sea phases along the eastern seaboard of India.

The Harbour Phase features subject matter expert exchanges, tabletop drills, and cultural galas; the Sea Phase tests live tactical maneuvers, air defense, and anti-submarine warfare.

The Milan Village fosters people-to-people bonds, showcasing cultural performances, maritime handicrafts, and international cuisines to participating foreign sailors.

The seminar fosters shared operational perspectives on emerging threats, piracy, asymmetric warfare, and securing global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs).

SAGAR outlines India's maritime doctrine prioritizing inclusive security, maritime capacity building, and collaborative humanitarian disaster response.

The dual-carrier operations of INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya demonstrated India's blue-water power projection capabilities in the Indian Ocean.

ASW drills hone multi-navy inter-operability using active and passive towed array sonars, dipping sonars, and long-range maritime reconnaissance planes.

The Indian Navy operates a fleet of Boeing P-8I aircraft equipped with advanced radar, magnetic anomaly detectors (MAD), and lightweight torpedoes.

HADR exercises rehearse multi-nation coordination for evacuation, medical relief, and engineering support in response to severe cyclones or tsunamis.

Established in 2018 at Gurugram, IFC-IOR hosts international liaison naval officers from over a dozen partner nations to monitor white shipping.

Under White Shipping agreements, navies exchange advance information on commercial maritime traffic to differentiate merchant vessels from suspicious crafts.

The 2016 International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam saw 100 warships, including 70 Indian naval vessels and 50 foreign ships, reviewed by President Pranab Mukherjee.

The Western Fleet operates from Mumbai and INS Kadamba at Karwar, commanding major missile destroyers, frigates, and aircraft carriers.

Derived from the Rigveda, ‘Sham No Varunah' was adopted as the motto of the Indian Navy in 1950, invoking the blessings of the Vedic deity of waters, Varuna.

Navy Day commemorates the daring nighttime missile boat attack on Karachi harbour by Indian Navy Vidyut-class missile boats on 4th December 1971.

Operation Samudra Setu deployed amphibious landing ships INS Jalashwa, Airavat, and Shardul to repatriate stranded Indian expatriates.

Under Operation Sankalp, the Indian Navy successfully intercepted hijacked merchant vessels (like MV Ruen), rescued dozens of crew members, and detained Somali pirates.

INS Visakhapatnam is the lead ship of the P-15B stealth destroyer class, armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Barak-8 air defense systems.

Project 17A frigates feature enhanced stealth profiles, advanced sonar systems, and indigenous sensors developed under Make in India.

Project Seabird at Karwar provides exclusive military berthing and overhaul drydocks for aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines away from commercial traffic.

The ICG operates as the fourth armed force of the Union, securing India's 7,516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The Sanskrit motto ‘Vayam Rakshamah' expresses the Coast Guard's dedication to search and rescue, maritime policing, and anti-pollution response.

Under Article 57 of UNCLOS, a coastal state has sovereign exploration rights over marine resources, fisheries, and seabed minerals up to 200 nautical miles.

A state's sovereign jurisdiction extends over its territorial sea, including the airspace above and the seabed beneath.

Submarines traversing territorial waters under innocent passage are required to navigate on the surface and show their flag.

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) integrates Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard units under a single Commander-in-Chief.

Exercise Milan projects India's responsible naval diplomacy, upholding international maritime law, freedom of navigation, and collective regional peace.