Context
Recently, the 13th edition of Exercise MILAN 2026 concluded off the coast of Visakhapatnam, marking a historic milestone as one of the largest multilateral naval engagements in the Indo-Pacific. The exercise culminated on February 25, 2026, with a grand closing ceremony held onboard India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. The event gained further international attention following the tragic sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean while it was returning from participating in this exercise and the concurrent International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026.
1. Overview and Evolution
- Nature: It is a biennial (held every two years) multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy.
- Inception: The exercise was first launched in 1995 at the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
- Expansion: It began with just four foreign navies—Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Over the decades, it has grown exponentially, transitioning from a regional gathering to a global maritime platform.
- Shift in Venue: Traditionally held at Port Blair, the exercise shifted to Visakhapatnam (Eastern Naval Command) starting from the 2022 edition to accommodate the increasing scale and complexity of participating assets.
2. Objectives and Theme
- Theme: The overarching theme is ‘Camaraderie, Cohesion, Collaboration’.
- Aims:
- To enhance professional interaction between friendly foreign navies.
- To foster interoperability and share best practices in maritime operations.
- To project India as a ‘Preferred Security Partner’ and a responsible maritime power.
- To ensure a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific based on a rules-based international order.
3. Highlights of MILAN 2026
- Participants: Over 70 countries participated, making it the most inclusive edition to date.
- New Entrants: For the first time, countries like Germany, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated with military assets.
4. Policy Alignment
Exercise MILAN serves as a practical manifestation of several Indian foreign policy and maritime initiatives:
- Act East Policy: Strengthening ties with Southeast and East Asian nations.
- SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): India’s vision for cooperative maritime security in the Indian Ocean.
- MAHASAGAR: An initiative for collective maritime approach in the IOR.
5. Other Major Military Exercises
To excel in the Prelims, it is essential to distinguish between different types of exercises. Below are the most important ones involving India:
I. Multilateral Naval Exercises
| Exercise Name | Participants | Strategic Importance |
| MALABAR | India, USA, Japan, Australia | Primarily a Quad engagement focusing on a free and open Indo-Pacific. |
| RIMPAC | 25+ Nations (led by USA) | World’s largest international maritime exercise; India is a regular participant. |
| La Pérouse | India, France, USA, UK, Japan, Australia | Conducted in the Indian Ocean to enhance French-led cooperation in the region. |
II. Bilateral Exercises
- Naval Exercises:
- VARUNA: With France (Focus: Carrier Battle Group operations).
- JIMEX: With Japan (Focus: Maritime security and ASW).
- SIMBEX: With Singapore (India’s longest uninterrupted naval exercise with any foreign country).
- KONKAN: With the United Kingdom (Focus: Surface and sub-surface warfare).
- SLINEX: With Sri Lanka (Focus: Interoperability and anti-piracy).
- Army Exercises:
- YUDH ABHYAS: With USA (Focus: Counter-terror and high-altitude warfare).
- SHAKTI: With France (Focus: Semi-desert and counter-terror operations).
- DHARMA GUARDIAN: With Japan (Focus: Jungle and semi-urban warfare).
- SURYA KIRAN: With Nepal (Focus: Mountain warfare and HADR).
- Air Force Exercises:
- GARUDA: With France.
- COPE INDIA: With USA.
- DESERT FLAG: With UAE and other multilateral partners.
III. Tri-Service Exercises
- TIGER TRIUMPH: With USA (Focus: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief – HADR).
- INDRA: With Russia (India’s first major tri-service exercise with a foreign nation).
- TROPEX: Domestic (The largest theatre-level exercise of the Indian Navy).
Q. With reference to the 'MILAN' Naval Exercise and other military drills of India, consider the following statements:
1. Unlike Exercise Malabar, which is a Quad-specific engagement, MILAN is a multilateral exercise hosted by the Indian Navy that includes participants beyond the Quad members.
2. The 13th edition of MILAN (2026) was shifted to Visakhapatnam primarily to leverage the strategic depth of the Andaman and Nicobar Command.
3. Exercise 'SIMBEX' holds the record for being the longest uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise conducted by India with any foreign navy.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Solution: (b) Only two
• Statement 1 Is Correct: MILAN is an open multilateral exercise hosted by India with 70+ nations (inclusive), while Malabar is specifically restricted to the Quad nations (India, USA, Japan, Australia).
• Statement 2 Is Incorrect: While MILAN was shifted to Visakhapatnam, it was done to move it away from the Andaman and Nicobar Command to the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam to provide more sea room and better infrastructure for the significantly larger number of participants.
• Statement 3 Is Correct: SIMBEX (Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) has been conducted annually since 1994, making it India's longest-running uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise.
