MILAN EXERCISE 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, India commenced a nine-day mega naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, featuring the participation of approximately 50 navies, amidst the fractious geopolitical landscape, which includes mounting global apprehensions regarding the deteriorating security situation in the Red Sea.

Exercise MILAN

• About: The Flagship event, MILAN, is a biennial multilateral naval exercise.
• Initiated by: The Indian Navy in 1995.

oOriginally aligned with India's 'Look East Policy,' MILAN has expanded over the years to include participation from Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) due to the 'Act East policy' and PM of India Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative.

• Participants: Navies from the US, Japan, Australia, France, Bangladesh, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, among others.
• Aim: To strengthen regional cooperation and maritime security, foster interoperability and understanding between participating navies and provide a platform for sharing best practices and expertise.

Other Naval Exercise

• CORPAT -India and Thailand
• JIMEX - India and Japan
• Konkan Shakti - India and UK
• Samudra Shakti - India and Indonesia
• SIMBEX - India and Singapore

Vishakahpatnam

• About: The city is situated between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. 
• Situated: In Coastal Andhra Region.
• Boundaries by:

oSimhachalam Hill Range to the west

oYarada Hills to the southeast