New Delhi: The Indian Navy inaugurated the MILAN Village at the Eastern Naval Command as part of its flagship international naval exercise, MILAN 2026.
The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, who formally opened the village for the participating navies and toured the facilities set up to promote global maritime engagement.
The thoughtfully curated MILAN Village has been conceptualised and created as an experience zone that brings together delegates and naval personnel from over 70 countries in an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship. It serves as a hub for social and cultural exchanges, enabling engagement beyond professional horizons.
A central feature of the MILAN Village is its emphasis on cultural exchange, offering a rich and immersive glimpse into India’s diverse heritage and traditions.
The village will host live performances by vocal artists, traditional folk dance performances, and cultural ensembles reflecting India’s vibrant artistic legacy.
The village features a variety of stalls showcasing naval souvenirs, handicrafts, and handloom products. Together, they highlight craftsmanship from across the country.
In addition, visitors will be treated to mouth-watering Indian cuisine, offering a diverse range of regional flavours.
In his remarks, the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, highlighted: “MILAN Village reflects the spirit of camaraderie and cultural connect that complements professional naval engagement. As Visakhapatnam hosts IFR, MILAN and IONS in close succession, this convergence represents a significant moment in India’s maritime outreach and cooperative engagement with partner navies.”
The opening of the MILAN Village also marks the beginning of a broader sequence of engagements and events being conducted at Visakhapatnam by the Indian Navy.
Exercise MILAN 2026, to be held at Visakhapatnam from February 15 to 25, 2026, will form a key pillar of India’s historic maritime convergence alongside the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 and the IONS Conclave of Chiefs.
As one of the largest multilateral naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific, MILAN 2026 will bring together navies from across the globe to strengthen interoperability, maritime domain awareness, and collective response capabilities. The harbour and sea phases of the exercise will focus on complex maritime operations, including anti-submarine warfare, air defence, search and rescue, and cooperative security missions, reinforcing a shared commitment to free, open, inclusive, and rules-based seas.
MILAN 2026 represents a major operational manifestation of the Prime Minister’s MAHASAGAR vision, reaffirming India’s role as a Preferred Security Partner and a responsible stakeholder in the global maritime commons.
The MILAN Village embodies the theme “Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration.” It symbolises the shared commitment of participating navies to mutual cultural exchange, building bridges of friendship, and forging collective maritime partnerships.DD
