Multinational naval exercise involving India, US, France, Germany ends aboard INS Vikrant

New Delhi: The multinational maritime exercise Indian Navy’s MILAN 2026 concluded successfully on February 25, 2026, marking the completion of one of the largest naval collaboration drills in recent years. 

The closing ceremony was held onboard the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant off the coast of Visakhapatnam.

Conducted under the theme “Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration,” the exercise witnessed unprecedented participation involving 42 ships and submarines and 29 aircraft, including 18 foreign naval vessels.

Maritime patrol aircraft from France, Germany and United States also took part in the operational drills conducted in the Bay of Bengal.

Rear Admiral Alok Ananda, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, presided over the closing ceremony, which was attended by commanding officers and personnel from all participating navies. Officials said the exercise successfully achieved its training and interoperability objectives while strengthening professional and strategic maritime cooperation among friendly nations.

The exercise began with a harbour phase that included bilateral meetings, subject matter expert exchanges, the International Maritime Seminar, cultural programmes, and cross-deck visits. The sea phase followed with high-tempo operational drills covering integrated air defence, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction operations, and coordinated surface strike exercises.

Live firing demonstrations, communication drills, and cross-deck flying operations were also conducted to test real-time coordination and joint mission planning capabilities. The navy emphasised rapid response readiness and logistical integration during complex multi-domain maritime scenarios.

MILAN 2026 was aligned with the strategic vision of “MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions,” reflecting India’s focus on expanding cooperative maritime security architecture across the Indo-Pacific region. Officials said the exercise strengthened collective readiness and underscored the importance of maintaining safe and secure sea lanes.