politics
February 20, 2026
International naval exercises commence near eastern India
The Indian Navy has said its fleet will conduct one of the largest multilateral naval drills in the Indo-Pacific
TL;DR
- MILAN 2026, India's flagship biennial naval exercise, has commenced in Visakhapatnam with over 70 participating countries.
- The exercise is described as one of the largest multilateral naval drills in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on interoperability and addressing maritime challenges.
- Russia is a key participant, with its Marshal Shaposhnikov destroyer present, highlighting strong India-Russia naval ties and ongoing cooperation.
- The event includes a harbor phase, a sea phase, an International Fleet Review (IFR), and an Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs.
- India aims to expand its naval fleet significantly, targeting over 200 warships and submarines by 2035.