Milan 2024 Sea Phase Displays Major Naval Collaboration

 Visakhapatnam: The sea phase of Milan 2024 as part of the biennial naval exercise kicked off here with a major display of cooperation among ships and aircraft from friendly foreign nations alongside the Indian Navy.

The exercises continued on the second day on Sunday. The high-intensity sea phase, spanning air, surface and undersea domains, commenced a day ago with a powerful showcase of naval prowess.

The day-2 witnessed a harmonious blend of mutual understanding and interoperability as participating ships operated collaboratively in the Bay of Bengal. The multinational nature of the operations not only fostered camaraderie but also deepened the understanding of each other's operational philosophies and procedures, its organisers said.

Participants in Sea Phase Milan 2024 engaged themselves in a series of advanced exercises, covering all three dimensions of maritime warfare. These activities included weapon firings against surface and high-speed aerial targets, anti-submarine warfare, cross-deck landings, carrier operations and seamanship evolutions such as replenishment at sea.

The tempo of operations steadily increased over the past two days, reflecting the commitment to enhancing maritime capabilities and fostering international cooperation, an official release said.

“The sea phase also serves as a testament to the commitment of participating nations towards promoting peace, stability, and interoperability in the maritime domain. As the exercise progressed, the world witnessed a united front of naval forces actively building bridges and strengthening global maritime security. Around 20 foreign ships are participating in the exercise.”

The sea phase would end on March 27 and the concluding ceremony on the same day will likely see the presence of defense minister Rajnath Singh on a fresh visit as chief guest.