Port Blair, Jan 22: The first week of February will witness Port Blair, the capital city of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, hosting a multinational mega event, MILAN 2014.
While fourteen foreign navies participated in the previous edition of MILAN in 2012, MILAN 2014 is slated to be the largest ever gathering with the participation by navies and maritime forces of 17 countries.
MILAN is a congregation of littoral navies conducted biennially by the Indian Navy at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC).
“Besides fostering co-operation through naval exercises and professional interactions, MILAN provides an excellent opportunity for participating navies to come together in a spirit of collaboration and to enhance mutual understanding,” an unsigned release from ANC said here today.
MILAN made modest beginnings nearly two decades ago when it was first held in 1995. The first edition saw participation of four littoral navies.
The event achieved strident success during the ensuing years owing to the high standards of professional content in the interactions. The growing participation over the years bears ample testimony to the success of this multilateral naval initiative.
“From an event of sub- regional context, MILAN has now grown into a prestigious international event and encompasses participation by maritime forces from not just the Bay of Bengal and South East Asia, but the larger Indian Ocean Region (lOR),” the release added.
