Port Blair, Jan 31: The Commander in Chief of Andaman Nicobar Command today said that MILAN, a biennial congregation of navies of different neighbouring Countries, is important, considering the Look East Policy of the country.
Addressing a press conference onboard Indian Naval Ship INS Kesari, the Commander in Chief of ANC (CINCAN), Lt Gen NC Marwah, AVSM, today said that this year 14 nations are taking part in MILAN 2012.
“There are eight countries, which are sending their ships while other countries are sending their delegates to participate in MILAN 2012,”
The Andaman and Nicobar Command in hosting MILAN 2012 from 01 to 06 February 2012 at Port Blair featuring navies of 14 countries viz Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The CINCAN briefed about various events of MILAN 2012 in detail like Table Top Exercise ‘Camaraderie’, International Seminar on Capacity Building Through Maritime Cooperation’ and ‘Maritime Cooperation for ensuring unfettered use of the seas’, MILAN city Parade, Foreign Ship Visit, joint exercise with visiting Naval Ships etc.
“The Motto of MILAN, is Friendship across the sea, and this is the message we need to convey as a part of MILAN, as an event. Every element of MILAN conveys the message that we want to foster and develop friendship across the sea with other nations,” the CINCAN said.
Taking about the role of Andaman and Nicobar Command the CINCAN said that “protection of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone is our primary task and I say this with tremendous amount of satisfaction that landmark contributions have been made by ANC towards bringing about secure environment in the region. Successful anti poaching operations has been undertaken by all the elements of ANC be it Indian Navy, Coast Guard, elements of Indian Air forces and Army to ensure that poachers do not enter Indian waters”.
“It is on record that in last year 392 poachers have been apprehended by ANC through very deliberate and coordinated operations,” the CINCAN mentioned.
He said that besides this ANC is regularly conducting ‘Jaan Pehechan’ exercises in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in which troops of ANC goes out to different inhabited and uninhabited Islands to understand the local terrain of the area to understand these islands better.
He said that the ANC is also conducting operation ‘Tat-Suraksha’ twice in a year to develop coordination between different civil and defence units to ensure better coastal security.
He said that beside this the ANC is regularly interacting with civilian population and helping the society by organizing carrier guidance programme for youths, running recruitment drives, super specialty medical camps etc.
