Visakhapatnam’s beauty enthralls naval personnel at MILAN 2024

Visakhapatnam: It's love at first sight for hundreds of naval personnel who have arrived here to participate in the harbour and sea phases of nine-day MILAN 2024, the largest-ever multilateral naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal to augment security on high seas and promote maritime commerce. "The panoramic view of the City of Destiny with green-capped hillocks and golden beaches always mesmerise the visitors whether they throng the city for various national or international events or as a tourist," P Srinivas Kumar, owner of VTZ Travel Links, a local travel agency, told Bizz Buzz.

A warm hospitality on arrival and yummy dishes being offered to them by the hosts with a touch of authentic Andhra cuisine have floored many of the delegates. MILAN, a biennial exercise this time has attracted teams from 51 friendly navies including the United States, France, Australia and Russia.

The exercise will be formally inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday. The harbour phase is continuing from February 19 to 23 and sea phase is scheduled from February 24 to 27. Showcasing air power will be the highlight at the sea phase which will consist of air defence, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare drills. The MILAV Village, which will be inaugurated by the Defence Minister on Wednesday, will display handicrafts and food items from various star hotels at multiple stalls for three days. The dotting of war ships on the shore area of Visakhapatnam and the rehearsals being conducted for the much awaited international parade with the contingents deputed by the foreign countries on the picturesque beach road have generated tremendous enthusiasm among the people of North Andhra Coast. Eastern Naval Command, described as the Sunrise Command of the Indian Navy, has made barricading and other arrangements for the spectators on the beach road on Wednesday in association with the State government officials.

According to ENC sources, some delegates went on a cultural tour to Agra, the home for the iconic Taj Mahal. Around 600 participants from the Indian Navy and friendly navies embarked on Tuesday on a rejuvenating journey.

The highlight of the event was the serene yoga session on Yarada Beach near the industrial suburb of Gajuwaka here, under the vast sky, on Tuesday, captivating sense with its tranquil setting. Promoting India's cultural heritage will be the focus at the village. During the day, pre-sail discussions brought continued collaboration and camaraderie in Visakhapatnam. Officers from partner navies actively participated in formulating strategies for the upcoming sea phase, according to postings made by a spokesperson of the Indian Navy on X, a microblogging site. He said the ongoing discussions will focus on refining plans for intricate operations and emphasise the importance of joint operations at sea.

The spirit of cooperation and shared goals among the participating navies is evident as we work towards a successful sea phase.

As part of MILAN, pre-sail discussions were conducted among the participating units by the headquarters of Eastern Fleet. Nearly 140 officers from 15 navies including the Indian Navy collaborated to formulate plans for conduct of the complex sea phase. The participants brainstormed strategies for efficient joint operations at sea. The visiting navies also saw cutting-edge submarine rescue demo by the Indian Navy's Deep Submarine Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) on the second day of MILAN.

"This advanced technology capable of operating at 650m depth, underscores our shared resolve for regional maritime safety," an ENC official said.