16 nations to participate in India Navy's MILAN 2014

CHENNAI: A total of 16 navies from the Indian Ocean Region are participating in ' MILAN 2014', the biennial international naval exercise conducted by the Indian Navy in Andaman and Nicobar Islands between February 5 and 9.

Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Thailand have confirmed their participation, a Navy spokesman said.

Apart from the naval exercises, a seminar on 'Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief,' a special show on 50 years of Indian Navy in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Table Top Exercise and City Parade with Op Demo are also been scheduled during the five-day event, he said.

MILAN at Port Blair is a gathering of navies of the Indian Ocean region held for building friendship and mutual understanding between participating navies.

An initiative of the Indian Navy, MILAN, launched in 1995, has been an effective forum to discuss common concerns in the Indian Ocean Region and also help forge co-operation initiatives.

MILAN started with the participation of just five countries in 1995 and gradually has grown to 16 countries this year.