Post the grand success of the President’s Fleet Review (PFR), Visakhapatnam is all set to host the biggest maritime exercise of the Indian Navy, MILAN 2022. The Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has been up to speed in ensuring all the necessary preparations to host friendly navies for a period of 8 days. The ENC has also planned a list of events that will be open to the public during MILAN 2022 in Visakhapatnam.
The ENC has sent invitations to 46 countries with the aim to enhance maritime cooperation. The mega event, which has been scheduled in Visakhapatnam for the first time since its inception, is directed to absorb the best practices in the maritime domain along with celebrating each other’s maritime traditions.
The event which is set to bring pride to our country, along with the participating countries, is scheduled to happen in the city between 25 February 2022 to 4 March 2022. Keeping in mind the enthusiastic onlookers of Visakhapatnam, the ENC has also planned a few activities for the general public. Scheduled to take place on the iconic Beach Road, the City Parade is open for the public to view.
Below is the schedule of events that is open to the public during MILAN 2022.
26 February 2022:
The ENC has planned a list of activities and demo sessions for the delegation and the visiting ships. With most of the activities scheduled for the participants, the public may view the City Parade Rehearsal of the ships that are set to happen at 4 pm on Beach Road.
The Opening Ceremony of MILAN 2022 is set to take place at Samudrika Auditorium, HPCL Steel Plant, Naval Base at 5 pm. Sri Ajay Bhatt, Hon’ble Minister of State for Defence and Tourism has been invited as the chief guest. This event is not open to the public.
27 February 2022:
An important day during MILAN 2022, the only event that is open for the public to view is set to take place on Sunday. The Day 2 of the Naval Exercise is scheduled to host The City Parade at 5 pm. With designated seating areas marked for invites, the rest of the Beach Road is open for general public viewing. The event will have a series of parades followed by cultural displays from different states in similarity to a Republic Day parade.
The rest of the events which have been scheduled during MILAN 2022 are internal seminars and city tours of Visakhapatnam for international delegates. MILAN 2022 for the first time is hosting a sea phase that will include exercises at sea for the participating navies. The sea phase is set to take place between 1 March 2022 to 4 March 2022. With an aim to build upon the experience of operating at sea together, the sea phase will mark the end of the biggest naval exercise conducted by the Indian Navy.
Discussion about this post