The Sri Lankan Navy and navies from 11 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region are taking part in Exercise Milan 2010, the Indian Navy’s largest four-day naval war game, which began on Friday at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

This is the seventh edition of Milan, a biennial gathering of navies of the Indian Ocean region. India hosts the event for building friendship and mutual understanding between participating navies.

This year’s multinational exercise concludes on Monday (February 8).

The Indian navy is the world’s sixth largest navy with 155 vessels and 56,000 personnel on active duty.

While its primary objective is to secure the country’s national maritime borders, India also uses its navy to enhance its international relations through joint exercises, port visits and humanitarian missions, including disaster relief. In recent years, the Indian Navy has undergone extensive modernization and expansion with an intention to increase its capabilities as a recognized blue-water navy.

The Indian Navy has been organising Milan at Port Blair since 1995. Participating in this year’s exercise are nine naval ships from eight countries, and representatives from four others in table-top exercises.

Naval ships of Singapore (two ships), Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, with representatives from navies of Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam and New Zealand are taking part in Milan this year.

Representing India are five ships, including the Navy’s largest Landing Ship Tank and a Fast Attack Craft. The Indian Coast Guard is also participating with its ships and officers.

The focus of Milan 2010 is a passage exercise at sea, and a seminar on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In addition, it will promote understanding and cooperation in the areas of common interest and safeguard the sea lanes of communication from poaching, piracy and terrorist activities, promote inter-operability to the extent possible and engage in joint search and rescue and humanitarian operations.

The Indian Navy’s initiative provides opportunities to promote understanding and camaraderie amongst the navies of the Asia-Pacific region, and encourages ship visits, social interactions and cultural presentations by the participating countries.

So far, six Milans’ have been held: in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2008. The event was not conducted in 2001 and 2005. In 2001, the Indian Navy was hosting a significant international event: the International Fleet Review. And in 2005, the region was recovering from the aftereffects of the Tsunami of December 2004.