Inaugurating the MILAN-2022 International City Parade in Visakhapatnam port city on Sunday, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said it was a proud moment for the city. While addressing the august gathering in the “City of Destiny”, the Chief Minister termed MILAN-2022 as a rare event and a festival of maritime exercises. He thanked the Eastern Navy Command officials for making a livery of Dolphin Lighthouse and Dolphin nose on INS Visakhapatnam.

He dedicated the indigenously built stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to the nation, which was formally “affiliated” to this port city. CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command Vice-Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta and other higher officials attended the ceremonial event.

INS Visakhapatnam was built in the Mazgaon Docks and commissioned into the Navy in December 2021. Two months later the destroyer, which has been docked in the port city for the past few days, had participated in the President’s Fleet Review on February 21 and is now taking part in the ongoing multilateral maritime exercises MILAN-2022.

Eastern Navy Command officials welcomed Chief Minister YS Jagan and his wife YS Bharathi aboard INS Vela, a Kalvari-Class submarine commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2021.

Naval vessels from 13 countries are taking part in the 11th edition of MILAN, while officials from the Navies of 39 friendly foreign nations are also attending the event being hosted by the Eastern Naval Command for the first time in Visakhapatnam. Ships from Australia, the USA, France, Singapore, Japan, Seychelles, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh and other friendly countries have anchored in Visakhapatnam for the event.

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The sea phase of MILAN will begin on March 1 where a wide array of exercises will be conducted in multi-national groupings with seamanship drills, simulation of complex operational scenarios, and tactical manoeuvres.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhat inaugurated MILAN-2022 in a colourful ceremony at the Eastern Naval Command's Samudrika here on Saturday. The Minister also inaugurated the MILAN Village at the Sailors Institute, which showcased the rich Indian crafts, culture and cuisine to the visiting dignitaries.