As the country gears up to host the mega International Fleet Review (IFR) and subsequent MILAN Exercise, the Indian Navy has created a MILAN village in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam for the incoming delegates and naval personnel from over 70 countries. The village will serve as a hub for social and cultural exchanges, enabling engagement beyond professional horizons.The village will host live performances by vocal artists, traditional folk-dance performances and cultural ensembles reflecting the vibrant artistic legacy of India. It will feature a variety of stalls with naval souvenirs and handicraft and handloom products. Together, they will showcase craftsmanship from across the country. Visitors will also be treated to mouth-watering Indian cuisine, offering a diverse range of regional flavours and tastes of India.The flag officer commanding-in-chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, said, “MILAN village reflects the spirit of camaraderie and cultural connect that complements professional naval engagement. As Visakhapatnam hosts IFR, MILAN and IONS in close succession, this convergence represents a significant moment in India’s maritime outreach and cooperative engagement with partner navies.”Meanwhile, the Indian Navy welcomed naval ships from Thailand, Australia and Sri Lanka on Sunday.Exercise MILAN 2026, to be held at Visakhapatnam from Feb 15 to 25, will form a key pillar of India’s historic maritime convergence alongside IFR 2026 and the IONS Conclave of Chiefs. As one of the largest multilateral naval exercises in the Indo-Pacific, MILAN 2026 will bring together navies from across the globe to strengthen interoperability, maritime domain awareness and collective response capabilities.The harbour and sea phases of the exercise will focus on complex maritime operations, including anti-submarine warfare, air defence, search and rescue, and cooperative security missions, reinforcing a shared commitment to free, open, inclusive and rules-based seas.MILAN 2026 represents a major operational manifestation of PM’s MAHASAGAR vision, reaffirming India’s role as a preferred security partner and a responsible stakeholder in the global maritime commons.