74 Nations Unite for Largest Naval Cooperation Exercise

When warships from 74 countries sailed into Visakhapatnam, India, they carried a powerful message: the world's navies are choosing cooperation over conflict.

Exercise MILAN 2026 kicked off on February 19 with Navy Chiefs and delegations from nations across the globe. It's the largest gathering of its kind, bringing together maritime forces to tackle shared challenges like piracy, illegal fishing, climate disasters, and terrorism at sea.

Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the assembled leaders that no single navy can handle today's ocean challenges alone. "When our ships sail together, when our sailors train together, and when our commanders deliberate together, we build a shared understanding that transcends geography and politics," he said.

The challenges are real and growing. International shipping has exploded in recent decades, creating new disputes over waterways and underwater resources. Climate change is making natural disasters worse, requiring more rescue operations. Criminals and terrorists are using the seas to traffic goods and people across borders.

India's naval chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, called the exercise a "Maritime Mahakumbh," using a term that describes the world's largest peaceful gathering. He emphasized that maritime threats don't respect borders, so neither can the solutions.

The Ripple Effect

The gathering represents more than just military cooperation. It signals a shift toward a more collaborative global order where trust and shared responsibility matter.

India unveiled its expanded maritime vision called MAHASAGAR, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. The name change from the previous SAGAR framework reflects India's growing commitment to partnership beyond its immediate neighborhood.

The exercise includes complex training drills, professional exchanges, and strategy discussions. Sailors from dozens of nations are learning from each other's experiences and building friendships that could prove crucial during future crises.

Minister Singh emphasized that the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas provides the legal foundation for peaceful coexistence, but it needs to be strengthened through better information sharing and coordinated responses. The exercise aims to build exactly that kind of interoperability.

As Admiral Tripathi noted, working together enhances "collective competence and shared resilience" against ever-changing maritime challenges. When 74 flags fly together in one harbor, it's proof that cooperation can prevail.