INDIA LEADS GLOBAL MARITIME COOPERATION AT MILAN 2026 | VISAKHAPATNAM
Visakhapatnam
By -
SAPNA SINGH
NATIONAL BEAUREU
New Delhi
By -
SAPNA SINGH
NATIONAL BEAUREU
New Delhi
Saturday, March 07
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today called upon the international community to address evolving and interconnected maritime challenges in a spirit of mutual respect, cooperation, and collective security, while inaugurating Exercise MILAN 2026 in Visakhapatnam, attended by Navy Chiefs and Heads of Delegations from 74 countries.
Highlighting the expanding role of navies in international peacemaking, the Defence Minister noted that rapid global economic growth has led to an unprecedented surge in maritime trade and transport, intensifying competition over strategic straits and sea channels and adding new dimensions of contestation over underwater resources, including rare-earth minerals.
He underlined that traditional threats now coexist with emerging challenges such as piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal fishing, trafficking, cyber vulnerabilities, and supply chain disruptions, while climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, making Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) operations more complex and demanding.
Emphasising that no single navy can address these challenges alone, Shri Rajnath Singh called for deeper international naval cooperation, anchored in the legal framework of UNCLOS, to safeguard the global commons and resolve disputes peacefully.
He outlined the need for a comprehensive global naval architecture to strengthen information sharing, protect critical communication links, curb criminal and terrorist activities at sea, and safeguard national maritime boundaries. Platforms such as MILAN play a vital role in building mutual trust, professional exchange, interoperability, and coordinated response mechanisms among friendly navies.
The Defence Minister also highlighted India’s evolving maritime doctrine — from SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) to MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions) — reflecting India’s deepening commitment to inclusive, rules-based, and cooperative maritime partnerships across regions.
MILAN 2026 reaffirms India’s role as a net security provider, a credible maritime partner, and a stabilising force in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
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