Trekking, yoga, tech demos a part of multi-national naval exercise MILAN 2024

As many as 600 navy personnel from the Indian Navy and friendly foreign navies engaged in activities such as trekking, yoga and technology demonstrations on Tuesday as part of MILAN 2024, a multi-national naval exercise held in this port city. A health trek was flagged off early morning on Tuesday from Dolphin Hill, followed by a yoga session on Yarada Beach, according to a press release.

“MILAN 2024 exposes young officers to rich experiences. It is not just a military exercise, it's a platform for the future of international naval cooperation,” an official from the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) was quoted as saying in the press release.

Besides the health trek and yoga, 50 naval officers from friendly countries received hands-on experience on various Indian naval platforms.

They were offered the opportunity to sail on the Sail Training Ship INS Tarangini and hone navigation skills in diverse scenarios at the Maritime Warfare Centre’s cutting-edge ship handling simulators.

Likewise, they received firsthand glimpses into the future of underwater rescue operations at the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) demo at Hindustan Shipyard in the port city, which showcased advanced submarine rescue technology.

According to the ENC, India joined a select group of countries when it acquired two DSRVs in 2018, enabling it to undertake rescue missions at staggering depths of 650 metres.

As part of MILAN 2024, Visakhapatnam got to witness a full dress rehearsal of the International City Parade on Tuesday afternoon along the picturesque R K Beach, where diverse cultures and maritime prowess of the participating nations were on display, as 2,000 naval personnel from various countries took part.

Moreover, patriotic music enthralled the audience during the air demo as marching bands from India and participating nations held a procession. School children and sea cadets also performed in the dress rehearsal. The final city parade and air demo is scheduled to be held on February 22.