Monday, September 26, 2005
‘Milan’ in Andaman a message to the world: Indian navy
Port Blair, Sept 25: India’s first tri-service joint command at Andaman and Nicobar would organise the biennial ‘Milan’ event in January next year, where navies from different Indian ocean countries would participate to strengthen mutual cooperation and understanding, the Indian navy, the organiser of the event, said.
The mega event was actually scheduled to be held in February 2005 but due to the tsunami which devastated the remote islands, the Indian navy had postponed Milan-2005.
The event would send a positive message across the world regarding the restoration of normalcy in the Islands, the navy believes.
“By organising this event we want to convey a message to the world that the Islands have been rebuilt within one year and we are ready, as we were before tsunami,” said Commodore A K Julka, the naval Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Joint Command (anc).
“Earlier, the event was postponed to 2007 but then looking at the situation, which is fast becoming normal, it was decided to organise the event in 2006,” Commodore Julka said.
“This will prove to be an interaction to come closer and understand each other better,” he said.
Warships and naval delegates from several nations, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore, had participated in the milan-2003 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, held on February 11-13 that year.
The biennial event that began in 1995 is aimed at fostering closer cooperation among navies of countries in the Indian ocean region. In February 1995,warships from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lanka had participated.
Two years later, in february 1997, eleven warships from seven countries (malaysia and bangladesh were the new entrants) were present at port blair.
During the third Milan, ( March 30 - April 4, 1999) only Malaysia did not participated. There was no Milan during 2001, as the Indian navy hosted the international fleet review at Mumbai.
The mega event was actually scheduled to be held in February 2005 but due to the tsunami which devastated the remote islands, the Indian navy had postponed Milan-2005.
The event would send a positive message across the world regarding the restoration of normalcy in the Islands, the navy believes.
“By organising this event we want to convey a message to the world that the Islands have been rebuilt within one year and we are ready, as we were before tsunami,” said Commodore A K Julka, the naval Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Joint Command (anc).
“Earlier, the event was postponed to 2007 but then looking at the situation, which is fast becoming normal, it was decided to organise the event in 2006,” Commodore Julka said.
“This will prove to be an interaction to come closer and understand each other better,” he said.
Warships and naval delegates from several nations, including Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore, had participated in the milan-2003 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, held on February 11-13 that year.
The biennial event that began in 1995 is aimed at fostering closer cooperation among navies of countries in the Indian ocean region. In February 1995,warships from Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lanka had participated.
Two years later, in february 1997, eleven warships from seven countries (malaysia and bangladesh were the new entrants) were present at port blair.
During the third Milan, ( March 30 - April 4, 1999) only Malaysia did not participated. There was no Milan during 2001, as the Indian navy hosted the international fleet review at Mumbai.
