Exercise MILAN 2026

Source:  PIB Context: India will host a historic maritime convergence in February 2026 at Visakhapatnam, featuring the International Fleet Review (IFR), Exercise MILAN 2026, and the IONS Conclave of Chiefs, under the MAHASAGAR vision. About Exercise MILAN 2026: What it is? Exercise MILAN is a biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy since …

UPSC Editorial Analysis: India’s Strategic Convergence of ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ Policies

General Studies-2; Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations.   Introduction PM Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Thailand for the BIMSTEC summit symbolizes a high-level political push to align India’s regional outreach with its core foreign policy doctrines: Neighbourhood First and Act East. This convergence highlights India’s pursuit of regional integration, strategic autonomy, and a rules-based …

Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME)

Source:  DD News Context: The Indian Navy will participate in the maiden multilateral maritime exercise titled ‘Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement’ (AIKEYME), co-hosted with Tanzania in April 2025, to enhance maritime security and cooperation with African nations. About Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME): What it is: A large-scale multilateral maritime exercise aimed at enhancing naval cooperation …

India in Indian Ocean Region

Syllabus: International Relations Source:  IE  Context: India, along with Singapore and Oman, is hosting the 8th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) in Muscat, where foreign ministers from 30 nations are discussing regional security and economic cooperation. What is the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)? The third-largest ocean in the world, covering 70.56 million sq km and connecting …