India Flexes Naval Might in Visakhapatnam, Signals China Amid Rising Tensions

• India hosted Exercise MILAN and International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam, bringing together global naval powers including US, Japan, Australia, Russia, and Iran.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted concerns over "ownership of straits and channels" and increasing contestation for underwater resources, urging adherence to UNCLOS.
• MILAN 2026, the largest gathering in its history with 74 countries, focuses on high-intensity drills like anti-submarine warfare and air defence in the Bay of Bengal.
• India assumed Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) for 2025-27, reinforcing its role as a preferred security partner and net security provider.
• Indian Navy is undergoing its largest annual expansion, with 19 warships slated for commissioning this year, including INS Vikrant and INS Surat, to counter China's growing naval prowess.