India-Russia to hold joint naval exercise in Bay of Bengal

India will hold joint naval exercise with Russia in the Bay of Bengal in February this year. The frigate warship 'Marshal Shaposhnikov' of the Russian Pacific Fleet will participate in the exercise named 'Milan 2026'. This information was reported by the country's news agency TASS, citing the press service of the Russian Maritime Board.

The Russian Maritime Board said that India and Russia will participate in the 'Milan 2026' naval exercise in the northern Bay of Bengal of the Indian Ocean. To that end, the Marshal Shaposhnikov is leaving the port of Muscat in Oman and heading towards its assigned mission. TASS said that as part of the exercise, the Russian frigate will make an unofficial visit to the port of Visakhapatnam in India from February 18 to 25.

In October 2025, Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhatt, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, announced that the Indian Navy would host the International Fleet Review and the Milan naval exercise in February 2026. More than 50 countries, including Russia and the United States, will participate in it.

The International Fleet Review will be held on February 18 this year in the southeastern Indian city of Visakhapatnam. The Milan multinational naval exercise, which is organized by the Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command every two years, will be held at the same time.

TASS news agency