Visakhapatnam, Feb 16 (IANS) President of India Droupadi Murmu will arrive here on Tuesday for a two-day visit to witness the International Fleet Review (IFR).

The President, as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviews the IFR, which is a ceremonial assembly of International Naval Delegations, Ships, Submarines and Aircraft.

The IFR 2026 will begin with the Presidential Banquet on Tuesday. The next day, she will review the fleet of 70 ships from India and friendly nations at the review anchorage area off Visakhapatnam.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S. Abdul Nazeer (Retd), and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu would also be attending the Fleet Review.

According to the Indian Navy, the event showcases maritime strength, cooperation and camaraderie whilst reaffirming sovereign oversight. India has previously hosted IFRs in 2001 at Mumbai and in 2016 at Visakhapatnam.

Warships, submarines and aircraft from friendly nations will assemble at sea to showcase their capabilities.

As already announced, the star of Operation Sindoor’s naval leg, INS Vikrant, will be the centre of attraction at the IFR as navies of friendly nations will take a close look at India’s indigenous aircraft carrier.

Vikrant carrier battle group was at the core of the Indian Navy’s offensive deterrent posture during Operation Sindoor. The Vikrant carrier battle group, deployed in the northern Arabian Sea, played a key role in the strategy of compellence, thereby forcing the Pakistan Navy to be in a defensive posture and requesting an urgent ceasefire.

IFR 2026 will also include the International City Parade, cultural exhibitions and public engagement programmes to celebrate global maritime heritage.

Visakhapatnam is also hosting the 13th edition of MILAN, the Indian Navy’s flagship Multilateral Naval Exercise, under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.

Over 135 countries have been invited to attend MILAN 26.

The event will bring together navies from Friendly Foreign Countries to strengthen professional bonds, share best practices and enhance cooperation at sea. The exercise will focus on large-scale multilateral operations, providing invaluable experience in operating together as a cohesive maritime force.

The coastal city is also hosting the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave. This is the first time that India is hosting all three major maritime events together.

The first IFR was organised in 2001 when then President K. R. Narayanan inspected the fleet from INS Sukanya.

In the first IFR, 97 warships from 20 countries participated, including 73 Indian and 24 foreign warships.

The second edition of IFR was held in Visakhapatnam in 2016, where navies of more countries than ever participated in the Bay of Bengal. A total of about 100 warships from 50 countries had arrived. It was the largest gathering of warships in Indian waters.

The then President Pranab Mukherjee inspected the fleet from INS Sumitra, accompanied by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

–IANS

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