On Wednesday, President Draupadi Murmu will introduce India’s growing naval power to the world through the International Fleet Review (IFR) on the sea coast of Visakhapatnam, known as the City of Destiny. President Murmu reached Visakhapatnam on Tuesday evening to witness this historic moment. Murmu will board the indigenous warship INS Sumedha in the Bay of Bengal in the morning and inspect the fleet standing in the middle of the sea. A total of 71 ships and submarines of the Indian Navy as well as friendly countries will be included in this review. During the program, more than 50 fighter planes and helicopters will fly-past and salute the President. The thunder of MiG-29K, LCA Tejas, P-8I reconnaissance aircraft and Sea-King helicopters will be heard in the sky. The Navy’s MARCOS, considered the world’s deadliest maritime commandos, will also demonstrate special maritime warfare skills.
major forum for maritime diplomacy
This event is a big platform for India’s military power as well as maritime diplomacy. Under Prime Minister Modi’s Ocean Vision, India is positioning itself as a security provider in the Indian Ocean region. In the next few days, along with IFR, events like MILAN exercise and Indian Ocean Naval Seminar will be held here.
Presence of navies of 65 countries
The presence of 75 countries and a total of 65 navies in these shows India’s growing global stature. India is becoming the voice of developing countries through its naval power, giving it a strategic edge on international forums. The Indian Navy is transforming into not just a military force but also a diplomatic power shaping the maritime order.
Rajendra Prasad was the first to do the fleet review.
The tradition of Fleet Review in India started in 1953. Then the first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad inspected 33 Indian ships. This grand ceremony took place in Visakhapatnam in 2016. This time the event is special because it is being organized along with MILAN-2026, one of the world’s largest naval exercises.
