Visakhapatnam’s eastern seaboard became the focal point of global maritime attention this week as India hosted the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, bringing together naval delegations and warships from across the world in a display of ceremony, cooperation and strategic messaging. The event, reviewed by President Droupadi Murmu in her capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, marked one of the largest multilateral naval gatherings in the region in recent years.
Held off the coast of Visakhapatnam, home to the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, the fleet review assembled 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships, alongside 60 Indian Navy vessels and four ships of the Indian Coast Guard. The maritime spectacle also featured three submarines and more than 60 aircraft, reflecting a comprehensive surface, subsurface and aerial presence. The President reviewed the fleet from INS Sumedha, an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel designated as the Presidential yacht for the occasion.
The theme of this year’s review, “United Through Oceans,” underscored the diplomatic intent behind the ceremony. Fleet reviews, by tradition, are not operational exercises but formal assemblies in which participating ships line up for inspection by the head of state. Yet in modern strategic practice, they carry weight far beyond pageantry. They provide a platform for naval diplomacy, signalling openness, partnerships and shared responsibility for maritime security.
IFR 2026 forms part of a larger maritime convergence hosted by India between February 15 and 25, combining the fleet review with Exercise MILAN 2026 and the Conclave of Chiefs under the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. Exercise Exercise MILAN, a longstanding multilateral naval drill initiated by the Indian Navy, focuses on interoperability, maritime domain awareness and coordinated responses to security challenges. The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, meanwhile, brings together naval leaders to deliberate on cooperation frameworks in the Indian Ocean Region.
The convergence of these events in a single location amplifies their collective impact. While the fleet review projects symbolic unity and diplomatic goodwill, MILAN enables practical sea-phase engagements, professional exchanges and coordinated drills. The chiefs’ conclave offers a leadership-level platform for dialogue on issues ranging from piracy and terrorism to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. By hosting these engagements simultaneously, India positions itself as both convenor and participant in shaping regional maritime discourse.
Official statements around the event have consistently highlighted the importance of a rules-based maritime order, respect for international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and collective responses to emerging threats. The emphasis reflects a broader recognition that maritime security now extends beyond conventional naval conflict to include supply chain resilience, cyber vulnerabilities affecting shipping, illegal trafficking and climate-driven humanitarian crises.
Visakhapatnam’s selection as host city carries strategic resonance. Situated along the Bay of Bengal and serving as a key naval hub, the city provides infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale maritime gatherings. It also reflects India’s continued focus on its eastern seaboard and the wider Indo-Pacific maritime space, where sea lanes of communication remain critical for trade and energy flows.
Beyond the formal review, the event has also included public-facing elements such as ship visits, band performances and aviation displays along the coastline, reinforcing the role of maritime forces in public consciousness. Such outreach initiatives aim to bridge the gap between naval strategy and civilian awareness, particularly in a country whose economic growth is closely tied to secure sea routes.
International Fleet Review 2026 is the third such review hosted by India, following earlier editions in Mumbai in 2001 and Visakhapatnam in 2016. The continuity underscores India’s institutional capacity to organise complex multinational naval gatherings and maintain sustained maritime engagement with partners across regions.
Strategically, the implications of IFR 2026 lie less in immediate policy announcements and more in the reinforcement of networks and norms. Multilateral naval gatherings foster habits of communication, enhance familiarity among crews and commanders, and reduce friction in times of crisis. In an era marked by geopolitical contestation and evolving non-traditional threats, these routines of cooperation contribute quietly but meaningfully to stability.
As the ships depart Visakhapatnam’s harbour and participating navies resume their operational deployments, IFR 2026 leaves behind a layered message. It showcases India’s naval capability and convening power, affirms partnerships across continents, and reiterates a commitment to collective stewardship of the maritime commons. In doing so, the review extends beyond ceremonial precision to reflect the strategic currents shaping the Indian Ocean and the broader Indo-Pacific.
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Last Updated on: Friday, February 20, 2026 1:21 pm by News Proton Team | Published by: News Proton Team on Friday, February 20, 2026 1:21 pm | News Categories: India