Ships from 19 countries and approximately 4,000 delegates would participate in the IFR. | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR
Visakhapatnam will return to the global maritime spotlight on February 19 when India hosts the International Fleet Review as part of a convergence of naval diplomacy, operational cooperation and ceremonial display along its eastern coast. According to details given on the Indian Navy website, Visakhapatnam will host the International Fleet Review, Exercise MILAN and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Chiefs Conclave from February 15 to 25. This will be the first time that India is hosting all three major naval events together.
The International Fleet Review is the most formal of the three events. It brings together international naval delegations, warships, submarines and aircraft in a ceremonial assembly during which the President of India, as Commander-in-Chief, reviews the assembled fleet at sea. Ships from 19 countries and approximately 4,000 delegates would participate in the IFR. |
India has hosted the review twice before, in Mumbai in 2001 and in Visakhapatnam in 2016. The 2026 edition, which returns to the same city after a decade, comes at a markedly different moment in India’s maritime journey. The fleet lined up for inspection will feature significantly platforms designed and built in Indian shipyards. Among them will be the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class stealth frigates and Arnala-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes.
While the Presidential Fleet Review at sea forms the institutional core of the event, the city itself will become an extension of the ceremony on the evening of February 19. The International City Parade on February 19, which will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, is a public event that brings the armed forces and visiting navies closer to the people of Visakhapatnam.
Ships from 19 countries and approximately 4,000 delegates would participate in the IFR. | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR
An air power display by Indian naval aircraft and helicopters will open the parade, setting the tone for what follows on land. Marching contingents and military groups from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard will be joined by foreign troops and their ceremonial bands to create a measured display of drill and discipline. The participation of the National Cadet Corps, Sea Cadet Corps and students from the Navy Children School will bring the younger generation to the event.
Ships from 19 countries and approximately 4,000 delegates would participate in the IFR. | | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR
Cultural ensembles and artistic scenes drawing on regional traditions and maritime history will be woven into the parade. The sequence will conclude at sea, with ships moored along the coast illuminated in formation, followed by a coordinated display of fireworks, laser projections and drone movements.
The International City Parade will be a public event that will take place on February 19 between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
Published – 06 Feb 2026 08:02 IST
