Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy successfully conducted the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam on 18 February 2026, with participation from 74 countries, marking a grand maritime spectacle that showcased global naval cooperation, professional camaraderie and India’s maritime capability. IFR 2026 marked the third International Fleet Review hosted by India, following earlier editions at Mumbai (2001) and Visakhapatnam (2016).
President Droupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviewed the Fleet from INS Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel, which served as the Presidential Yacht for the occasion. INS Sumedha was adorned with the Ashoka Emblem and flew the President’s Standard at the mast.
Following a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by a 150-person contingent and a 21-Gun Salute, the President embarked onboard INS Sumedha and sailed past the assembled Fleet of 52 anchored ships off the Visakhapatnam coast.
A total of 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships participated in the fleet review, reflecting the scale and diversity of maritime participation.
The Indian fleet included 60 ships of the Indian Navy, four Indian Coast Guard vessels, and one ship each from the Shipping Corporation of India and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.
The review also featured three Indian Navy submarines, one French Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft, and participation by over 60 aircraft, underscoring the multi-domain operational capability and the coordinated maritime presence on display.
The President also reviewed the Indian Naval Air Arm, marked by a fly-past of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. This was followed by a mobile column of warships and submarines steaming past the Presidential Yacht. The event further featured maritime and waterfront demonstrations, including a Parade of sails, Search and Rescue operations and aerial manoeuvres by Hawk aircraft.
Addressing the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu highlighted, “ The spirit of friendship on display today through participation of so many friendly foreign countries highlights the truth that we are collected rather than divided by the seas. India’s approach to international relations, including the maritime domain, is guided by our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’. This approach reflects the wisdom that global security, growth, sustainability and stability are built through friendship.”
She further remarked, “ The review also takes forward India’s vision of MAHASAGAR, which stands for ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’. The spirit of togetherness is well confirmed in this message of this review- ‘United through Oceans’. It is a positive message to the global community that it is the collective naval strength that can overcome maritime challenges.”
The International Fleet Review 2026 reaffirmed India’s commitment to maritime cooperation, interoperability and collective security, in keeping with the theme “United Through Oceans”, while highlighting the Indian Navy’s indigenous capability, operational professionalism and enduring partnerships with like-minded navies.
