Visakhapatnam, Feb 16 (NationPress) The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, is scheduled to arrive here on Tuesday for a two-day engagement to witness the International Fleet Review (IFR).

As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, she will oversee the IFR, which serves as a ceremonial gathering of international naval delegations, ships, submarines, and aircraft.

The IFR 2026 will commence with a Presidential Banquet on Tuesday, followed by her review of a fleet comprising 70 vessels from India and allied nations the following day at the review anchorage area off Visakhapatnam.

In attendance will be Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S. Abdul Nazeer (Retd), along with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

As stated by the Indian Navy, this event highlights maritime strength, cooperation, and camaraderie while reaffirming sovereign oversight. India previously hosted IFRs in 2001 at Mumbai and in 2016 at Visakhapatnam.

Various warships, submarines, and aircraft from friendly nations will converge at sea to display their capabilities.

Notably, the star of Operation Sindoor’s naval leg, INS Vikrant, will be a focal point at the IFR, where navies from allied countries will closely observe India's indigenous aircraft carrier.

The Vikrant carrier battle group played a crucial role in India's offensive strategy during Operation Sindoor, significantly influencing the Pakistan Navy's defensive posture and prompting a request for an urgent ceasefire.

IFR 2026 will also feature the International City Parade, cultural exhibitions, and public engagement programs aimed at celebrating global maritime heritage.

This coastal city is also hosting the 13th edition of MILAN, the Indian Navy's flagship multilateral naval exercise, under the auspices of the Eastern Naval Command in the Bay of Bengal.

More than 135 countries have been invited to participate in MILAN 26.

The event aims to bring together navies from friendly foreign nations to reinforce professional ties, share best practices, and enhance maritime cooperation. The exercise will emphasize large-scale multilateral operations, offering invaluable experience in unified maritime operations.

Furthermore, Visakhapatnam is hosting the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave, marking the first occasion India has hosted all three significant maritime events simultaneously.

The inaugural IFR was conducted in 2001 when then-President K. R. Narayanan inspected the fleet from INS Sukanya.

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

The second IFR took place in Visakhapatnam in 2016, witnessing participation from more nations than ever before in the Bay of Bengal, with approximately 100 warships from 50 countries. This was the largest assembly of warships in Indian waters.

The then-President Pranab Mukherjee oversaw the fleet inspection from INS Sumitra, alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then-Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.