Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy is gearing up to mark a defining moment in India’s maritime story as Visakhapatnam will host both the International Fleet Review (IFR) and Exercise MILAN from Feb 15 to 25, placing the ‘City of Destiny’ once again at the heart of India’s Indo-Pacific strategy.“The current edition of IFR and MILAN exercise will be larger in scope and deeper in meaning as navies of 72 countries, including US and Russia, will participate and the mega joint naval events will feature over 60 warships and naval aircraft of three countries,” said a Navy source. The IFR will position India’s eastern seaboard as a focal point for naval diplomacy and multilateral maritime engagement. Warships and assets from Germany, Philippines, and UAE are participating for the first time, including the Philippines’ ‘BRP Miguel Malvar’ (FFG-06) and a UAE Navy warship, Al Emarat. Since 2001, India has used IFRs and opened its ports to allied navies to project maritime strength, foster international cooperation, and establish its role in blue water operations.The star of Operation Sindoor’s naval leg, aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, is all set to be the centre of attraction at the fleet review. The Vikrant carrier battle group deployed in the northern Arabian Sea, played a key role in the strategy of compellence, thereby forcing the Pakistan Navy to be in a defensive posture and requesting an urgent ceasefire. For the IFR, it will sail to the Bay of Bengal. China and Turkey have not been invited for the event and the decision is reportedly linked to their military support to Pakistan during last year’s conflict in May.President Droupadi Murmu, Governor S Abdul Nazeer and Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu will attend the IFR on Feb 18, while defence minister Rajnath Singh will participate in Milan-2026 on Feb 19.MILAN 26 will bring together navies from friendly foreign countries to strengthen professional bonds, share best practices and enhance cooperation at sea. Milan’s sea and harbour phases will focus on interoperability, maritime domain awareness, anti-submarine warfare, air defence, and search-and-rescue operations.Significantly, the IFR will coincide with the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’s conclave of chiefs, showcasing India’s convening power in a contested region. Beyond the warships at sea, the International City Parade will carry naval camaraderie into the streets, while a high-level maritime seminar will sharpen the intellectual edge of the gathering. These events promise to elevate IFR and MILAN 2026 beyond ritual, transforming them into platforms for strategic dialogue, operational trust and enduring people-to-people engagement.Technology will feature prominently at IFR 2026, but with a clear lesson: technology amplifies capacity, but governance shapes effects. Drones, autonomous surface and subsurface vehicles, and AI-enabled maritime domain awareness tools can multiply the reach of a modest fleet.The fleet review is a time-honoured naval tradition that assembles ships and sailors from friendly foreign navies, serving as a platform for confidence-building, mutual respect, and operational familiarity.end
