Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Reviewing the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam, President Droupadi Murmu — the supreme commander of the armed forces — said on Wednesday “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 said.The President said the Indian Navy is vigilant in safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and contributing to stability across the wider maritime commons. Navy units deployed in the region serve as credible instruments of deterrence and defence against threats and challenges arising in the seas, she said, adding the Indian Navy is often the first responder in times of humanitarian crises and natural disasters, extending quick assistance with compassion and competence.Over 74 countries participated in the IFR, marking a grand maritime spectacle. Eighty-five 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 flypast of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. This was followed by a mobile column of warships and submarines steaming past the Presidential yacht. The IFR will be followed by the MILAN exercise. To welcome foreign delegates and naval personnel, the Navy has set up a MILAN village in the coastal city.The IFR reaffirmed India’s commitment to maritime cooperation, interoperability and collective security, in keeping with the theme “United Through Oceans”, while highlighting the Navy’s indigenous capability, operational professionalism and enduring partnerships with like-minded navies.On the sides of the fleet review, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi held a bilateral interaction with US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen T Koehler. The meeting on Tuesday focused on MALABAR and RIMPAC exercises, and on strengthening interoperability. The Navy chief also met Kyrgyzstan’s armed forces chief and first deputy minister of defence, Col Otonbaev Tariel Zarylbekovich, and Myanmar navy chief Vice-Admiral Aye Min Htwe.
