VISAKHAPATNAM – India on Wednesday placed its expanding naval power on full display as it formally opened the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam (Vizag), which The Jerusalem Post attended.
The review marked the launching of a sequence of major maritime events that will bring more than 100 countries into contact with the Indian Navy over the coming weeks.
The fleet review, hosted by India’s Eastern Naval Command in the Bay of Bengal, was the first of three high-profile gatherings, followed by the multilateral MILAN 2026 naval exercise.
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs also took place on Friday. The events are a show of India’s ambition to position itself as a central maritime power in the Indo-Pacific at a time of growing strategic competition and security challenges at sea.
Presiding over the ceremonial review, which took place with the participation of 74 countries, was India’s President Droupadi Murmu, acting in her constitutional role as supreme commander of the Armed Forces.
The event was also attended by Nara Chandrababu Naidu, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh (the state in which Visakhapatnam resides), and Adm. Dinesh K. Tripathi, chief of the Naval Staff of India.
From offshore waters outside Visakhapatnam’s port, Murmu reviewed formations of Indian naval vessels alongside ships and aircraft from 21 foreign navies, proof of India’s expanding web of maritime partnerships.
The Post accompanied the review on a ship just behind the president’s.
Participating countries in this year’s review included Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Vietnam, France, and Germany.
The International Fleet Review was primarily ceremonial in nature, intended to project goodwill and mutual respect among participating navies, with search and rescue drills and maritime maneuvers on show for the president.
Indian officials emphasized, however, that the symbolism carries strategic weight. With nearly 100 vessels across the three events – including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, patrol vessels, amphibious platforms, and naval aviation assets – the scale of participation was confirmation of India’s growing convening power in the maritime domain.
India's push for naval self-reliance
India last hosted an International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam in 2016, and previously in Mumbai in 2001. A decade on, the return of the event to the eastern seaboard highlights how significantly India’s naval posture has evolved.
Over recent years, New Delhi has accelerated efforts to strengthen its maritime capabilities, driven by concerns over China’s expanding presence across the Indian Ocean and South Asian waters, as well as the enduring rivalry with Pakistan.
That evolution was clearly visible in the fleet deployed for review. At the center stood the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, the first carrier designed and built domestically, which has become a symbol of India’s push toward naval self-reliance. Commissioned in 2022, the Vikrant, which the Post spent time aboard, is a major milestone in indigenous shipbuilding for the subcontinental nation and is now a key component of India’s carrier battle group operations.
Alongside the Vikrant were several newer classes of Indian-built warships, including Visakhapatnam-class guided-missile destroyers, Nilgiri-class Project 17A frigates, and Arnala-class anti-submarine corvettes.
Subsurface capabilities were also on display, with submarines from the Shindughosh class operating as part of the broader formation. Naval aviation elements included formations of MiG-29K fighter aircraft embarked on carrier operations.
Indian officials have repeatedly linked this modernization drive to a broader national strategy aimed at achieving defense self-sufficiency. The push for indigenous platforms forms part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s long-term vision of a “self-reliant” and “resilient” India, with 2047, the year that marks the centenary of Indian independence, set as a symbolic target date for reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
Challenges remain for the Indians, particularly for the navy. India’s fleet still relies on a diverse mix of Russian, Israeli, French, Italian, and Indian systems – which creates logistical and maintenance hurdles. Maintaining operational readiness while managing this vast, diverse fleet remains a major task for the future of the navy.
Beyond the ships themselves, Indian leaders have showcased the fleet review and accompanying exercises as part of their wider effort to increase maritime cooperation.
Speaking at related events in Visakhapatnam, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh called on the international community to confront “complex and interconnected maritime challenges” through cooperation, telling those gathered that no single navy can address issues such as piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, cyber vulnerabilities, or disruptions to global supply chains alone.
“When our ships sail together, when our sailors train together, and when our commanders deliberate together, we build a shared understanding that transcends geography and politics,” Singh said.
With the MILAN 2026 exercises taking place until February 26, India’s eastern seaboard has, for the next few days, become a focal point for naval diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific, all of which signals New Delhi’s continuing intent to act as a major force in global maritime affairs.