Prez Droupadi Murmu to attend international fleet review 2026 in Vizag

Metro India News | AMARAVATI 

President of India Droupadi Murmu will arrive in Visakhapatnam to participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR)-2026, a prestigious naval event showcasing maritime strength and global naval cooperation. The President will take part in the programme as part of a two-day visit to the port city.

In her capacity as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, President Murmu will review the naval formations and ceremonial displays during the event. The International Fleet Review serves as a major platform where international naval delegations, warships, submarines, and aircraft assemble at a single venue to demonstrate operational capabilities and foster maritime cooperation.

The IFR-2026 celebrations will formally commence on Tuesday with a ceremonial banquet hosted in honour of the President. On the following day, she will review a fleet of nearly 70 warships from India and friendly foreign nations at the designated anchorage area off the Visakhapatnam coast. Andhra Pradesh Governor Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu are also scheduled to attend the event.

According to the Indian Navy, the primary objective of the International Fleet Review is to strengthen maritime partnerships among nations while highlighting naval power, cooperation, and mutual trust in ensuring regional and global security.

A major highlight of this year’s IFR will be the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, widely regarded as a symbol of India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The warship, hailed as a hero of ‘Operation Sindoor,’ played a strategic role in countering the Pakistan Navy during the operation. Naval representatives from partner countries are expected to closely observe the carrier during the event.

Visakhapatnam is also hosting two other significant maritime engagements alongside IFR-2026, the 13th edition of the multinational naval exercise MILAN-2026 and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). More than 135 countries have been invited to participate in the MILAN exercise, marking an unprecedented moment as India hosts three major maritime events simultaneously for the first time.