President Murmu to attend IFR 2026 today; foreign navies to take part in event
VISAKHAPATNAM: Droupadi Murmu, President of India, arrived in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday to attend the International Fleet Review 2026 (IFR) being hosted by the Indian Navy.
She was received at INS Dega by S Abdul Nazeer, Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Konidela Pawan Kalyan, Deputy Chief Minister, and senior officials. Later in the evening, the President hosted a Presidential Banquet for chiefs and representatives of friendly foreign navies, formally marking the commencement of the Fleet Review.
On Wednesday, in her capacity as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President will review the naval fleet off the Visakhapatnam coast.
The waters off Visakhapatnam and the shores along Rama Krishna Beach witnessed extensive activity on Tuesday as the Indian Navy conducted final full-scale rehearsals for the International Fleet Review (IFR) and the International City Parade, part of MILAN 2026.
At sea, participating warships carried out coordinated formation manoeuvres as part of preparations for the Fleet Review scheduled for February 18. Among the prominent vessels were INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, and the sail training ship INS Tarangini.
Submarines, along with naval aircraft and helicopters, rehearsed operational sequences over the Bay of Bengal, reflecting the three-dimensional nature of naval operations.
Along the beach front stretch from The Park Hotel to the Coastal Battery, rehearsals for the International City Parade drew residents and visitors. Marching contingents from the Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Coast Guard and Sea Cadet Corps practised in coordination for the February 19 event.
Bands from the services and educational institutions, including the Korukonda Sainik School Band, performed.
International City Parade at RK Beach tomorrow
Contingents from friendly foreign navies, including Vietnam, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Russia, Myanmar, Mauritius, Malaysia, Indonesia, France and Bangladesh, also took part, underscoring the multinational character of the exercise.
Personnel from Andhra Pradesh Police, AP Special Force, veterans’ groups, National Cadet Corps and school students participated in the parade practice.
Naval aircraft and helicopters conducted fly-pasts over the coastline as part of the rehearsal schedule.
The final International City Parade will be held at RK Beach on February 19, alongside other maritime engagements being organised in the city.
In a related development, the United States Consulate announced that the guided-missile destroyer USS Pinckney would be unable to participate in the International Fleet Review due to emergent operational requirements. However, the spokesperson has clarified that other planned participation by the United States Navy in the multinational event remains unchanged.
“The United States values our continuing partnership with India and looks forward to a successful event,” the spokesperson said.