India’s maritime diplomacy will take centre stage as the Indian Navy hosts the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 from February 18 in Visakhapatnam, bringing together ships, aircraft and official delegations from more than 70 countries. Held alongside the multinational naval exercise MILAN, the review underscores India’s growing role as a convenor of maritime cooperation, interoperability and naval diplomacy across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
Defence officials said the scale and diversity of participation make IFR 2026 one of the largest naval gatherings ever hosted by India, reflecting its expanding maritime partnerships with Europe, Southeast Asia, West Asia and Africa.
Germany to field frontline maritime patrol aircraft
Among the participating navies, Germany will deploy a P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, marking Berlin’s first frontline asset participation at the Indian Navy’s flagship fleet review. The deployment is seen as a significant signal of Germany’s growing operational engagement with India in the maritime domain and its evolving Indo-Pacific strategy.
Germany’s participation comes amid closer India–Germany cooperation on maritime security, freedom of navigation and rules-based order at sea, areas increasingly emphasised in bilateral dialogues. Officials noted that the P-8 deployment reflects Berlin’s intent to move beyond symbolic حضور at multilateral events and contribute tangible capabilities to shared maritime engagements with partners such as India.
Germany among several nations enhancing operational presence
While Germany’s participation forms part of a broader multilateral presence, defence officials said several countries are stepping up the operational profile of their involvement at IFR 2026. This shift highlights the evolution of the fleet review from a largely ceremonial showcase into a platform that also demonstrates real-world naval capabilities and readiness for cooperative operations.
Other first-time frontline deployments
Alongside Germany, other partner nations will also deploy key frontline assets. The Philippines is set to field BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-06), while the United Arab Emirates plans to deploy Al Emarat, an offshore patrol vessel. Officials said the mix of European, Southeast Asian and West Asian assets underscores the increasingly cross-regional character of IFR.
Broad diplomatic participation
Participation at IFR 2026 extends beyond traditional seafaring states. Landlocked nations such as Bhutan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are expected to be represented through official delegations, underlining the diplomatic and confidence-building dimension of the event. Officials also confirmed participation from more than 20 African countries, reflecting India’s widening naval outreach across continents—a space where Germany has also been expanding its security and capacity-building engagements.
Harbour phase and sea-based interoperability
As per the programme, the review will begin with a harbour phase focused on bilateral meetings, ship visits and outreach activities, offering opportunities for staff-level interactions and professional exchanges. This will be followed by the ceremonial fleet review, after which participating units will proceed to sea for passage exercises aimed at improving interoperability and coordination among navies—an area of growing relevance for India and Germany as like-minded maritime partners.
Presidential review off Visakhapatnam
On the morning of February 18, Droupadi Murmu will review the assembled fleet at anchorage off Visakhapatnam. INS Sumedha will embark the President as the Presidential Yacht and lead the Presidential Column.
The programme will feature anchored formations of Indian and foreign warships, steam-pasts by mobile columns of ships and submarines, a flypast by naval aircraft, a parade of sailing vessels, helicopter-borne search and rescue demonstrations, and Marine Commando displays.
Building on earlier editions
The previous International Fleet Review, also hosted in Visakhapatnam in 2022, saw participation from 50 countries. Officials said IFR 2026 not only marks an expansion in numbers but also a qualitative shift in participation, with countries such as Germany bringing frontline assets that reflect deeper operational engagement with India.
‘United Through Oceans’
For nearly three decades, the Indian Navy’s International Fleet Review has brought maritime nations together in a spirit of cooperation. Guided by the theme ‘United Through Oceans’, this edition will combine professional exchanges, operational engagement and cultural interaction—reinforcing India’s vision of an inclusive, collaborative and rules-based maritime order.
