What Happened
- India is hosting three concurrent major maritime events at Visakhapatnam from 15 to 25 February 2026: the International Fleet Review (IFR), the 13th edition of Exercise MILAN, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs.
- Over 70 countries, approximately 60 warships (including 19 from foreign navies), and 50 aircraft are participating — making this the largest-ever convergence of naval power hosted by India.
- Both the United States and Russia have confirmed participation with ships and aircraft, alongside Iran, Japan, and Australia — a rare instance of geopolitical rivals operating together in a multilateral framework.
- The President of India will review the assembled fleet on 18 February aboard INS Sumedha, an indigenously built Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel.
- Indigenous platforms on display include INS Vikrant (India's first domestically built aircraft carrier), Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class stealth frigates, and Arnala-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes.
Static Topic Bridges
Exercise MILAN — India's Flagship Multilateral Naval Exercise
Exercise MILAN (Multilateral Indian-Led Assembly of Navies) was inaugurated by the Indian Navy in February 1995 at Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, as a biennial gathering of regional navies. The initial participants were the navies of India, Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Over three decades, it has grown from a modest five-nation event to the world's largest multilateral naval exercise.
- First held: February 1995, Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Command)
- Editions 1–10: All held in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Edition 11 (2022): First time shifted to Visakhapatnam under Eastern Naval Command — largest edition with 40+ nations
- Edition 12 (2024): 50 nations, 16 foreign warships, two Indian aircraft carriers deployed
- Edition 13 (2026): 70+ nations invited (invitations extended to over 135 countries), theme: "Camaraderie, Cooperation and Collaboration"
- Conducted under PM Modi's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision
Connection to this news: The 2026 edition represents the exercise's largest-ever iteration. The concurrent hosting of IFR, MILAN, and IONS — three major maritime events simultaneously — is unprecedented in Indian naval history and signals India's ambition to position itself as the primary security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.
International Fleet Review (IFR) — Presidential Review of Naval Power
An International Fleet Review is a ceremonial event in which the head of state reviews assembled warships of the host navy alongside visiting foreign naval vessels. In India, it is conducted under the authority of the President as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. India has hosted IFRs only twice before: in 2001 (Mumbai) and 2016 (Visakhapatnam).
- IFR 2001 (Mumbai): Theme "Bridges of Friendship"; 29 countries, 97 ships (24 foreign); reviewed by President K.R. Narayanan on 17 February 2001
- IFR 2016 (Visakhapatnam): Theme "United through Oceans"; 50 foreign navies, 71 Indian Navy ships, 70+ aircraft; reviewed by President Pranab Mukherjee on 6 February 2016
- IFR 2026 (Visakhapatnam): Theme "United through Oceans"; 70+ nations; reviewed by President Droupadi Murmu on 18 February 2026 aboard INS Sumedha
- IFRs serve as instruments of naval diplomacy, projecting maritime capability while signalling cooperative intent
Connection to this news: The 2026 IFR is India's third international fleet review and the largest to date. The showcase of indigenous platforms — from INS Vikrant to Nilgiri-class frigates — underscores India's transformation from a "buyer's navy" to a "builder's navy," a key Atmanirbhar Bharat defence narrative.
Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) is a voluntary initiative that seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). It was conceived and inaugurated by the Indian Navy in February 2008 in New Delhi. IONS provides an open and inclusive forum for discussions on regionally relevant maritime issues, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HADR), and shared security challenges.
- Founded: February 2008, New Delhi (Indian Navy as founding chair, 2008–2010)
- Membership: 25 member nations + 9 observers = 34 total (as of latest expansion with Republic of Korea as observer)
- Members organized into 4 sub-regions: South Asian Littorals, West Asian Littorals, East African Littorals, South East Asian and Australian Littorals
- Chairmanship rotates biennially; India held the chair in 2008–2010
- Key focus areas: maritime security cooperation, HADR, freedom of navigation, blue economy, information sharing
Connection to this news: The IONS Conclave of Chiefs at Visakhapatnam, held alongside MILAN and IFR, brings together the naval leadership of Indian Ocean littoral states. This triple convergence reinforces India's self-positioning as the "net security provider" in the IOR — a doctrine articulated in India's Maritime Security Strategy and the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative launched in 2015.
India's Maritime Doctrine — SAGAR and MAHASAGAR
India's approach to Indian Ocean security rests on two key doctrinal visions. SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) was articulated by PM Modi in March 2015 during a visit to Mauritius, envisioning India as a collaborative security provider. Building on this, the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision was announced in 2025, extending the cooperative maritime framework beyond the Indian Ocean to a wider Indo-Pacific engagement.
- SAGAR (2015): Emphasizes cooperative maritime security, capacity building of smaller IOR navies, blue economy, disaster response
- MAHASAGAR (2025): Broadens engagement to 70+ nations; underpins MILAN 2026 and the concurrent hosting of IFR and IONS
- India's Maritime Security Strategy (2015): Identifies IOR as India's "primary area of interest" and the wider Indo-Pacific as its "secondary area of interest"
- India maintains naval cooperation agreements with over 20 countries and conducts bilateral exercises with the US (Malabar), Japan (JIMEX), France (Varuna), Australia (AUSINDEX), and others
Connection to this news: The scale of participation at IFR-MILAN-IONS 2026 — with both the US and Russia sending ships — validates India's positioning as a neutral maritime convener. The MAHASAGAR framework elevates this role from regional security provision to global maritime partnership.
Key Facts & Data
- IFR 2026 date: 18 February 2026; Presidential review aboard INS Sumedha
- MILAN 2026: 13th edition, 18–25 February 2026, Visakhapatnam (Bay of Bengal)
- IONS: Founded 2008; 25 members + 9 observers = 34 nations
- Participating nations at IFR-MILAN 2026: 70+ (invitations to 135+ countries)
- Warships present: ~60 (including 19 foreign)
- Aircraft: ~50
- Previous Indian IFRs: 2001 (Mumbai, 29 countries), 2016 (Visakhapatnam, 50 navies)
- MILAN origin: 1995, Port Blair, 5 nations; now 70+ nations
- India's indigenous carrier INS Vikrant: Commissioned August 2022, built at Cochin Shipyard, 45,000 tonnes displacement