Vice-Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, addressing the media onboard INS Himgiri, in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Visakhapatnam will host three flagship events of Indian Navy from February 15 to 25, 2026, Vice-Admiral Sanjay Bhalla, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) has said.
Addressing the media onboard INS Himgiri at the ENC base on Wednesday, Vice-Admiral Bhalla said that one mega event will comprise the 3rd International Fleet Review 2026, 13th MILAN 2026, and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs of 25 member nations.
“Visakhapatnam has been chosen for the mega event for being the headquarters of the ENC, strategic eastern maritime gateway of the Bay of Bengal, proven infrastructure for large-scale international events, iconic RK beach for ceremonies, and established logistics and hospitality networks. We expect that about six lakh people will view the city parade event at RK Beach,” the Vice-Admiral said.
The mega event will be inaugurated with the IFR 2026 at the sea by Supreme Commander of Armed Forces and President Droupadi Murmu on February 18 morning, showcasing indigenous platforms including INS Vikrant, India’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, Vishakhapatnam-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class stealth frigates, Arnala-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes, reflecting India’s transformation into a builder’s navy.
The other IFR event includes the International City Parade on February 19 evening, with air power demonstration by military aircrafts.
The MILAN 2026 will begin on February 18 morning with the theme of ‘Camaraderie, Cooperation, and Collaboration’, bringing together the navies from friendly countries. This event will comprise global maritime seminar, harbour and sea phases.
The 9th IONS Conclave will be held on February 20, marking India’s second chairmanship (2026-2028) of the voluntary forum uniting the navies of the Indian Ocean Region.
It will bring together senior naval leadership from 25 member nations, seven observer states and nine other specially invited countries to discuss maritime security and cooperation protocols.
A total of 137 nations have been invited and 61 nations have confirmed their participation as of now, with 23 foreign warships and two aircraft epitomising the Indian Navy’s preferred security partner role in the region,” the Vice-Admiral said.
Indian Navy is coordinating with other sectors such as Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Andhra Pradesh government and local administration such as GVMC and city police to ensure seamless execution of this landmark convergence, he said, adding that significant economic benefits for the region are anticipated through hospitality, tourism and service sector activities during this event.
Published – December 03, 2025 08:17 pm IST
