Navy

New Delhi: The Indian Navy successfully conducted the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 off the coast of Visakhapatnam on 18 February 2026, with participation from 74 countries, marking a grand maritime spectacle that showcased global naval cooperation, professional camaraderie and India’s maritime capability. IFR 2026 marked the third International Fleet Review hosted by India, following earlier editions at Mumbai (2001) and Visakhapatnam (2016).

The Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu, and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviewed the Fleet from INS Sumedha, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel, which served as the Presidential Yacht for the occasion. INS Sumedha was adorned with the Ashoka Emblem and flew the President’s Standard at the mast.

Following a Ceremonial Guard of Honour by a 150-person contingent and a 21-Gun Salute, the Hon’ble President embarked onboard INS Sumedha and sailed past the assembled Fleet of 52 anchored ships off the Visakhapatnam coast.A total of 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships participated in the fleet review, reflecting the scale and diversity of maritime participation.

The Indian fleet included 60 ships of the Indian Navy, four Indian Coast Guard vessels, and one ship each from the Shipping Corporation of India and the National Institute of Ocean Technology. The review also featured three Indian Navy submarines, one French Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft, and participation by over 60 aircraft, underscoring the multi-domain operational capability and the coordinated maritime presence on display.

The Hon’ble President also reviewed the Indian Naval Air Arm, marked by a fly-past of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. This was followed by a mobile column of warships and submarines steaming past the Presidential Yacht. The event further featured maritime and waterfront demonstrations, including a Parade of sails, Search and Rescue operations and aerial manoeuvres by Hawk aircraft.Addressing the occasion, Hon’ble President highlighted, “The spirit of friendship on display today through participation of so many friendly foreign countries highlights the truth that we are collected rather than divided by the seas. India’s approach to international relations, including the maritime domain, is guided by our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’.

This approach reflects the wisdom that global security, growth, sustainability and stability are built through friendship.” She further remarked, “The review also takes forward India’s vision of MAHASAGAR, which stands for ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’. The spirit of togetherness is well confirmed in this message of this review- ‘United through Oceans’. It is a positive message to the global community that it is the collective naval strength that can overcome maritime challenges”.

The International Fleet Review was also telecast live on Doordarshan television channels (DD National and DD Vijayawada) and was streamed live on the Indian Navy’s official social media platforms- Youtube (@IndianNavyOfficial) and Facebook (@IndianNavy), enabling audiences in India and abroad to witness the proceedings. Recorded broadcast (Re-runs) of the event remain available for viewing on the same channels.The International Fleet Review 2026 reaffirmed.

Explore the historic arrival of the Indian Navy’s first training squadron in Thailand, enhancing maritime collaboration and strengthening regional ties. The Indian Navy Thailand visit highlights strengthening maritime ties between the two nations.

New Delhi: As part of the ongoing training deployment to Southeast Asia, ships of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS) — INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata—along with ICGS Sarathi, arrived at Phuket Deep Sea Port, Thailand, on 25 Jan 2026. The ships were accorded a warm welcome by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) amidst the ceremonial fanfare of the RTN Band.

The visit symbolises the growing Indian Navy Thailand visit underpinned by a shared commitment to regional security, stability, and mutual understanding. The port call assumes special significance as 2026 is being celebrated as the ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation.

During the port call, personnel from the Indian Navy and the RTN will engage in a range of professional and training interactions aimed at enhancing cooperation and operational synergy. activities include interactions with senior RTN leadership, professional exchanges, yoga sessions, friendly sports fixtures, and Passage Exercise (PASSEX).

The Indian Navy and the RTN share a close, friendly, and steadily evolving bilateral relationship, strengthened through regular engagements and exercises. Bilateral initiatives such as Ex Ayutthaya and the Indo–Thai Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) continue to enhance coordination in shared maritime spaces.

Additionally, the trilateral maritime exercise SITMEX, conducted last year, reflects enhanced interoperability and professional synergy among regional navies, including the RTN.

The Indian Navy looks forward to building upon the RTN’s exemplary stewardship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) as India assumes the IONS Chair from Thailand in February 2026.

The visit of the First Training Squadron to Thailand aligns with the Government of India’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) and underscores the Indian Navy’s commitment to constructive engagement with regional partners. The deployment highlights India’s role as a responsible maritime partner and its continued efforts to strengthen maritime security and cooperation across the Indian Ocean Region.

Maj Gen Humaid Mohammed Abdullah Alremeithi, Commander, UAE Naval Forces (UAEN), is in India on an official visit from 07–09 Jul 2025, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and bilateral ties. His visit features high level discussions and operational interactions in New Delhi.

The visit began on 08 Jul 2025, with Maj Gen Humaid Mohammed Abdullah Alremeithi laying wreath at the National War Memorial, paying tribute to India’s Bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. This was followed by a ceremonial Guard of Honour and a bilateral meeting with Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, CNS, where discussions focused on enhancing naval engagements, structured training engagements, and maritime cooperation. The UAE Navy Chief also interacted with the Chief of the Defence Staff.

The visit of Maj Gen Humaid Mohammed Abdullah Alremeithi marks a key milestone in India-UAE Naval relations, aimed at deepening cooperation and promoting shared interests in the Indian Ocean Region.

User trials of Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) were successfully carried out from INS Kavaratti from June 23, 2025 to July 07, 2025. DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune, in association with High Energy Materials Research Laboratory and Naval Science & Technological Laboratory, has designed and developed ERASR for indigenous rocket launcher (IRL) of Indian Naval Ships.

ERASR is a totally indigenous anti-submarine rocket used to combat submarine and fired from onboard IRL of Indian Naval Ships. It has twin-rocket motor configuration to meet a wide spectrum of range requirements with high accuracy and consistency. The ERASR uses an indigenously developed Electronic Time Fuze.

A total of 17 ERASRs were successfully test evaluated at different ranges. All the specified objectives of the trials such as Range performance, Electronic Time Fuze functioning and Warhead functioning were successfully demonstrated.

Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad and Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited, Nagpur are the Production Partners for ERASR Rockets. With successful completion of User Trials, Indian Navy is expected to induct the ERASR System soon.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and the Industry involved in the development & trials of the system. He stated that the induction of this system into the Indian Navy will boost its striking power.

Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also complimented the teams involved in the design and development of ERASR.

The Indian Navy has signed a contract with M/s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru for the implementation of National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project towards strengthening maritime and coastal security. The contract was signed in the presence of VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, and Shri Manoj Jain, Chairman and Managing Director, M/s BEL.

The project will bring in an integrated approach to data collation, analysis and information sharing amongst the various maritime stakeholders. The project entails upgradation of the existing National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) Network to NMDA Network along with incorporation of AI-enabled software. As part of the project, the existing Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) at Gurugram, which is the nodal centre of NC3I Network, will also be upgraded into a Multi-Agency NMDA Centre hosting representatives from various national agencies. The project will be executed on ‘Turnkey Basis’ and will be administered by the Indian Navy.

Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Ship Itsukushima, commanded by Captain Naoki Mizoguchi, arrived at Chennai Port on July 07, 2025, as part of its Global Ocean Voyage Training, reinforcing the strategic partnership between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and JCG in the Indo-Pacific. The week-long port call includes high-level bilateral meetings, joint professional & cultural exchanges, and a sea exercise aimed at boosting interoperability between the two forces.

During the port call, crew members will engage in courtesy calls, reciprocal ship visits, joint training sessions, yoga, and sporting events, culminating in a joint sea exercise ‘Jaa Mata’ (see you later) on July 12, 2025.

As a symbol of growing cooperation, four ICG officers will sail onboard Itsukushima to Singapore as Sea Riders, continuing the tradition of professional exchange. This engagement builds on the 2006 Memorandum of Cooperation between India and Japan, aligned with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Indian Navy proudly celebrated the graduation of the Second Basic Hawk Conversion Course at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam. On 03 Jul 2025, Lieutenant Atul Kumar Dhull and Sub Lieutenant Aastha Poonia received the prestigious ‘Wings of Gold’ from Rear Admiral Janak Bevli, ACNS (Air). SLt Aastha Poonia becomes the first woman to be streamed into the Fighter stream of Naval Aviation – Shattering barriers and paving way for a new era of women fighter pilots in the Navy.

Indian Navy has already inducted women officers as Pilots and Naval Air Operations Officers in MR aircraft and helicopters. Streaming of SLt Aastha Poonia into the Fighter Stream highlights the Indian Navy’s commitment towards gender inclusivity in Naval Aviation and promoting Nari Shakti, fostering a culture of equality and opportunity.

The eighth edition of Indian Navy’s apex meeting on safety, the Annual Safety Review 2025, was conducted at Southern Naval Command, Kochi from 02 – 03 Jul 25. The meeting held in hybrid mode (both online and offline) was attended by officers from NHQ, representatives from all Command HQs, and Safety Class Authorities. VAdm V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command delivered the keynote address. Further proceedings of the two-day review were presided over by VAdm K Swaminathan, VCNS, who is also the Chairman of Indian Navy’s Safety Committee.

The event witnessed discussions and brainstorming by key stakeholders to strengthen the safety climate of Indian Navy. Safety Trend Analysis Tool (STAT), an application jointly developed by Indian Naval Safety Team (INST), Kochi, and Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), was launched during the event. A compendium of safety and risk management initiatives undertaken pan-Navy was also released during the review.

All Commands of the Indian Navy, the tri-service Andaman and Nicobar Command, and the Safety Class Authorities presented briefs on safety initiatives and challenges. Several agenda points related to safety were deliberated during the review. The Indian Navy conducts the safety review at the apex level every year with the objective of analysing all aspects concerned with operational and functional safety and provide organisational framework to strengthen safety culture.

Yard 12652 (Udaygiri), the second ship of Project 17A stealth frigate, being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), was delivered to the Indian Navy on 01 July 2025. The Project is a follow-on of the Shivalik class (Project 17) frigates active in service. Udaygiri is the second among the seven P17A frigates under construction at MDL, Mumbai and GRSE, Kolkata. These multi-mission frigates are capable of operating in a ‘Blue Water’ environment dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats in the area of India’s Maritime Interests. Udaygiri is a modern Avatar of its predecessor, erstwhile INS Udaygiri which was a Steam Ship, decommissioned on 24 August 2007 after rendering 31 years of glorious service to the nation.

P-17A ships have enhanced stealth features and fitted with ‘State of the Art’ weapons and sensors, a significant upgrade from the P17 class. The ships represent a quantum leap in Indian Navy’s in-house design capabilities at the Warship Design Bureau. The newly designed ships are also being built employing the philosophy of ‘Integrated Construction’, which involves extensive pre-outfitting at the Block stages to reduce the overall build periods. Udaygiri has been delivered to the Indian Navy, in a record time of 37 months from the date of launching.

The hull of P17A ships is geo-symmetrically larger by 4.54 % vis-à-vis P 17. These ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensors suite with enhanced ‘sleek and stealthy’ features compared to the P 17 class. The ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) main propulsion plants, comprising a Diesel Engine and Gas turbine, driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft and a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). The weapon suite comprises supersonic Surface-to-Surface missile system, Medium-Range Surface to Air Missile system, 76 mm Gun, and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire close-in Weapon Systems.

Aatmanirbharta in Ship Building and Employment Generation.   The delivery of Udaygiri showcases the nation’s ship design, ship construction and engineering prowess enabled by a strong industrial ecosystem supported by over 200 MSMEs. The warship is fitted with major weapons and sensors sourced from indigenous OEMs.

Plough Back. The shipbuilding requirements of the Project have led to direct employment generation for about 4,000 personnel and more than 10,000 personnel through indirect/ ancillary sources. The positive spin offs of the shipbuilding project included self-reliance, economic development, employment generation, growth of MSMEs and ancillary ecosystem in the country.

The remaining five ships of the P 17A Class are at various stages of construction at MDL, Mumbai and GRSE, Kolkata and would be delivered progressively by end 2026.

INS Teg, a frontline stealth frigate of the Western Naval Command, concluded a port visit at Port Victoria, Seychelles on 30 Jun 2025. The visit formed part of the ship’s operational deployment to the South West Indian Ocean Region and featured a wide spectrum of professional, social and cultural engagements, underscoring the maritime partnership between India and Seychelles.

On arrival at Port Victoria on 26 Jun 2025, the Commanding Officer called on senior government and military officials of Seychelles, including Maj Gen Michael Rosette, Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) SPDF, Mr Sylvestre Radegonde, the Minister of Home Affairs and Mr Kartik Pande, the High Commissioner of India to Seychelles (HCI). The officers and crew also interacted with senior government functionaries and officials from the Indian High Commission onboard the ship. These discussions contributed to strengthening camaraderie, bilateral ties and promoting cooperation in the maritime domain.

As part of cultural outreach, a yoga session, in line with the International Day of Yoga 2025 theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, was conducted onboard on 28 Jun 2025 with enthusiastic participation by the local populace, Indian diaspora and the ship’s crew.

Towards fostering greater understanding of the Indian Navy’s role and capabilities, the ship was open to visitors at Port Victoria on 28 Jun 2025. About 200 visitors were provided a guided tour of the ship and the entire event garnered immense interest and appreciation for the Indian Navy’s efforts in promoting maritime security in the region.

A cultural evening was hosted onboard the ship on 28 Jul 25. Invitees included the CDF, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, the Minister for Agriculture, the Minister for Community Affairs, other functionaries from the Govt of Seychelles, the HCI, envoys of friendly foreign nations including France, Japan, USA, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and members of the Indian diaspora. During his address the CDF highlighted the vibrant India-Seychelles defence partnership including support for capacity building through joint military exercises and regular port calls by Indian Naval ships. The programme facilitated a productive exchange of professional views, followed by a captivating performance by the Naval band, a vibrant dance performance by the ship’s crew and delectable Indian cuisine during dinner.

The highlight of the port call was participation of a marching contingent from the ship along with the famed Indian Naval Band in a parade to commemorate the 49th National Day of Seychelles on 29 June 2025. A flypast was also undertaken by the ship’s integral helicopter during the parade. The enthusiasm and standards of marching showcased by the contingent attracted appreciation from all quarters.

On completion of her port call on 30 Jun 2025, the ship embarked personnel from the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) for joint surveillance of Seychelles EEZ from 30 Jun -02 Jul 2025. This initiative reaffirms India’s commitment towards safety of the global commons and combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The ship will proceed with the next phase of deployment post disembarking the SCG personnel.

This visit stands testament to the Indian Navy’s commitment to strengthen maritime security cooperation and bilateral relations between the two nations.