The United States, Russia, and 55 other nations have confirmed their participation in both IFR and MILAN.
New Delhi:Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan on Friday asserted that the Indian Navy monitors every Chinese vessel entering the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“Each and every one of them, whether naval ships or research vessels, is under our watch. We are aware of their movements,” he said at a press conference announcing three major international maritime events to be held in Visakhapatnam: the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, Exercise MILAN 2026, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs, scheduled from February 15 to 25, 2026.
Notably, China and Turkey have not been invited to the IFR and Exercise MILAN 2026, as both countries had supported Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
The United States, Russia, and 55 other nations have confirmed their participation in both IFR and MILAN.
Vice Admiral Vatsayan said that the Indian Ocean Region continues to see an increased presence of extra-regional powers. “It has always been so, and it’s only increasing. At any given time, there are between 40 and 50 foreign ships operating in the region. We are monitoring every one of them, we know what they’re doing, what they’re likely to do, and when they enter or leave,” he said.
The International Fleet Review will be hosted at Visakhapatnam on February 18, and will be reviewed by President Droupadi Murmu.
Alongside, the biennial international naval exercise MILAN 2026, themed “Camaraderie, Cooperation and Collaboration,” will be conducted. MILAN will feature a harbour phase on February 19-20 and a sea phase with complex operations from February 21-25.
“We have extended invitations to a large number of nations, and so far, over 55 countries have confirmed participation in all three events. Many navies are sending high-level delegations in addition to their ships,” Vice Admiral Vatsayan added.
He noted that India’s tradition of Fleet Reviews dates back to the 18th century, when the Maratha Fleet was reviewed off the Konkan coast, laying the foundation for India’s maritime strength. India hosted its first International Fleet Review in 2001 at Mumbai and the second in 2016 at Visakhapatnam, each showcasing India’s role as a reliable and responsible maritime partner in ensuring regional security and stability.
