The Indian Navy today hosted an international fleet review (IFR) off the coast of Visakhapatnam and used the event to showcase self-reliance in making warships and systems. It was also a signal to allies about New Delhi’s multilateral alignments spanning across acrimonious global divides.President Droupadi Murmu, the supreme commander of the armed forces, reviewed the fleet while travelling on board INS Sumedha. Representatives of 74 countries, including Bangladesh and Iran, witnessed the fleet review, the third edition since Mumbai (2001) and Visakhapatnam (2016). A total of 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships, participated in the review, reflecting the scale and diversity of maritime participation.The Indian fleet at the parade included 60 Navy ships, which showcased self-reliance that has grown since the 2016 IFR. The indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (commissioned in 2023) was the lead example of self-reliance.The diving support vessel, 10,000-tonne INS Nistar that is also a submarine rescue vessel along with the Visakhapatnam class of warships were the other projects of self-reliance showcased at the IFR. Besides foreign navies and their representatives and defence attaches of friendly countries, some 30 journalists invited from across the world were put on a separate ship as they watched the event unfold in the Bay of Bengal.Officials said some friendly countries would be shown a demonstration on board INS Nistar as crews dive under sea for specialised tasks.Four maritime reconnaissance planes of the Indian Coast Guard extended the outreach as several smaller island nations need New Delhi’s help in monitoring the seas for drugs and illegal arms. A ship of the National Institute of Ocean Technology–that conducts hydrographic data–was also on display.The event was also about multilateralism. US warships could not make it due to impending issues with Iran, while Germany and France had their assets at the event. Japan and Australia–both partners in the Quad with India and the US–also sent their warships. Also present were South Korea, Russia and Iran.Ships from Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam–all three ASEAN members locked in a maritime dispute with China–also made it to the event. Ships from Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia added to the ASEAN presence. And despite the acrimony of the past, a ship from Bangladesh Navy was also present.The review also featured three Indian Navy submarines, a French Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft and participation by over 60 aircraft, underscoring the multi-domain operational capability and the coordinated maritime presence on display.Murmu described the event as one that takes forward India’s vision of ‘Mahasagar’, which stands for ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’.The Navy said the IFR was in keeping with the theme “United Through Oceans”, while highlighting the Indian Navy’s indigenous capability, operational professionalism and enduring partnerships with like-minded navies.