Explained: History of President’s Fleet Review, its significance and what to expect from the 12th edition

President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the President’s Fleet Review of the Indian Navy today in Visakhapatnam.

For the review, more than 60 vessels of the Navy and Coast Guard, all of which have been made in the country, will participate.

The Navy said that this will be the 12th Presidential Fleet Review — the last one was conducted in 2016 under President Pranab Mukherjee.

As we gear up for this event, here’s all you need to know about this event, its genesis, its significance and what can be expected today.

What is the President’s Fleet Review?

According to the Navy, the fleet review is a "long-standing tradition followed by navies all across the world" and it is "an assembly of ships at a pre-designated place for the purpose of displaying loyalty and allegiance to the sovereign and the state".

A fleet review is usually conducted once during the tenure of the President.

Defence sources have been quoted as saying that the fleet review is second only to the Republic Day Parade.

The earliest recorded Indian Fleet Review was in the 18th Century by the powerful Maratha fleet, consisting of ‘Ghurabs’ and ‘Gallivats’, under the renowned Sarkhel (Grand Admiral) Kanhoji Angre at the coastal fortress of Ratnagiri.

Till date, 11 Presidential Fleet Reviews have been conducted since Independence, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews, in 2001 and 2016.

Additionally, this is the second time Visakhapatnam is hosting the President Fleet Review. President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had reviewed the fleet in 2006 in Visakhapatnam.

According to the Navy, with the reviewing of ships, the head of the State reaffirms the faith in the fleet and its ability to defend the nation’s maritime interest, and such an exercise is done without any ‘belligerent intentions’.

The exercise was be held in 2020 last, but was cancelled due to the pandemic. It was scheduled to be held at Andaman and Nicobar.

What to expect at this President’s fleet review?

Commemorating 75 years of independence, the theme of PFR 22 is ‘Indian Navy – 75 years in Service of the Nation’.

It has been reported that more than 60 ships and submarines and 50 aircraft will participate in the review.

Vessels of the Coast Guard, the Shipping Corporation of India, and the National Institute of Ocean Technology, submarines will also participate in the review.

The events scheduled for Monday include the ‘review anchorage’, the ‘steampast’ and ‘flypast’ by mobile columns, the ‘parade of sails’, and the release of a first day cover of a commemorative stamp.

All the participating units, which include Indian Naval warships, submarines, auxiliary vessels as also assets of other maritime organisations, will be anchored in a formation of four precise columns, and the President will review all participating ships by ‘steaming past’ them, embarked on a naval vessel designated the ‘Presidential Yacht’.

“Each ship would render a salute to the Supreme Commander as the Yacht sails past. Indian Naval aircraft would simultaneously fly overhead the formation rendering their salute,” the navy said.

Apart from the steam-past, there will be a flypast by about 50 aircraft. All aircraft in operation under the aviation wing of the Indian Navy will participate in the flypast, which includes the latest acquisition such as Mikoyan MiG-29K, Boeing P-8I Neptune and the HAL Dhruv MKIII.

After the flypast, the Marine Commandos (Marcos) will give a demonstration on anti-terrorist operation, a search-and-rescue drill, and a steam-past by a few submarines.

After the exercise, the President will address the nation, which will mark the end of the review.

Later, the President will release a special cover and a postal stamp at the Naval Base to mark the occasion.

With inputs from agencies

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