NEW DELHI/VISAKHAPATNAM: President Ramanath Kovind will be in Visakhapatnam for two days from the 20th of this month to participate in the Presidential Fleet Review. As the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, the President will review the Indian Navy’s fleet at a ceremonial event at Visakhapatnam on February 21.

-A Fleet Review is usually conducted once during the tenure of the President.

-Post – Independence to date, 11 Presidential Fleet Reviews have been conducted by the Indian Navy, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews (2001 and 2016).

-In terms of significance, the Navy’s Presidential review is second only to the Republic Day Parade.

-More than 60 ships and submarines including the platforms of the Indian Coast Guard, Shipping Corporation of India, and National Institute of Ocean Technology, Chennai will be taking part in the Fleet Review.

-The President would review them by ‘steaming past’ embarking on the ‘Presidential Yacht’.

-Each ship would render a salute to the Supreme Commander as the yacht sails past.

-Naval aircraft would simultaneously fly overhead the formation rendering their salute.

-The last such flee review happened in 2016. It was also the second international fleet review hosted by the Indian Navy.

#OnThisDay in 2006 Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam embarked on the Presidential yacht #INSSukanya to review the #IndianNaval Fleet at #Visakhapatnam Harbour. This was the 9th Presidential Fleet Review #PFR and #first to be hosted on eastern coast (1/3).@rashtrapatibhvn @RBArchive pic.twitter.com/yzmQqiurnj
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) February 12, 2022

The high-profile presidential fleet review will be followed by the Milan multi-nation naval exercise, from February 25 to March 4, for which India has invited 45 countries, the officials said.

The Milan exercise, a biennial event, is expected to be the biggest ever since its inaugural edition at Port Blair in 1995 when only four foreign countries took part in the drills: Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Milan 2022 edition on February 26.

President's Vizag itinerary for the Naval Fleet Review

The President will arrive on a special flight from Bhubaneswar and reach Visakhapatnam at 1.35 pm on the 20th. From there he will proceed to the Naval Air Station and proceed to the Presidential Suite (Chola Suite). The President will spend the night there. This year’s event will commemorate 75 years of the country’s independence, with the theme Indian Navy: 75 years in Service of the Nation.

The President will reach the Naval Dockyard on the 21^st morning and take part in the Fleet Review.

He will attend the PFR Group photo event in the afternoon. The President will attend the luncheon at 1.30 pm and leave for Delhi on a special flight on the morning of February 22nd.

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