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President Pranab Mukherjee reviewed the Naval fleet off Visakhapatnam coast here on Saturday morning as a part of the International Fleet Review (IFR) being conducted here.
It is the the second time the IFR is being conducted in the country, the first being off Mumbai coast in 2001.
The President conducted the fleet review aboard INS Sumitra, the Presidential yacht. Six rows of warships of the Indian Navy and the navies of 50 other countries participated in the review, with the sailors saluting the President.
INS Vikramaditya, INS Viraat, and other ships of the Navy participated in it. The naval helicopters and submarines were also on display during the review. The IFR was witnessed by thousands of spectators from the shore.
Along with the President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R.K Dhowan, were on board INS Sumitra to witness the event.
President Pranab Mukherjee said it was a memorable event off Visakhapatnam coast bringing together naval personnel of various nations, binding them together through the oceans.
Welcoming the foreign delegates, he said: "It is our belief that the present day maritime domain requires navies across the world to refocus their efforts to counter the rising tide of non-traditional maritime challenges in the brown, green and blue waters across all oceans."
He said: "Accordingly, the Indian Navy has realigned its maritime strategy to reflect the changes in the global environment. It has established a credible record of co-operative initiatives to promote stability of oceans and played a central role in ensuring safety of the vital sea lines of communication across the Indian Ocean."
The President complimented the Indian Navy, especially the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), for the flawless conduct of the prestigious event. He also congratulated the Andhra Pradesh Government and the public of Visakhapatnam for their co-operation.
At the end of the ceremony, the President was given a guard of honour by the Naval personnel. After his departure, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries disembarked from INS Sumitra and left the venue.
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