The President of India recently took part in the Indian Navy’s 12th Presidential Fleet Review.

What is the President’s Fleet Review?

• In simplest terms, it is the country’s President taking stock of the Navy’s capability.
• It showcases all types of ships and capabilities the Navy has.
• It takes place once under every President, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces.
• The President is taken on one of the Naval ships, which is called the President’s Yacht, to look at all the ships docked on one of the Naval ports.
• The yacht will be distinguished by the Ashoka Emblem on her side and will fly the President’s Standard on the Mast”.

Importance of Presidential Fleet Review

• A fleet review is usually conducted once during the tenure of the President.
• So far, 11 Presidential Fleet Reviews have been conducted since Independence, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews, in 2001 and 2016.
• In terms of significance, the Navy’s Presidential review is second only to the Republic Day Parade.
• The President will be given a 21-gun salute before embarking on the yacht.

Do all naval ships participate?

• The idea is to showcase not all the Navy’s ships, but every type of ship — and the kind of capabilities it has at that time.
• The review also includes merchant ships as well.

What else happens in the fleet review?

• In this most formal of naval ceremonials, each ship dressed in full regalia will salute the President as he passes.
• The President will also be reviewing the Indian Naval Air Arm in a display of spectacular fly-past by several helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
• In the final stage of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines will steam past the Presidential Yacht.

How many of these reviews have been held?

• There have been 11 President’s Fleet Reviews since Independence.
• The first was conducted in 1953, under Dr Rajendra Prasad.
• The next one was done not by the President but by the then Defence Minister, Y B Chavan, in 1964.
• Since then, it has been the President reviewing the fleet.
• The longest gap between reviews was of 12 years — between 1989 (President R Venkatraman) and when 2001 (President K R Narayanan).
• The last one was done in 2016, under President Pranab Mukherjee.

Significance of the event

• It is one of the most important events for the Navy, which is essentially showing its allegiance and commitment to defending the country.
• It is a long-standing tradition followed by navies across the world, and according to Navy officials it is a strong bond that links seafarers of the world.
• Historically, a Fleet Review is an assembly of ships at a pre-designated place for the purpose of displaying loyalty and allegiance to the Sovereign and the state.
• In turn, the Sovereign, by reviewing the ships, reaffirms his faith in the fleet and its ability to defend the nation’s maritime interest.
• It is perhaps conceived as a show of naval might. Though it still has the same connotation, assembling of warships without any belligerent intentions is now the norm in modern times.

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