Article Posted on : - Dec 04, 2015

VISAKHAPATNAM (PTI): Forty-seven countries have confirmed their participation in the "prestigious" International Fleet Review to be held in Visakhapatnam from February 4 to 8, a senior Navy official said on Thursday.

"47 countries have confirmed their participation. The Indian Navy has extended invitations to 89 countries and response from 26 countries was pending as of now," Vice Admiral Satish Soni, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (ENC) told reporters on board INS Sahyadri.

He said President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Manohar Parikar and a host of delegates along with 25 chief of the Navies and 32 delegations from foreign countries will take part in the review.

"Mukherjee would review the fleet on February 6. INS Sumitra, an indigenously built naval offshore patrol vessel would be the Presidential Yacht and lead the President Column," he said.

"During the final stage of the review, a mobile column of warships and submarines will steam past the President Yacht," the Flag Officer added.

However, the events will commence on February 4 with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laying a wreath at the War Memorial at Rama Krishna beach at Visakhapatnam in remembrance of the martyrs of the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

Naidu will also inaugurate an exhibition which will showcase various entrepreneurs in the maritime domain.