India seeks to project itself as the main military power in South Asia in naval exhibitions and exercises that began on Wednesday (18) in the port city of Visakhapatnam, on the country’s east coast, facing the Bay of Bengal.
The Indian government displayed some of its main naval assets, such as the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant — built in the Asian country —, submarines, destroyers, frigates and corvettes at this Wednesday’s International Fleet Review maritime ceremony — a large parade of military vessels from India and other participating nations.
The exhibition also featured a series of flyovers by fighters, jets, military transport planes, helicopters, speedboats and rescue vehicles.
The Indian president and supreme commander of the Armed Forces, Droupadi Murmu, reviewed the troops for almost two hours.
Brazil is represented by the Commander of Naval Operations of the Navy, Admiral Eduardo Machado Vazquez, according to the Indian government.
Visakhapatnam has received massive investments from the Indian government over the last few decades and today is not only one of the country’s main Navy bases, but also a base for building its own vessels, such as the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant.
The waters of the Indo-Pacific region are of great strategic importance for the Indian economy. At the same time, they are marked by geopolitical conflicts and problems such as piracy, terrorism and trafficking.
Faced with the need for maritime security, India works on naval diplomacy to project itself as a regional leader, including in collaborations with small countries formed by archipelagos, without robust military capacity. For example, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles and Mauritius.
The assessment is that the initiative allows for more agile responses to threats, protects infrastructure and helps to sustain the smooth functioning of maritime trade in the region.
India still seeks to position itself as a power amid China’s growing Armed Forces.
India hosted two other editions of the International Fleet Review: in Mumbai, in 2001, and also in Visakhapatnam, in 2016.
The Milan 2026 multilateral naval exercise officially begins this Thursday (19) and will feature delegations from more than 70 countries, according to the Indian government.
“The exercise will offer an opportunity to learn from each other and deepen operational knowledge,” said the head of the Indian Navy, Admiral Dinesh Tripathi, in a video released by the organization.
Tripathi was on an official mission in Brazil in December last year. On the occasion, he met with the main authorities of the Brazilian Navy and Defense to discuss cooperation, maritime priorities, naval interoperability and the panorama of the .
Lula in India
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) arrived in India this Wednesday for an official visit to the country. The trip includes a meeting with , and participation in the International Summit on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence.
In addition to members of the government, there is a business mission of Brazilians on the trip looking to advance in , for example.
Like other foreign heads of state, Lula will not visit the city of Visakhapatnam, where the International Fleet Review is taking place. After India, Lula goes on an official visit to South Korea before returning to Brazil.
*The reporter traveled at the invitation of the government of India.
