Presidential Fleet Review, 2022

What is Presidential Fleet Review?

• 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 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.
• In terms of significance, the Navy’s Presidential review is second only to the Republic Day Parade.
• 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 President’s Yacht is an indigenously built Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel, INS Sumitra, which leads the Presidential Column. 
• The yacht was distinguished by the Ashoka Emblem on her side and will fly the President’s Standard on the Mast.
• The President was given a 21-gun salute before embarking on the yacht.
• 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 President also reviewed the Indian Naval Air Arm in a display of spectacular fly-past by several helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. 
• The vessels included the Navy’s latest acquisitions, and the events included waterfront activities such as Parade of Sails, Search and Rescue Demonstration at Sea, Aerobatics by Hawk aircraft, and Water Para Jumps by the elite Marine Commandos.
• So far, 11 Presidential Fleet Reviews have been conducted since Independence, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews, in 2001 and 2016. 
• 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 12 years — between 1989 (President R Venkatraman) and 2001 (President K R Narayanan). 
• The last one was done in 2016, under President Pranab Mukherjee.
• The reviews in 2001 and 2016 were International Fleet Reviews, in which some vessels from other countries also participated. 
• The Indian Navy too has participated in international fleet reviews in other countries, including Australia, America, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, and the UK.