The Indian Navy has not extended an invitation to the Pakistan Navy to participate in the prestigious International Fleet Review (IFR), which is to be hosted by the Eastern Naval Command here next February.
A senior Navy official said that during an informal interaction with the media on Thursday that Pakistan was not among the 70 navies invited to IFR 2016, 39 of which have confirmed participation. Among them are China, USA and Japan. Asked why Pakistan was not invited, he said that India’s Ministry of External Affairs had ‘sent a circular’ to the Pakistan High Commission.
The number of participating countries is likely to go up in the coming days, the official said.
The International Fleet Review is being held for the first time on the eastern seaboard. The five-day mega event, starting February 4, will bring attention to the Eastern Naval Command, Vizag and Andhra Pradesh. There are likely to be some 400 dignitaries, including chiefs of staff of several navies.
Top figures of the Government of India, including the President and the Prime Minister, are likely to be here for three days for IFR 2016. The President and the Prime Minister would be arriving on February 5 and leaving on February 7.
Visakhapatnam has been chosen as the venue for IFR 2016 as the State Government was keen on hosting it, the official said.
While the VIPs would be hosted in the five-star hotels in the city and some in accommodation at the Naval Base, officers and crew of the visiting ships would be returning to their vessels after participating in events on shore, he said.
Source from India Defence News.
