India Excludes China, Turkey From Major Naval Exercise, 55 Other Countries to Participate

New Delhi: India has excluded China and Turkey from a major international naval exercise planned for 2026, as the Navy’s Vice Chief issued a warning that every Chinese vessel entering the Indian Ocean is under surveillance.

The decision to not invite the two nations to the International Fleet Review (IFR) is reportedly linked to their support for Pakistan during the India-Pakistan conflict at the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor earlier this  year.

"Each and every one of them, whether naval ships or research vessels, is under our watch," Navy vice chief vice admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said at a press briefing on Friday (October 31). "We are aware of their movements."

His comments follow reports last September of the Chinese tracking vessel Yuan Wang-5 operating in the region. Vatsayan stressed that the Navy remains "fully alert and operationally prepared to meet any contingency."

In contrast to the exclusion, 55 other countries, including the United States and Russia, have confirmed their participation in the events to be held in Visakhapatnam.

The vice-admiral was announcing the IFR and the biennial Exercise MILAN, which will run from February 17 to 25, 2026. He noted that at any given time, between 40 and 50 foreign ships are operating in the Indian Ocean, a critical global transit route.

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