List Of All Indian Naval Stations
INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN NAVY
The Indian navy was founded on 5 September 1612, 408 years ago. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is considered as the father of the Indian Navy as he Introduced the idea of the navy. Martha military forces had nearly a fleet of 800 ships out of which 80 ships were of war class. The main purpose of the Indian Navy was to safeguard the British merchant ships and trade routes in the region.
INDIAN NAVY AFTER INDEPENDENCE
After Independence, the name Royal Indian Navy (RNS) was dropped and the tittle Indian Navy was adopted in 1950 Indian Navy consisted of 32 vessels along with 11000 personnel at the time of independence. In 1958 Ram Das Katari was appointed as the first chief of naval staff.
MOTTO OF INDIAN NAVY: शं नो वरुणः which means ’May the Lord of Water be auspicious unto us’. Here Varunah means the god of water.
NAVAL COMMANDS OF INDIA NAVY
There are total 3 naval commands under the Indian navy which can be categorized as follows:
- The western naval command was founded in 1968. Its headquarters is located in Mumbai and Flag Officer in command is Vice-admiral Ajit Kumar.
- The eastern naval command was founded in 1968. Its headquarters is located in Visakhapatnam and the Flag officer in Command is Vice-admiral Atul Kumar Jain.
- The southern naval command was founded in 1986. Its headquarters is located in Kochi and the Flag officer in command is Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla. SNC also operates as an training naval station for new joiners.
NAVAL BASES UNDER WESTERN NAVAL COMMAND
- INS DWARKA
INS DWARKA is a forward operating base situated in Okha Gujarat. It was built in 1975 it’s the main purpose is to provide infrastructure and logistical support to the Indian Naval ships deployed in the Arabian sea. This base is also used to maintain surveillance in the north of the Arabian Sea. It also provides logistics support to Indian Coast guard ships stationed in Okha coast guard station.
2. INS SARDAR PATEL
INS SARDAR PATEL is a forward operating base located in Porbandar Gujarat it became operational in 2015. It provides logistics support to the Indian Navy units deployed in the northern Arabian sea. It also helps to create dominance in the region against Pakistan.
3. INS KADAMBA
INS KADAMBA is an Indian naval station located in Karwar Karnataka it became operational in 2005. It is India’s third-largest Naval station. It is currently undergoing expansion (2B) after expansion It is expected to become Asia’s largest naval station.
4. INS VAJRAKOSH
INS VAJRAKOSH is an Indian Navy Missile and ammunition depot. It is located in Kawar Karnataka. It was inducted in 2015 and was inaugurated by Manohar Parrikar. Its main objective is to provide adequate ammunition to the ships deployed in the region.
5. INS GOMANTAK
INS GOMANTAK is a logistics and ammunition base operated by the Indian Navy. It is located in Vasco-da-Gama City on the narrow western strip of the Marmagora peninsula.
6. INS MANSA
INS HANSA is an Indian Naval Air station. It is India’s largest naval Airbase. It is located in Dabolim Goa. It currently houses nearly 2000 naval persons and various other aircrafts such as Dornier 228, Kamov KA-31, HAL chetak, HAL Dhruv, Mig 29, and Mig 29-K.
FACT: INDIA’S FIRST CARRIER VERSION TEJAS WAS FLOWN FROM HERE FOR WHICH A ELEVATED RAMP WAS MADE
7. INS ANGRE
INS ANGRE was a fort that was leased to the King of Portugal from the Gujarat monarchy in 1534. It was then given to King Charles II as a dowry then it became the seat power of the British Empire in 1665. the islands came into possession of East India company in 1686. In 1830 it was renamed as Company Jack and the Bombay Marine was re-designed as Indian royal navy in 1940. then in 1950 after independence, it was established as INS Dalhousie later in 1951 its name was changed to INS Angre. Currently, INS Angre works as a shore-based logistics and support establishment. It is located on the Bombay Islands.
8. INS ABHIMANYU
INS ABHIMANYU is an Indian Navy Marcos commando base. It was named after a character from Mahabharata. It was officially inducted in 1980. It provides support to the Navy. Marcos specializes in Land, sea, air operations. this command was established for a special operation in a maritime environment.
9. INS SHIKRA
INS SHIKRA was formerly known as INS kunjali it is an Indian naval station located at Colaba Mumbai. INS Shikra is primarily a heliport. It currently houses HAL chetak and SEA KING helicopters. it is India’s only naval air station which doesn’t have an operational runway. its main objective is to provide logistics and maintenance support to naval helicopters.
10. INS TRATA
INS TRATA now known as INS KUNJALI is a missile battery station its main objective is to provide protection to Gujarat and Maharashtra naval bases from external threats. It was inducted in 1964. It is located in Worli Mumbai.
11. INS VAJRABAHU
INS VAJRABAHU is an Indian navy submarine base. It was inducted on 1 February 1996. its main objective is to provide logistical support to SINDHUGOSH class and SHISHUMAR class submarines’ exact location of the base cannot be disclosed.
NAVAL BASES UNDER EASTERN COMMAND
- INS CIRCARS
INS CIRCARS is the oldest establishment on the eastern seaboard. It was inducted in 1939. Its main objective is to provide logistical and medical support to HQENC units.
2. INS DEGA
INS DEGA is an Indian Naval air station it is located in Vishakhapatnam. It was inducted in the late 1970’s it currently houses BAE hawk aircraft, Kamov KA-28 helicopters, UH-3 Sea king transport helicopters, HAL chetak, and DRDO lakshya drones.
3. INS VIRBAHU
INS VIRBAHU was built in 1971 it is located near Vishakapatnam. It houses various submarines and provides shore support to the submarines .currently it provides shelter to 8th and 11th submarine squadrons.
4. INS KALINGA
INS KALINGA is located near Vishakapatnam it was inducted in 1985. Its main purpose is to store missiles and advance weapons and deliver them to the eastern fleet deployed in the region.
DO YOU KNOW: INS KALINGA ALSO HOUSES MARCOS COMMANDOS
5. INS KARNA AND INS VARSHA
INS KARNA is Marcos’s commando base and it provides security and tactical support to the eastern fleet.
INS VARSHA is a base which is proposed to house India’s nuclear warships and nuclear submarines currently it is under construction it is proposed that it would be India’s largest naval base.
6. INS PARUNDU
INS PARUNDU is an Indian naval air station located in Uchipuli, Tamil Nadu. it was built in 2009. It is used to monitor movements in the Bay of Bengal. currently, it houses HAL chetak, Dornier 228, and IAI heron and IAI Searcher drones.
7. INS RAJALI
INS RAJALI is an Indian naval air station located in Tamil Nadu. It was constructed in 1942 for use by allies in WWII. It currently houses Boeing P-8I anti-submarine aircraft. In 1988 Tu-142 MKE bombers were also housed in the air stations which got decommissioned in 2017.
INTERESTING FACT: TU-142M IS THE WORLD FASTEST TURBO-PROP BOMBER
8. INS KATTABOMMAN
INS KATTABOMAN is a VLF-transmission facility of the navy located in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. It was built in 1990 and this facility is spread over an area of 3000 acres which has over 13 masts. Indian and Russia are the only countries in the world that operate an extremely low-frequency facility.
9. INS TUTICORIN
INS TUTICORIN is a logistic support base of the Indian Navy It is located in Tuticorin and It also played an important role in vande Bharat mission.
“VANDE BHARAT MISSION” was about bringing back stranded Indians from various countries during this pandemic.
10. INS NETAJI SUBASH
INS NETAJI SUBASH is a logistic and administrative support naval base located in Kolkata West Bengal.
NAVAL BASES UNDER SOUTHERN NAVAL COMMAND
- INS DWEEPRAKSHAK
INS DWEEPRAKSHAK is located in Kavaratti island in the Lakshadweep it was built in 2012. It works as a logistics and maintenance support base for Indian Navy ships operating in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).
2. INS ANDROTH
INS ANDROTH is located in Lakshadweep Minicoy, It is currently under construction and is proposed to be a forward operating base and radar station.
3. INS GARUDA
INS GARUDA is an Indian Naval air station. It was inducted on 11 May 1953. It is the oldest air station of the Indian navy. It is located in Willington, Kochi. It currently houses Dornier 228, Sea King and HAL chetak helicopters and searcher and Heron Drones and HAL ALH.
4. INS VENDURUTHY
INS VENDURUTHY is an Indian navy logistic and administrative support base located in Kochi, Kerela. It is the Indian Navy’s largest training base and it is adjacent to Naval Air station INS Garuda. It is also the Headquarters of Southern Naval Command.
5. INS ZAMORIN
INS ZAMORIN is a logistics and maintenance support to the Indian Naval academy located in Ezhimala Kerela and it also works as a Naval depot for INA.
6. INS KOHASA
INS KOHASA it is an indian naval air station which comes under tri services command. it is located in Shipbur Adaman nicobar islands.
OTHER THAN THESE BASES INDIAN NAVY HAVE 33 INDIAN NAVAL ACADEMIES ALL OVER INDIA AND 28 SUPER SPECIALITY NAVY HOSPITALS.
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