The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.

The President of India is the

Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral,
commands the navy.
The Indian Navy traces its origins back to the East India Company's Marine which was founded
in 1612 to protect British merchant shipping in the region. In 1793, the East India
Company established its rule over eastern part of the Indian subcontinent i.e. Bengal, but it was
not until 1830 that the colonial navy was titled as His Majesty's Indian Navy. When India became
a republic in 1950, the Royal Indian Navy as it had been named since 1934 was renamed
to Indian Navy.
The primary objective of the navy is to safeguard the nation's maritime borders, and in
conjunction with other Armed Forces of the union, act to deter or defeat any threats or
aggression against the territory, people or maritime interests of India, both in war and peace.
Through joint exercises, goodwill visits and humanitarian missions, including disaster relief,
Indian Navy promotes bilateral relations between nations.
As of June 2019, Indian Navy has 67,252 personnel in service and has a fleet of 137 warships
and 235 aircraft.[5][6][7] As of March 2018, the operational fleet consists of one aircraft carrier,
one amphibious transport dock, eight landing ship tanks, eleven destroyers, fourteen frigates,
one nuclear-powered attack submarine, one ballistic missile submarine, fifteen conventionally-
powered attack submarines[8], twenty-two corvettes, one mine countermeasure vessel, four fleet
tankers and various other auxiliary vessels.

Early maritime history[edit]

Main article: Indian maritime history
Further information: South-East Asia campaign of Rajendra Chola I
Further information: Maratha Navy
Further information: Maritime history of Odisha

Three-mast sailship, c. 5th century

The maritime history of India dates back to 6,000 years with the birth of art of the navigation and
navigating during the Indus Valley Civilisation.[9] A Kutch mariner's log book from 19th century
recorded that the first tidal dock India has been built at Lothal around 2300 BC during the Indus
Valley Civilisation, near the present day harbour of Mangrol on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Veda,
credits Varuna, the Hindu god of water and the celestial ocean,[10] with knowledge of the ocean
routes and describes the use of ships having hundred oars in the naval expeditions by Indians.
There are also references to the side wings of a ship called Plava, which stabilizes the vessel
during storms. Plava is considered to be the precursor of modern-day stabilizers.[11] The first use
of mariner's compass, called as Matsya Yantra, was recorded in 4 and 5 AD.[12]
Chola territories during Rajendra Chola I, c. 1030

Alexander the Great during his conquest over India, built a harbour at Patala. His army retreated
to Mesopotamia on the ships built at Sindh. In the later of his conquest, records show that the
Emperor of Maurya Empire, Chandragupta Maurya, as a part of war office, established an
Admiralty Division under the Superintendent of Ships. Many historians from ancient India
recorded the Indian trade relations with many countries, and even with countries as far
as Java and Sumatra. There were also references to the trade routes of countries in
the Pacific and Indian Ocean. India also had trade relations with the Greeks and the Romans. At
one instance Roman historian Gaius Plinius Secundus mentioned of Indian traders carrying away
large masses of gold and silver from Rome, in payment for skins, precious stones, clothes,
indigo, sandalwood, herbs, perfumes, and spices.[11]
During 5–10 AD, the Kalinga and the Vijayanagara Empires conquered Western Java, Sumatra
and Malaya. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands served as an important halt point for trade ships
en route to these nations and as well as China. During 844–848 AD the daily revenue from these
nations was expected to be around 200 maunds (8 tonnes (7.9 long tons; 8.8 short tons)) of gold.
During 984–1042 AD, under the reign of Raja Raja Chola I, Rajendra Chola I and Kulothunga
Chola I, the naval expedition by Chola dynasty captured lands of Burma, Sumatra, Sri Lanka,
and Malaya, and simultaneously repressing pirate activities by Sumatran warlords.[11][13]
Marco Polo's remark on Indian ships (1292 AD)
... built of fir timber, having a sheath of boards laid over the planking in every part, caulked with oakum and
fastened with iron nails. The bottoms were smeared with a preparation of quicklime and hemp, pounded together
and mixed with oil from a certain tree which is a better material than pith
[11]

During 14th and 15th centuries, Indian shipbuilding skills and their maritime ability was
sophisticated enough to produce ships with a capacity to carry over hundred men. Ships also
had compartments included in their design, so that even if one compartment was damaged, the
ship would remain afloat. These features of were developed by Indians even before Europeans
were aware of the idea.[11]
However, by the end of thirteenth century Indian naval power had started to decline, and had
reached its low by the time the Portuguese entered India. Soon after they set foot in India, the
Portuguese started to hunt down all Asian vessels not permitting their trade. Amidst this, in 1529,
a naval war at Bombay Harbour resulted in the surrender of Thane, Karanja, and Bandora. By
1534, the Portuguese took complete control over the Bombay Harbour. The Zamorin of
Calicut challenged the Portuguese trade when Vasco da Gama refused to pay the customs levy
as per the trade agreement. This resulted in two major naval wars, the first one—Battle of
Cochin, was fought in 1504, and the second engagement happened four years later off Diu. Both
these wars, exposed the weakness of Indian maritime power and simultaneously helped the
Portuguese to gain mastery over the Indian waters.[11]
In the later seventeenth century Indian naval power observed remarkable revival. The alliance of
the Moghuls and the Sidis of Janjira was marked as a major power on the west coast. On the
southern front, the 1st Sovereign of the Maratha Empire, Shivaji Bhosale, started creating his
own fleet. His fleet was commanded by notable admirals like Sidhoji Gujar and Kanhoji Angre.
The Maratha Navy under the leadership of Angre kept the English, Dutch and Portuguese away
from the Konkan coast. However, the Marathas witnessed remarkable decline in their naval
capabilities following the death of Angre in 1729.[11]

1612 origins to independence[edit]

Main article: Royal Indian Navy (1612–1950)

A depiction of a Maratha naval attack in 1812 against the East India Company's ship Aurora.

The origins of the Indian Navy date to 1612, when an English vessel under the command of
Captain Best encountered the Portuguese. Although the Portuguese were defeated, this incident
along with the trouble caused by the pirates to the merchant vessels, forced the British to
maintain fleet near Surat, Gujarat. The British Honourable East India Company (HEIC) formed a
naval arm, and the first squadron of fighting ships reached the Gujarat coast on 5 September
1612. Their objective was to protect British merchant shipping off the Gulf of Cambay and up
the Narmada and Tapti rivers. As the HEIC continued to expand its rule and influence over
different parts of India, the responsibility of Company's Marine increased too.[14]
Over time, the British predominantly operated from Bombay, and in 1686, the HEIC's naval arm
was renamed the Bombay Marine. At times the Bombay Marine engaged Dutch, French,
Maratha, and Sidi vessels. Much later, it was also involved in the First Anglo-Burmese War of
1824. In 1834, the Bombay Marine became Her Majesty's Indian Navy. The Navy saw action in
the First Opium War of 1840 and in the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852. Due to some
unrecorded reasons, the Navy's name reverted to the Bombay Marine from 1863 to 1877, after
which it was named Her Majesty's Indian Marine. At that time, the Marine operated in two
divisions—the Eastern Division at Calcutta under the Superintendent of Bay of Bengal, and the
Western Division at Bombay Superintendent of Arabian Sea.[14]
Indian Navy

शं नो वरुणः
"May the Lord of the Water
be auspicious unto us"

Headquarters

New Delhi

History and traditions

History of the Indian Navy

Ships

Current Indian Navy ships

History of Indian Navy ships

Installations

Indian Navy bases

Deployments

Indian Naval Deployments

Personnel
 Chief of the Naval Staff
Naval ranks and insignia
MARCOS commandos
This box:

 view
 talk
 edit

In 1892 the Marine was rechristened the Royal Indian Marine, and by the end of the 19th century
it operated over fifty ships. The Marine participated in World War I with a fleet of patrol vessels,
troop carriers, and minesweepers. In 1928, D. N. Mukherji was the first Indian to be granted a
commission, in the rank of an Engineer Sub-lieutenant. Also in 1928, the RIM was accorded
combatant status, which entitled it to be considered a true fighting force and to fly the White
Ensign of the Royal Navy.[15] In 1934, the Marine was upgraded to a full naval force, thus
becoming the Royal Indian Navy (RIN), and was presented the King's colours in recognition of its
services to the British Crown.[14]
During the early stages of World War II, the tiny Royal Indian Navy consisted of five sloops, one
survey vessel, one depot ship, one patrol vessel and numerous assorted small craft; personnel
strength was at only 114 officers and 1,732 sailors.[16] The onset of war led to an expansion in
numbers of vessels and personnel. By June 1940, the navy had doubled its number in terms of
both personnel and material, and expanded nearly six times of its pre-war strength by
1942.[17] The navy was actively involved in operations during the war around the world and was
heavily involved in operations around the Indian Ocean, including convoy escorts, mine-
sweeping and supply, as well as supporting amphibious assaults.[14]

HMIS Bombay of Royal Indian Navy in Sydney Harbour during World War II

When hostilities ceased in August 1945, the Royal Indian Navy had expanded to a personnel
strength of over 25,000 officers and sailors. Its fleet comprised seven sloops, four frigates,
four corvettes, fourteen minesweepers, sixteen trawlers, two depot ships, thirty auxiliary vessels,
one hundred and fifty landing craft, two hundred harbour craft and several offensive and
defensive motor launches.[18] During World War II the Navy suffered two hundred and seventy
five casualties—twenty seven officers, two warrant officers and 123 ratings killed in action, two
ratings missing in action and a further 14 officers, two warrant officers and 123 ratings
wounded.[19] For their role in the war, the officers and ratings of the Navy received the following
honours and decorations—a KBE (Mil.), a knighthood, a CB (Mil.), 10 CIEs, two DSOs, a CBE,
15 DSCs, an OBE, 28 DSMs, eight OBIs, two IOMs, 16 BEMs, 10 Indian Defence Service
Medals, a Royal Humane Society Medal, 105 mentions in dispatches and 118 assorted
commendations.[20] Immediately after the war, the navy underwent a rapid, large-scale
demobilisation of vessels and personnel.
From the inception of India's naval force, some senior Indian politicians had voiced concerns
about the degree of "Indianisation" of the Navy and its subordination to the Royal Navy in all
important aspects.[21] On the eve of WWII, the RIN had no Indian senior line officers and only a
single Indian senior engineer officer.[22] Even by the war's end, the Navy remained a
predominantly British-officered service; in 1945, no Indian officer held a rank above engineer
commander and no Indian officer in the executive branch held substantive senior line officer
rank.[23] This situation, coupled with inadequate levels of training and discipline, poor
communication between officers and ratings, instances of racial discrimination and the ongoing
trials of ex-Indian National Army personnel ignited the Royal Indian Navy mutiny by Indian ratings
in 1946.[24] A total of 78 ships, 20 shore establishments and 20,000 sailors were involved in the
strike, which spread over much of India. After the strike began, the sailors received
encouragement and support from the Communist Party in India; unrest spread from the naval
ships, and led to student and worker hartals in Bombay. The strike ultimately failed as the sailors
did not receive substantial support from either the Indian Army or from political leaders in
Congress or the Muslim League.[25]