159-774: The Southern Naval Command is one of the three, command-level formations of the Indian Navy . Southern Naval Command is the largest naval command in India and it has its headquarters in Kochi , Kerala at INS Venduruthy . It is the Training Command of the Indian Navy. The Command is commanded by a Three Star Flag Officer of the rank of Vice Admiral with the title Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command (FOC-in-C). Vice Admiral Vennam Srinivas , AVSM , NM
318-625: A blue-water navy , it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region , the Horn of Africa , the Strait of Malacca , and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as in the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously. The primary objective of
477-535: A "comprehensive strategic partnership" with UAE. India has maritime security arrangements in place with Oman and Qatar. In 2008, a landmark defence pact was signed, under which India committed its military assets to protect "Qatar from external threats". On 9 June 2012, the JIMEX 2012 naval exercise took place off the coast of Tamil Nadu in India to Tokyo in Japan. This was the first ever bilateral maritime exercise between
636-565: A Treaty of Friendship in New Delhi. Article II of the treaty stipulates that "There shall be everlasting peace and unalterable friendship between the two States who shall ever strive to strengthen and develop further the cordial relations existing between the peoples of the two countries." India had signed a pact to develop ports in Myanmar and various bilateral issues, including economic co-operation, connectivity, security and energy. India has
795-576: A counter-offensive into Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) in the event of any Chinese attack. The Army Aviation Corps is another vital part of the Indian Army formed on 1 November 1986. The army aviation pilots are drawn from other combat arms, including artillery officers, to form a composite third dimensional force for an integrated battle. IAF operates and flies attack Helicopters like the Mil Mi-25/Mi-35 which are owned and administered by
954-516: A counterweight to increasing Chinese footprints in the region. Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and, particularly, Vietnam and Myanmar have time and again pressed India to help them both in terms of military training and weapons supply. Myanmar's Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Thura Thet Swe during his four-day visit to India in late July 2012 held wide-ranging consultations with top officials from the Indian Ministry of Defence. Apart from increasing
1113-590: A coup d'état by PLOTE in the Maldives . Naval maritime reconnaissance aircraft detected the ship hijacked by PLOTE rebels. INS Godavari and Indian marine commandos recaptured the ship and arrested the rebels. During the 1999 Kargil War , the Western and Eastern fleets were deployed in the Northern Arabian Sea, as a part of Operation Talwar . They safeguarded India's maritime assets from
1272-582: A first, India has offered a $ 100-million credit line to Vietnam to purchase military equipment. A bilateral agreement for the use of facilities in India by the Singapore Air Force and Army was signed in October 2007 and August 2008 respectively and has been extended up to 2017. Singapore is the only country to which India is offering such facilities. The Indian Army is a voluntary service, the military draft having never been imposed in India. It
1431-497: A further 14 officers, two warrant officers and 123 ratings wounded. 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. Immediately after
1590-543: A harbour at the ancient city of Patala , which has been hyphothzied to be the present day city of Thatta . His army retreated to Mesopotamia using ships built at Sindh . In the period after his conquest, records show that the Emperor of Maurya Empire , Chandragupta Maurya , as a part of his war office, established an Admiralty Division. Many historians from ancient India recorded Indian trade relations. Indian trade reached Java and Sumatra . There were also references to
1749-599: A monitoring station, fitted with radars and surveillance gear to intercept maritime communication, in Madagascar . It also plans to build a further 32 radar stations in Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives and Sri Lanka. According to Intelligence Online , published by a France-based global intelligence gathering organisation, Indigo Publications, the Navy is believed to be operating a listening post in Ras al-Hadd , Oman. The post
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#17327720111001908-539: A naval air station, and a ship repair yard. The Southern Naval Command is organised as follows: Naval bases under Southern Naval Command are the following Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime 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. As
2067-458: A naval war at Bombay Harbour resulted in the surrender of Thane , Karanja , and Bandora . By 1534, the Portuguese took complete control over 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
2226-632: A number of independent brigades, and requisite combat support and service support formations and units. Among the fifteen, four are "strike" corps – Mathura ( I Corps ), Ambala ( II Corps ), Bhopal ( XXI Corps ) and Panagarh ( XVII Corps ). The main combat and combat support units are 68 armoured regiments, and over 350 infantry battalions and 300 artillery regiments (including two surface-to-surface missile (SSM) units). Among major armaments and equipment, there are 4,614 main battle tanks, more than 150,000 vehicles, 140 self-propelled artillery, 3,243 towed artillery, more than 700 rocket artillery(MLRS) in
2385-542: A peaceful, unarmed demonstration for union with India, the Indian government decided to invade and initiated Operation Vijay . A lopsided air, sea, and ground campaign resulted in the speedy surrender of Portuguese forces. Within 36 hours, 451 years of Portuguese colonial rule ended, and Goa was annexed by India. India fought four major wars with its neighbour Pakistan in 1947 , 1965 , 1971 and 1999 , and with China in 1962 and 1967 . Indian victory over Pakistan in
2544-588: A potential Pakistani naval attack, and also deterred Pakistan from attempting to block India's sea-trade routes. The Indian Navy's aviators flew sorties and marine commandos fought alongside Indian Army personnel in the Himalayas. In October 1999, the Navy along with the Indian Coast Guard rescued MV Alondra Rainbow , a pirated Japanese cargo ship. In the 21st century, the Indian Navy has played an important role in maintaining peace for India on
2703-401: 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 . During the 14th and 15th centuries, Indian shipbuilding and maritime abilities skill set exceeded European capabilities at
2862-570: A significant coastal navy . 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 Kingdom , Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj , 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
3021-627: A significant naval fleet although it was the weakest branch of the military . Empress Mariam-uz-Zamani maintained large fleets of trade ships including the Rahīmī and Ganj-i-Sawai . The Rahimi was the largest of the Indian ships trading in the Red Sea . After being sacked by pirates, this ship was replaced by the Ganj-i-Sawa . This ship was eventually sacked by English Pirate Henry Every . The Navy mainly patrolled coastal areas. The navy
3180-821: A true fighting force and to fly the White Ensign of the Royal Navy. 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. 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
3339-508: Is House Keeper and Cleaner, for which candidates only have to be 8th pass. At the rally, prospective soldiers are evaluated for height, weight, vision and hearing, and physical fitness. Fitness tests include a 1.6 km Run, Pull Ups, jumping a 9 Feet ditch, and doing a zig zag balance test. After recruitment rally, accepted candidates go to Basic Training. The Indian Armed Forces have set up numerous military academies across India for training personnel. Military schools, Sainik Schools , and
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#17327720111003498-625: Is based at the Eastern Naval Command. The Southern Naval Command is home to the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST). Additionally, the Andaman and Nicobar Command is a unified Indian Navy, Indian Army , Indian Air Force , and Indian Coast Guard theater command based at the capital, Port Blair . Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) receives staff support from, and reports directly to
3657-568: Is considered as a multi-regional power projection blue-water navy . The maritime history of India dates back 6,000 years to the pre- Indus Valley civilisation . A Kutch mariner's log book from 19th century recorded that the first tidal dock in India was built at Lothal around 2300 BC during the Indus Valley Civilisation , near the present-day harbor of Mangrol on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Veda credits Varuna ,
3816-410: Is divided administratively into seven tactical commands, each under the control of different Lieutenant Generals . The Indian Air Force is divided into five operational and two functional commands . Each command is headed by an air officer commanding-in-chief with the rank of air marshal . The Indian Navy operates three commands . Each command is headed by a flag officer commanding-in-chief with
3975-661: Is headed by a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the rank of Vice Admiral . The Eastern and Western commands each have a Fleet commanded by a Rear Admiral . The Western Fleet based at Mumbai is commanded by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF) and the Eastern Fleet , based at Visakhapatnam , is commanded by the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet (FOCEF). Apart from
4134-600: Is in the Mauryan Empire from the 4th century BC. Powerful militaries included those of the: Maurya , Satavahana , Chola , Vijayanagara , Mughal and Maratha empires . Emperor Chandragupta Maurya 's mentor and advisor Chanakya 's Arthashastra devotes a full chapter on the state department of waterways under navadhyaksha ( Sanskrit for Superintendent of ships) . The term, nava dvipantaragamanam (Sanskrit for "sailing to other lands by ships," i.e. exploration) appears in this book in addition to appearing in
4293-613: Is located directly across from Gwadar Port in Balochistan , Pakistan, separated by approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi) of the Arabian Sea. The navy operates INS Kattabomman , a VLF and ELF transmission facility at Vijayanarayanapuram near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu. INS Abhimanyu and INS Karna are two bases dedicated for MARCOS . Project Varsha is a highly classified project undertaken by
4452-647: Is one of the largest standing armies (and the largest standing volunteer army) in the world, with 1,237,000 active troops and 800,000 reserve troops. The force is headed by the Chief of Army Staff , General Manoj Pande . The highest rank in the Indian Army is Field Marshal , but it is a largely ceremonial rank and appointments are made by the President of India , on the advice of the Union Cabinet of Ministers, only in exceptional circumstances. Sam Manekshaw and
4611-714: Is one of the oldest naval bases in India. Commissioned in February 1945 as HMIS Shivaji, it now serves as the premier Technical Training Establishment (TTE) of the Indian Navy. In May 2005, the Indian Navy commissioned INS Kadamba at Karwar , 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Goa . Built under the first phase of the Project Seabird , at first it was an exclusively Navy controlled base without sharing port facilities with commercial shipping. The Indian Navy also has berthing rights in Oman and Vietnam. The Navy operates
4770-611: Is ongoing, of which 64 will be inducted in the Army Aviation to replace the Cheetak and Cheetah Helicopters. HAL has obtained a firm order to deliver 114 HAL Light Combat Helicopters to the Indian Army. India is re-organising its mechanised forces to achieve strategic mobility and high-volume firepower for rapid thrusts into enemy territory. At present, the Indian army has severe deficiencies in its artillery (particularly self-propelled guns) and ammunition stocks, not to mention
4929-415: Is operated by the Navy. Indian Navy also trains officers and men from the navies of friendly foreign countries. As of 1 July 2017 , the Navy has 10,393 officers and 56,835 sailors against a sanctioned strength of 11,827 officers and 71,656 sailors. This is inclusive of naval aviation, marine commandos and Sagar Prahari Bal personnel. Indian Armed Forces The Indian Armed Forces are
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5088-665: Is responsible for providing the entire pool of medical staff to the Armed Forces by giving them in-service training. Officer recruitment is through many military-related academies. Besides the tri-service National Defence Academy, Pune , the three services have their own training institutes for this purpose. These include: the Indian Military Academy , Dehradun , Indian Naval Academy , Ezhimala , Air Force Academy , Hyderabad , Officers Training Academy at Chennai and Gaya . Other notable institutions are
5247-794: Is responsible for the framework of training and exercises the responsibility through Directorate of Naval Training (DNT). The training year of Indian Navy is defined from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. Seaman training is held at INS Chilika , Orissa. Officer training is conducted at Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala , on the coast of Kerala . Established in 2009, it is the largest naval academy in Asia. Cadets from National Defence Academy also move to INA for their later terms. The Navy also has specialized training establishments for gunnery, aviation, leadership, logistics, music, medicine, physical training, educational training, engineering, hydrography, submarines etc. at several naval bases along
5406-634: Is the ministry charged with the responsibilities of countering insurgency and ensuring external security of India. General Upendra Dwivedi is the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Choudhari is the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS). The Indian armed forces are split into different groups based on their region of operation. The Indian Army
5565-552: Is the world's second-largest military force and has the world's largest volunteer army. It also has the third-largest defence budget in the world. The Global Firepower Index report lists it as the fourth most-powerful military. The Indian Armed Forces have been engaged in a number of major military operations, including: the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1947 , 1965 and 1971 , the Portuguese-Indian War ,
5724-454: Is the current FOC-in-C SNC, who took over on 31 December 2023. After the independence and the partition of India on 15 August 1947, the ships and personnel of the Royal Indian Navy were divided between the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan . The division of the ships was on the basis of two-thirds of the fleet to India, one third to Pakistan. The shore establishments on
5883-657: Is the developing world's leading arms purchaser. It is investing ₹ 99.7 billion (US$ 1.2 billion) to build a dedicated and secure optical fibre cable (OFC) network for exclusive use of the Army, Navy and Air Force. This will be one of the world's largest closed user group (CUG) networks. During 2010, the Indian Armed Forces had a reported strength of 1.4 million active personnel and 2.1 million reserve personnel. In addition, there were approximately 1.3 million paramilitary personnel, making it one of
6042-812: The Army War College , at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), at Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir, the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School (CIJW), in Vairengte, Mizoram, and the College of Military Engineering (CME), in Pune. After being commissioned, officers are posted and deputed, and are at the helm of affairs not only inside India but also abroad. Officers are appointed and removed only by
6201-833: 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. In 1892
6360-524: The Hindu god of water and the celestial ocean , 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 stabilise the vessel during storms. Plava are considered to be the precursors of modern-day stabilisers. Alexander the Great , during his campaigns in India, built
6519-569: The Indus Valley civilisation period, near the present day port of Mangrol on the Gujarat coast. The Rig Veda written around 1500 BC, credits Varuna with knowledge of the ocean routes and describes naval expeditions. There is reference to the side wings of a vessel called Plava , which gives the ship stability in storm conditions. A compass, Matsya yantra was used for navigation in the fourth and fifth century AD. The earliest known reference to an organisation devoted to ships in ancient India
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6678-754: The Integrated Defence Staff . The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces but the executive authority and responsibility for national security is vested in the Prime Minister of India and their chosen Cabinet Ministers . The Indian Armed Forces are under the management of the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India . With strength of over 1.4 million active personnel, it
6837-608: The K.M. Cariappa are the only two officers who have attained this rank. The army has combat experience in diverse terrains and also has a distinguished history of serving in United Nations peacekeeping operations. India contributes 6000 of its personnel to the UN peacekeeping efforts making it the second largest contributor. The Indian Army has seen military action during the First Kashmir War , Operation Polo ,
6996-556: The Lion Capital of Asoka . On 1 April 1951, the remaining units of Imperial Service Troops of the former princely states were integrated with the regular Indian Army, though only a percentage of the former princely states forces were found capable enough to be retained in active service. While India had become a republic, British officers seconded from the British Armed Forces continued to hold senior positions in
7155-488: The Ministry of Defence is responsible for the indigenous production of equipment used by the Indian Armed Forces. It comprises 16 Defence PSUs . India remains one of the largest importer of defence equipment with Russia, Israel, France and the United States being the top foreign suppliers of military equipment. The Government of India, as part of the Make in India initiative, seeks to indigenise manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports for defence. India has one of
7314-446: The President of India . Farkhor Air Base is a military air base located near the town of Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of the capital Dushanbe. It is operated by the Indian Air Force in collaboration with the Tajikistan Air Force. Farkhor is India's first and only military base outside its territory. There was an unconfirmed report of India building some assets at Ayni Air Base in Tajikistan, although
7473-443: The Rashtriya Indian Military College were founded to broaden the recruitment base of the Defence Forces. The three branches of the Indian Armed Forces jointly operate several institutions such as: the National Defence Academy (NDA), the Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), the National Defence College (NDC) and the College of Defence Management (CDM) for training its officers. The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at Pune
7632-426: The Seychelles , upon that country's request. In February 2011, the Indian Navy launched Operation Safe Homecoming and rescued Indian nationals from war torn Libya. Between January–March, the navy launched Operation Island Watch to deter piracy attempts by Somali pirates off the Lakshadweep archipelago. This operation has had numerous successes in preventing pirate attacks. During the 2015 crisis in Yemen ,
7791-420: The Sino-Indian War , the Second Kashmir War , the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 , the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Kargil War . The Indian Army has participated in several UN peacekeeping operations including those in: Cyprus, Lebanon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, Namibia, El Salvador, Liberia, Mozambique and Somalia. The army also provided a paramedical unit to facilitate
7950-480: The Sino-Indian War , the 1967 Cho La incident , the 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish , the Kargil War , and the Siachen conflict among others. India honours its armed forces and military personnel annually on Armed Forces Flag Day , 7 December. Armed with the nuclear triad , the Indian armed forces are steadily undergoing modernisation, with investments in areas such as futuristic soldier systems and missile defence systems . The Department of Defence Production of
8109-434: The South Asian subcontinent , and it has emerged as a regional power and "net security provider" in the Indo-Pacific region. The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi , the capital city of India. The President of India serves as the formal Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, while actual control lies with the executive headed by the Prime Minister of India . The Ministry of Defence (MoD)
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#17327720111008268-435: The military forces of the Republic of India . It consists of three professional uniformed services: the Indian Army , Indian Navy , and Indian Air Force . Additionally, the Indian Armed Forces are supported by the Central Armed Police Forces , Indian Coast Guard and Special Frontier Force and various inter-service commands and institutions such as the Strategic Forces Command , the Andaman and Nicobar Command and
8427-400: The political class in India is claimed to have hindered the effectiveness of the Indian military. Critics believe these issues hobble the progress and modernisation of the military. However, analysis by the Central Intelligence Agency indicates that India is projected to have the fourth most capable concentration of power by 2015. According to a report published by the US Congress , India
8586-440: The world's largest military forces . A total of 1,567,390 ex- servicemen are registered with the Indian Army, the majority of them hailing from: Uttar Pradesh (271,928), Punjab (191,702), Haryana (165,702), Maharashtra (143,951), Kerala (127,920), Tamil Nadu (103,156), Rajasthan (100,592) and Himachal Pradesh (78,321). Many of them are re-employed in various Central government sectors. The highest wartime gallantry award given by
8745-459: The 17th and 18th centuries, the Maratha and Kerala fleets were expanded, and became the most powerful Naval Forces in the subcontinent, defeating European navies at various times ( See the Battle of Colachel ). The fleet review of the Maratha navy, at which the ships Pal and Qalbat participated, took place at the Ratnagiri fort. The Maratha Kanhoji Angre , and Kunjali Marakkar , the Naval chief of Saamoothiri were two notable naval chiefs of
8904-430: The 1971 war, helped create the free country of Bangladesh . In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Pakistan began organising tourist expeditions to the Siachen Glacier , disputed territory with India. Irked by this development, in April 1984 India initiated the successful Operation Meghdoot during which it gained control over all of the 70-kilometre (41-mile)-long Siachen Glacier, and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as
9063-459: The 4,057 kilometres (2,521 mi) Line of Actual Control (LAC) from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh , the corps will have two high-altitude infantry divisions (59 Div at Panagarh and 72 Div at Pathankot) with their integral units, two independent infantry brigades, two armoured brigades and the like. It will include 30 new infantry battalions and two Para-Special Forces battalions. In other words, it will have "rapid reaction force" capability to launch
9222-441: The Army while holding short-service commissions. On 28 November 1992, the Indian Navy became the first armed force to commission women on short-service commissions in non-medical streams (Education, Logistics and Naval Law). The Air Force approved the induction of women officers for ground duties in 1992, with those officers receiving their commissions on 1 June 1993, and opened the flying (non-fighter) and technical branches to women
9381-621: The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) in New Delhi. The Command was set up in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 2001. Indian Navy has its operational and training bases in Gujarat , Karnataka , Goa , Maharashtra , Lakshadweep , Kerala , Odisha , Tamil Nadu , Andhra Pradesh , West Bengal , and Andaman and Nicobar Islands . These bases are intended for various purposes such as logistics and maintenance support, ammunition support, air stations, hospitals, MARCOS bases, coastal defence, missile defence, submarine and missile boat bases, forward operating bases etc. Of these, INS Shivaji
9540-417: 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. The origins of the current Indian Navy date to 1612, when an English vessel under the command of Captain Thomas Best defeated the Portuguese at the Battle of Swally . Although the Portuguese were defeated, this incident along with
9699-474: The INS Chennai prevented the hijacking of the Liberian merchant vessel MV Lila Norfolk. Although India declined to join the multinational US-led Operation Prosperity Guardian , the Indian Navy continued to share information and coordinate operations with the United States, United Kingdom, and France. In May 2024, the Navy officially replaced the terms "Jack" and "Jackstaff" with "National Flag" and "National Flag Staff". The words Jack and Jackstaff originates from
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#17327720111009858-432: The Indian Air Force, but under the operational control of the Army and play a major role to support the armoured columns and infantry. Apart from the attack role, helicopters like the HAL Chetak , HAL Cheetah , and HAL Dhruv provide logistical support for the Indian Army in remote and inaccessible areas, especially the Siachen Glacier. To equip Army Aviation Corps, procurement process for 197 light utility helicopters (LUH)
10017-416: The Indian Armed Forces into the early 1960s. On 1 April 1954, Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force. Effective from 1 April 1955, a parliamentary act, the Commanders-In-Chiefs (Change in Designation) Act , re-designated the office of Commander-in-Chief as the Chief of Staff of each branch. Not until 1958 would the last British chief of staff that of
10176-430: The Indian Army began the war in 1939 with just under 200,000 men. By the end of the war it had become the largest volunteer army in history, rising to over 2.5 million men by August 1945. Serving in divisions of infantry, armour and a fledgling airborne forces, they fought on three continents in Africa, Europe and Asia. The Indian Army fought in Ethiopia against the Italian Army, in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia against both
10335-434: The Indian Army, achieved distinction as the first Indian battalion and brigade commanders. On 1 May 1945, Cariappa became the first Indian officer to be promoted to brigadier. At the end of hostilities in 1945, the Indian Army's officer corps included Indian Medical Service officer Hiraji Cursetji as its sole Indian major-general, one IMS brigadier, three Indian brigadiers in combatant arms and 220 other Indian officers in
10494-413: The Indian Army. India has raised a new mountain strike corps to strengthen its defence along its disputed border with China in the high reaches of the Himalayas. However, the entire XVII Corps, with its headquarters at Panagarh in West Bengal , will only be fully raised with 90,274 troops at a cost of 646.7 Billion Indian Rupees by 2018–2019 (circa US$ 7.3 Billion at 2018 rates). With units spread across
10653-415: The Indian Navy constitute patrol missions, anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia , the 'Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise' with the Republic of Singapore Navy in the Straits of Malacca , maintaining a military presence in Southeast Asias waters, and joint exercises with other countries, such as: Brasil, South Africa, the United States and Japan, France ( Varuna naval exercises ),
10812-403: The Indian Navy deployed over 10 warships under Operation Sankalp to protect commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea in the wake of Houthi-led attacks on merchant vessels. Some of the ships deployed included guided missile destroyers like the INS Kolkata , INS Kochi , INS Chennai and INS Mormugao , as well as frigates like the INS Talwar and INS Tarkash . On 5 January,
10971-580: The Indian Navy has 67,252 active and 75,000 reserve personnel in service and has a fleet of 150 ships and submarines, and 300 aircraft. As of September 2022, the operational fleet consists of 2 active aircraft carriers and 1 amphibious transport dock , 4 landing ship tanks , 8 landing craft utility , 12 destroyers , 12 frigates , 2 ballistic missile submarines , 16 conventionally-powered attack submarines , 18 corvettes , one mine countermeasure vessel , 4 fleet tankers and numerous other auxiliary vessels , small patrol boats and sophisticated ships. It
11130-410: The Indian Navy has undertaken. Indian naval rescue vessels and teams reached neighbouring countries less than 12 hours from the time that the tsunami hit. Lessons from the response led to decision to enhance amphibious force capabilities, including the acquisition of landing platform docks such as INS Jalashwa , as well as smaller amphibious vessels. During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict ,
11289-404: The Indian Navy launched Operation Sukoon and evacuated 2,280 persons from 20 to 29 July 2006 including 436 Sri Lankans, 69 Nepalese and 7 Lebanese nationals from war-torn Lebanon. In 2006, Indian naval doctors served for 102 days on board USNS Mercy to conduct medical camps in the Philippines , Bangladesh, Indonesia and East Timor . In 2007, Indian Navy supported relief operations for
11448-629: The Indian Navy successfully executed Operation Trident , a devastating attack on the Pakistan Naval Headquarters of Karachi that sank a minesweeper, a destroyer and an ammunition supply ship. The attack also irreparably damaged another destroyer and oil storage tanks at the Karachi port. To commemorate this, 4 December is celebrated as the Navy Day. This was followed by Operation Python on 8 December 1971, further deprecating
11607-645: The Indian Navy was against the Portuguese Navy during the liberation of Goa in 1961. Operation Vijay followed years of escalating tension due to Portuguese refusal to relinquish its colonies in India. On 21 November 1961, Portuguese troops fired on the passenger liner Sabarmati near Anjadip Island , killing one person and injuring another. During Operation Vijay, the Indian Navy supported troop landings and provided fire support. The cruiser INS Delhi sank one Portuguese patrol boat , while frigates INS Betwa and INS Beas destroyed
11766-478: The Indian Navy was part of Operation Raahat and rescued 3074 individuals of which 1291 were foreign nationals. On 15 April 2016, a Poseidon-8I long-range patrol aircraft managed to thwart a piracy attack on the high seas by flying over MV Sezai Selaha , a merchant vessel, which was being targeted by a pirate mother ship and two skiffs around 800 nautical miles (1,500 km; 920 mi) from Mumbai . India enacted its first domestic anti-piracy legislation as
11925-687: The Indian Navy, be succeeded by an Indian. On 22 April of that year, Vice Admiral Ram Dass Katari became the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff. The Chiefs of Staff of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy were upgraded to four-star rank on par with the Chief of Army Staff in 1966 and 1968, respectively. In 1961 tensions rose between India and Portugal over the Portuguese-occupied territory of Goa , which India claimed for itself. After Portuguese police cracked down violently on
12084-421: The Indian army. In February 1949, the Indian government repealed colonial-era legislation which mandated limits on the recruitment of certain ethnic groups into the armed forces. Upon India becoming a sovereign republic on 26 January 1950, some of the last vestiges of British rule – such as rank badges, imperial crowns, British ensigns and "Royal" monikers – were dropped and replaced with the Indian tricolour and
12243-662: The Indian military is detailed in a semi-official book called Customs and Etiquette in the Services , written by retired Major General Ravi Arora, which details how Indian personnel are expected to conduct themselves generally. Arora is an executive editor of the Indian Military Review . The major deployments of the Indian army constitute the border regions of India, particularly Jammu and Kashmir , Ladakh , and Northeast India , to engage in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist operations. The major commitments of
12402-573: The Indian subcontinent further developed their naval forces. 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 , a naval expedition by the Chola dynasty captured parts of Burma , Sumatra, Sri Lanka , and Malaya, and simultaneously repressed pirate activities by Sumatran warlords . ... built of fir timber, having
12561-640: The Integrated Headquarters (IHQ) of the Ministry of Defence (Navy), based in New Delhi. The Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS), a vice-admiral, is a Principal Staff Officer (PSO), along with the Chief of Personnel (COP) and the Chief of Materiel (COM), both of whom are also vice-admirals. The Director General Medical Services (Navy) is a Surgeon Vice-Admiral, heads the medical services of the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy operates two operational commands and one training command. Each command
12720-764: The Italian and German Army, and, after the Italian surrender, against the German Army in Italy. However, the bulk of the Indian Army was committed to fighting the Japanese Army, first during the British defeats in Malaya and the retreat from Burma to the Indian border; later, after resting and refitting for the victorious advance back into Burma, as part of the largest British Empire army ever formed. These campaigns cost
12879-740: The MK-II version of Arjun are night vision capabilities with a thermal imaging system for detecting all kinds of missiles, Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA), mine ploughs, the ability to fire anti-tank missiles with its 120 mm main gun, an Advanced Air Defence gun capable of shooting down helicopters with a 360-degree coverage, Automatic Target Tracking (ATT) lending a greater accuracy when it comes to moving targets and superior Laser Warning and Control systems. The Indian Army will upgrade its entire Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty-2 ( BMP-2 )/2K infantry combat vehicle (ICV) fleet to enhance their ability to address operational requirements. Upgrades include integration of
13038-600: The Marine was renamed 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
13197-533: The Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022, on 20 December 2022 criminalizing maritime piracy and empowering the Indian Navy and other government agencies with the authority to respond to threats at sea. In 2024, Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar referred to the new law as a "great enabler" in the navy's anti-piracy success. That year, The Economic Times referred to the Indian Navy's commitment in combating maritime piracy as "unwavering". In January 2024,
13356-873: The Military of India is the Param Vir Chakra (PVC), followed by the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) and the Vir Chakra (VrC). Their peacetime equivalents are Ashoka Chakra Award , Kirti Charka and Shaurya Chakra respectively. The highest decoration for meritorious service is the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) followed by Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). Awards for distinguished services rendered in wartime and hostilities are Uttam Yudh Seva Medal (UYSM) and Yudh Seva Medal (YSM). As of December 2021,
13515-467: The Navy and its reserve components, with Indian officers being promoted to replace British senior officers. However, a number of British flag and senior officers were invited to continue serving in the RIN, as only nine of the Navy's Indian commissioned officers had more than 10 years' service, with the majority of them only having served from five to eight years. Rear Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall headed
13674-530: The Navy as its first Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) post-Independence. In January 1948, D.N. Mukherji, the first Indian officer in the RIN, became the first Indian to be promoted acting engineer captain. In May 1948, Captain Ajitendu Chakraverti became the first Indian officer to be appointed to the rank of commodore . When India became a republic on 26 January 1950, the Royal prefix was dropped and
13833-607: The Navy to construct a hi-tech base under the Eastern Naval Command . The base is said to house nuclear submarines and also a VLF facility. Indian Navy has a specialized training command which is responsible for organisation, conduct and overseeing of all basic, professional and specialist training throughout the Navy. The Commander in Chief of Southern Command also serves as the Commander in Chief of Training Command. The Chief of Personnel (CoP) at HQ of Indian Navy
13992-671: The Pakistan Navy's capabilities. Indian frigate INS Khukri , commanded by Captain M. N. Mulla was sunk by PNS Hangor , while INS Kirpan was damaged on the west coast. In the Bay of Bengal , the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant was deployed to successfully enforce the naval blockade on East Pakistan. Sea Hawk and the Alizé aircraft from INS Vikrant sank numerous gunboats and Pakistani merchant marine ships. To demonstrate its solidarity as an ally of Pakistan,
14151-512: The Pakistani and Indian Navies, respectively, became the first Indian Royal Indian Navy officers to be promoted to acting captain. On 30 July, Brigadiers K.M. Cariappa, Muhammad Akbar Khan and Maharaj Shri Rajendrasinhji Jadeja were promoted major-generals , the first Indian general officers in a combat arm of the Indian Army. The period immediately following Indian independence was a traumatic time for India and her armed services. Along with
14310-608: The People's Republic of China, the Russian Navy ( INDRA naval exercises ), and others. Between April 2015 and March 2016, India allocated $ 40 billion to Defence Services, $ 10 billion to Defence (Civil Estimates) and another $ 10 billion to the Home Ministry for Paramilitary and CAPF forces – a total allocation for defence and security of about $ 60 billion for the financial year 2015–16. In 2016–17,
14469-485: The Portuguese frigate NRP Afonso de Albuquerque . The 1962 Sino-Indian War was largely fought over the Himalayas and the Navy had only a defensive role in the war. At the outbreak of Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 , the Navy had one aircraft carrier, two cruisers, nineteen destroyers and frigates, and one tanker. Of these twenty-ships ten were under refit. The others were largely involved coastal patrols. During
14628-532: The RIN's depleted fleet of ships and remaining personnel were divided between the newly independent Dominion of India and Dominion of Pakistan . 21 per cent of the Navy's officer cadre and 47 per cent of its sailors opted to join the portion of the fleet which became the Royal Pakistan Navy . The Indian share of the Navy consisted of 32 vessels along with 11,000 personnel. Effective from the same date, all British officers were compulsorily retired from
14787-582: The Royal Indian Marine. In 1932, the Indian Air Force was established as an auxiliary air force within RAF India ; two years later, the RIM was upgraded to the status of a naval service as the Royal Indian Navy (RIN). Though the gradual "Indianisation" of the officer corps began after WWI, at the outbreak of war in 1939, there were no Indian flag, general or air officers in the armed services. The highest-ranking Indian officers were those serving in
14946-562: 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. 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
15105-494: The Royal Navy's traditions which implies for national flag and the short pole on the bow of the ship to host the flag in 'naval parlance', respectively. As of August 2015, the Indian Navy is classified as a Rank 3 navy (Power projection to regions adjacent to its own) on the Todd-Lindberg navy classification system of naval strength. The principal roles of the Indian Navy are: While the President of India serves as
15264-568: The Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, the organisational structure of the Indian Navy is headed by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), who holds the rank of Admiral . While the provision for the rank of Admiral of the Fleet exists, no officer of the Indian Navy has yet been conferred this rank. The CNS is assisted by the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS), a Vice Admiral ; the CNS also heads
15423-464: The Tajik government has denied this. However, India had deployed its Army and Border Roads Organisation personnel to upgrade Ayni airbase by extending its runway, constructing an air-traffic control tower and perimeter fencing around the base. India provided medium-lift choppers to Tajikistan and a dedicated hospital there as part of efforts to build on the strategic ties between the two countries against
15582-660: The United States sent Task Force 74 centred around the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise into the Bay of Bengal. In retaliation, Soviet Navy submarines trailed the American task force, which moved away from the Indian Ocean towards Southeast Asia to avert a confrontation. In the end, the Indian naval blockade of Pakistan choked off the supply of reinforcements to the Pakistani forces, which proved to be decisive in
15741-457: The Vedic text, Baudhayana Dharmashastra as the interpretation of the term, Samudrasamyanam . Sea lanes between India and neighbouring lands were used for trade for many centuries, and are responsible for the widespread influence of Indian Culture on other societies. The Cholas excelled in foreign trade and maritime activity, extending their influence overseas to China and Southeast Asia. During
15900-647: The armed forces of India were involved in a number of significant military operations, notably the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 and Operation Polo , the code name of a military operation in September 1948 where the Indian Armed Forces invaded the State of Hyderabad , annexing the state into the Indian Union. On 15 January 1949, General K. M. Cariappa was appointed the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of
16059-427: The backdrop of US-led troops pulling out from Afghanistan in 2014. India is also helping with the development of Chah Bahar Seaport in southeastern Iran , which is speculated to be done to secure India's Maritime assets and also as a gateway to Afghanistan & Central Asia. However, India and Israel also have a very strong defence relationship. In the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship , India took on
16218-465: The coastline of India. Naval officers also attend the tri-service institutions National Defence College , College of Defence Management and Defence Services Staff College for various staff courses to higher command and staff appointments. The Navy's War college is the Naval War College, Goa . A dedicated wing for naval architecture under Directorate of Naval Architecture at IIT Delhi
16377-413: The contribution to the Home Ministry has been increased from $ 10 billion to $ 11.5 billion. Contemporary criticism of the Indian military have drawn attention to several issues, such as lack of political reform, obsolete equipment, lack of adequate ammunition, and inadequate research and development due to over-reliance on foreign imports. In addition, the lack of a 'strategic culture' among
16536-473: The country. At these rallies, Army recruiters look at candidates from surrounding districts and examine their fitness for the Army. Candidates for Soldier, general duty must have Class 10 Leaving Certificate and in the range of 17 to 21 years. The Army also does online applications to appear at recruitment rallies. Requirements for technical roles, like nurses, artillery, Missile Defense have more stringent educational requirements. The least restrictive job in Army
16695-540: The early years following independence, many British officers continued to serve in the Navy on secondment from the Royal Navy, due to the post-Independence retirement or transfer of many experienced officers to the Royal or the Pakistan navies. The first C-in-C of the Navy was Admiral Sir Edward Parry who took over from Hall in 1948 and handed over to Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey in 1951. Admiral Pizey also became
16854-410: The first Chief of the Naval Staff in 1955, and was succeeded by Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill the same year The pace of "Indianising" continued steadily through the 1950s. By 1952, senior Naval appointments had begun to be filled by Indian officers, and by 1955, basic training for naval cadets was entirely conducted in India. In 1956, Ram Dass Katari became the first Indian flag officer, and
17013-555: The first Indian C-in-C and Chief of the Air Staff) became the first Indian to command an air force squadron and attain the (albeit acting) rank of squadron leader . In July 1941, Indian Medical Service officer Hiraji Cursetji became one of the first Indian officers to be promoted to substantive general officer rank. During the war, several Indian Army officers, notably Kodandera M. Cariappa , S. M. Shrinagesh and Kodandera Subayya Thimayya , all of whom would subsequently command
17172-492: The first female medical officer to be granted a permanent naval commission. On 27 August 1976, Gertrude Alice Ram, the military nursing service Matron-in-Chief, became the first woman officer in the Indian Army to attain the rank of major-general , and the first female officer in the Indian Armed Forces to attain two-star rank . In January 1992, the Union government sanctioned the induction of women into non-combatant branches of
17331-588: The inability of some of its modern tanks to operate in the heat and dust of the desert regions around the international border. India proposes to progressively induct as many as 248 Arjun MBT and to develop and induct the Arjun MK-II variant, 1,657 Russian-origin T-90 S main-battle tanks, apart from the ongoing upgrade of its T-72 fleet. Arjun MK-II trials had already begun in August 2013. The improved features of
17490-583: The lives of over 36,000 Indian servicemen, while another 34,354 were wounded; 67,340 became prisoners of war. Their valour was recognised with the award of some 4,000 decorations, and 38 members of the Indian Army were awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross . The demands of war and increasing recognition that the era of British dominance in the subcontinent was ending increased the pace of "Indianisation." In 1940, Subroto Mukherjee (later
17649-467: The longest military histories, dating back several millennia. The first reference to armies is found in the Vedas as well as the epics Ramayana and Mahabaratha . Classical Indian texts on archery in particular, and martial arts in general are known as Dhanurveda . Indian maritime history dates back 5,000 years. The first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BC during
17808-617: The majority of training units are in Kochi. The Indian Naval Academy is also placed under the Southern Naval Command. Kavaratti Islands is the home to INS Dweeprakshak , the main naval base of the Southern Naval Command in the Lakshadweep islands. The Southern Naval Command consists of a Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) , a training squadron, training establishments and bases, and land forces and survey ships. It has
17967-416: The maritime front, in spite of the state of foment in its neighbourhood. It has been deployed for humanitarian relief in times of natural disasters and crises across the globe, as well as to keep India's maritime trade routes free and open. The Indian Navy was a part of the joint forces exercises, Operation Parakram , during the 2001–2002 India–Pakistan standoff . More than a dozen warships were deployed to
18126-669: The mission in consultation with the Sri Lankan government. In what was labelled as Operation Pawan , the Indian Air Force flew about 70,000 sorties to and within Sri Lanka. The beginning of the 21st century saw a reorientation for India on the global stage from a regional role in the subcontinent to a major role in the Indian Ocean stretching from the Gulf of Aden to the Malacca Strait . India's sphere of influence has surpassed
18285-628: The name Indian Navy was officially adopted. The prefix for naval vessels was changed from His Majesty's Indian Ship (HMIS) to Indian Naval Ship (INS). At the same time, the imperial crown in insignia was replaced with the Lion Capital of Ashoka and the Union Jack in the canton of the White Ensign was replaced with the Indian Tricolour. By 1955, the Navy had largely overcome its post-Independence personnel shortfalls. During
18444-424: 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, the Indian Navy promotes bilateral relations between nations. As of June 2019,
18603-582: The navy were deployed in relief operations. These included Operation Madad in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu , Operation Sea Waves in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands , Operation Castor in Maldives, Operation Rainbow in Sri Lanka and Operation Gambhir in Indonesia. Gambhir, carried out following the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami , was one of the largest and fastest force mobilisations that
18762-419: The new Indian Army as advisers or in posts requiring certain technical abilities. With effect from April 1948, the former Viceroy's Commissioned Officers (VCO) were re-designated Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO), the distinction between King's Commissioned Indian Officers (KCIO) and Indian Commissioned Officers (ICO) was abolished and Indian Other Ranks were re-designated as "other ranks." During this period,
18921-473: The newly independent India, the Indian Armed Forces were forcibly divided between India and Pakistan, with ships, divisions and aircraft allocated to the respective Dominions. Following partition, on 15 August 1947, the Indian Armed Forces comprised: By the end of 1947, there were a total of 13 Indian major-generals and 30 Indian brigadiers, with all three army commands being led by Indian officers by October 1948, at which time only 260 British officers remained in
19080-439: The non-combatant Indian Medical Service , who held no rank higher than colonel; in the regular Indian Army, there were no Indian officers above the rank of major. The Royal Indian Navy had no Indian senior line officers and only a single Indian senior engineer officer, while the Indian Air Force had no Indian senior officers in 1939, with the highest-ranking Indian air force officer a flight lieutenant . In World War II ,
19239-628: The northern Arabian Sea . In October, the Indian Navy took over operations to secure the Strait of Malacca , to relieve US Navy resources for Operation Enduring Freedom . The navy plays an important role in providing humanitarian relief in times of natural disasters, including floods, cyclones and tsunamis. In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami , the Indian Navy launched massive disaster relief operations to help affected Indian states as well as Maldives , Sri Lanka and Indonesia . Over 27 ships, dozens of helicopters, at least six fixed-wing aircraft and over 5000 personnel of
19398-697: The number of training slots of Myanmar officers in Indian military training establishments, India has agreed to build at least four Offshore Patrol Vehicles (OPV) in Indian Shipyards to be used by Myanmar's navy. For more than a decade now, India has assisted Vietnam in beefing up its naval and air capabilities. For instance, India has repaired and upgraded more than 100 MiG 21 planes of the Vietnam People's Air Force and supplied them with enhanced avionics and radar systems. Indian Air Force pilots have also been training their Vietnamese counterparts. In
19557-501: The obligation to actively assist Nepal in national defence and military preparedness, and both nations agreed not to tolerate threats to each other's security. In 1958, the then- Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru visited Bhutan and reiterated India's support for Bhutan's independence and later declared in the Indian Parliament that any aggression against Bhutan would be seen as aggression against India. India started
19716-593: The ongoing trials of ex- Indian National Army personnel ignited the Royal Indian Navy mutiny by Indian ratings in 1946. 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
19875-598: The overwhelming defeat of Pakistan. Since playing a decisive role in the victory, the navy has been a deterrent force maintaining peace for India in a region of turmoil. In 1983, the Indian Navy planned for Operation Lal Dora to support the government of Mauritius against a feared coup. In 1986, in Operation Flowers are Blooming , the Indian Navy averted an attempted coup in the Seychelles . In 1988, India launched Operation Cactus , to successfully thwart
20034-715: The percentages of women serving across all ranks in the Army, Navy and Air Force are 0.59%, 6.0% and 1.08%, respectively. Women may serve at any rank in the Army and Air Force but may only serve in the Navy as commissioned officers. During the British Raj , the Temporary Indian Nursing Service was established in 1914 to meet the nursing needs of Indian soldiers serving in the First World War, with female Indian nurses serving as military auxiliaries. The Indian Military Nursing Service (MNS)
20193-641: The period. The Royal Indian Navy was first established by the British while much of India was under the control of the East India Company . In 1892, it became a maritime component as the Royal Indian Marine (RIM). During World War I the Indian Army contributed a number of divisions and independent brigades to the European, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theatres of war. One million Indian troops served overseas; 62,000 died and another 67,000 were wounded. In total, 74,187 Indian soldiers died during
20352-502: The process to bring the island country Maldives into India's security grid. India is also one of three countries with whom Japan has a security pact, the others being Australia and the United States. India and Russia maintain strong military co-operation. India has defence pacts with the US focusing on areas including security, joint training, joint development and manufacture of defence equipment and technology. In 1951, India and Burma signed
20511-680: The rank of lieutenant-general , becoming the first woman in the armed forces to reach three-star rank . In September 2008, women became eligible for permanent commissions in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) and Education Corps in all three services, along with the Naval Constructor branch of the Navy and in the Accounts branch of the Air Force. This made them eligible to be promoted by selection in those streams (to
20670-524: The rank of vice admiral . There are two joint commands whose head can belong to any of the three services. These are the Strategic Forces Command and the Andaman and Nicobar Command . The lack of an overall military commander has helped keep the Indian Armed Forces under civilian control and has prevented the rise of military dictatorships unlike in neighboring Pakistan . The Armed Forces have four main tasks: The code of conduct of
20829-500: The ranks of colonel , captain and group captain , and to the flag ranks), as short-service commissions are relinquished after 14 years of service. In November 2011, women Air Force officers further became eligible for permanent commissions in the Technical, Administration, Logistics and Meteorology Branches. The vast majority of soldiers in Indian Army are enlisted personnel, called by the Army as Soldier, general duty. These soldiers are recruited at different recruitment rallies across
20988-417: The rebellion, which had an impact across India. Indianization of the armed forces nevertheless continued to progress. On 15 May 1947, Subroto Mukherjee became the first Indian air officer with the acting rank of air commodore , in the appointment of Deputy Assistant to the Air Officer Commanding (Administration). On 21 July, H.M.S. Choudhry and Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman , both of whom would eventually command
21147-418: The responsibility of Company's Marine increased too. 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
21306-441: The responsibility of formulating and executing of training policy. The Southern Naval Command and is commanded by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief. The Southern Naval Command is the Training Command of Indian Navy and is responsible for the training of all its personnel, both officers as well as sailors, from basic to advance stages. It has subsidiary units from Jamnagar in Gujarat to Lonavala in Maharashtra, Goa and in Orissa but
21465-437: The sailors did not receive substantial support from either the Indian Army or from political leaders in Congress or the Muslim League. On 21 July 1947, H.M.S. Choudhry and Bhaskar Sadashiv Soman , both of whom would eventually command the Pakistani and Indian Navies, respectively, became the first Indian RIN officers to attain the acting rank of captain. Following independence and the partition of India on 15 August 1947,
21624-471: The same year, commissioning its first seven female pilots on 17 December 1994. Until December 1996, women short-service commission officers in the Armed Forces were limited to five years in service, excepting the technical branch of the air force, in which female officers could only serve for three years. In August 1998, the Navy opened all of its branches to women. Punita Arora was appointed Commandant, Armed Forces Medical College on 1 September 2004 in
21783-455: 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. However, in 1526 the Zamorin launched the siege of Calicut on the Portuguese forts in Calicut , successfully eliminating Portuguese influence in the city. By the later seventeenth century Indian naval power revived. The Mughal Empire maintained
21942-432: The southern coast were headed by the Commodore Cochin (COMCHIN), a one star appointment. The COMCHIN directly reported into the Chief of the Naval Staff . In 1967, the Goa Area was included under COMCHIN. On 1 March 1968, the Commodore Cochin (COMCHIN) was re-designated as Commodore Commanding Southern Naval Area (COMSOUTH). In August 1970, the appointment of COMSOUTH was upgraded to the two-star rank of Rear Admiral and
22101-594: The strike formations attack at a point of India's choosing. The Indian Army is large enough to devote several corps to the strike role. The army is also looking at enhancing its special forces capabilities. With the role of India increasing, and the need to protect India's interests on far-off shores becoming important, the Indian Army and Indian Navy are jointly planning to set up a marine brigade. The Army's field force comprises fifteen corps, three armoured divisions, four Reorganised Army Plains Infantry Divisions (RAPID), eighteen infantry divisions and ten mountain divisions,
22260-474: The survivors of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh. In 2008, Indian Naval vessels were the first to launch international relief operations for victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. In 2008, the navy deployed INS Tabar and INS Mysore into the Gulf of Aden to combat piracy in Somalia . Tabar prevented numerous piracy attempts, and escorted hundreds of ships safely through the pirate-infested waters. The navy also undertook anti-piracy patrols near
22419-467: The temporary or acting ranks of colonel and lieutenant-colonel. From October 1945, the granting of regular commissions in the Indian Armed Forces was restricted to Indians, though provisions were made for the continued secondment of British officers for as long as was deemed necessary. In 1946, sailors of the Royal Indian Navy mutinied on board ships and in shore establishments. A total of 78 ships, 20 shore establishments and 20,000 sailors were involved in
22578-412: The three main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier— Sia La , Bilafond La , and Gyong La . According to TIME magazine , India gained more than 1,000 square miles (3,000 km ) of territory as a result of its military operations in Siachen. In 1987 and in 1989 Pakistan attempted to re-take the glacier but was unsuccessful. The conflict ended with Indian Victory. Since 2003,
22737-409: The time. Their ships could carry over a hundred crew and were compartmentalized to limit the effect of damage keeping the ship afloat. By the end of 15th 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 seize all Asian vessels not permitting their trade. Amidst this, in 1529,
22896-603: 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 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. During 5–10 AD, Kalinga 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. Medieval Empires in
23055-463: The trouble caused by the pirates to the merchant vessels, forced the British to maintain fleet near Surat , Gujarat. 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,
23214-421: The two fleets, there is a Flotilla each, based at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Port Blair, that provide Local Naval Defence in their respective regions. The Eastern and Western commands each also have a Commodore commanding submarines (COMCOS) - the Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) and the Commodore Commanding Submarines (West) . The Flag Officer Submarines , the single-point class authority for submarines
23373-445: The two nations in a long time, reflecting their similar interests, especially those involving spontaneous regional security against common external aggressors. The Indian Navy has berthing rights in Oman and Vietnam. As part of its two-decade-old Look East policy , India has substantially stepped up military engagement with East Asian and ASEAN nations. Although never explicitly stated, ASEAN and East Asian nations want New Delhi to be
23532-448: The two sides have maintained a ceasefire and with " cold peace ". The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) carried out a mission in northern and eastern Sri Lanka in 1987–1990 to disarm the Tamil Tigers under the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord . It was a difficult battle for the Indian Army, which was not trained for an unconventional war. After losing approximately 1,200 personnel and several T-72 tanks, India ultimately abandoned
23691-401: The war's end, the Navy remained a predominantly British-officered service; in 1945, no Indian officer held a rank above engineer commander and only a few Indian officers in the executive branch held substantive senior line officer rank. This situation, coupled with inadequate levels of training and discipline, poor communication between officers and ratings, instances of racial discrimination and
23850-430: The war, the Pakistani Navy attacked the Indian coastal city of Dwarka , although there were no military resources in the area. While this attack was insignificant, India deployed naval resources to patrol the coast and deter further bombardment. Following these wars in the 1960s, India resolved to strengthen the profile and capabilities of its Armed Forces. The dramatic change in the Indian Navy's capabilities and stance
24009-424: 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. On the eve of WWII, the RIN had no Indian senior line officers and only a single Indian senior engineer officer. Even by
24168-399: The war. It fought against the German Empire in German East Africa and on the Western Front . Indian divisions were also sent to Egypt, Gallipoli and nearly 700,000 served in Mesopotamia against the Ottoman Empire . Following WWI, the Indian Armed Forces underwent significant transformation. In 1928, Engineer Sub-lieutenant D. N. Mukherji became the first Indian to receive a commission in
24327-420: The withdrawal of the sick and wounded in the Korean War . The current combat doctrine of the Indian Army is based on effectively utilising holding formations and strike formations. In the case of an attack, the holding formations would contain the enemy, and strike formations would counter-attack to neutralise enemy forces. In the case of an Indian attack, the holding formations would pin enemy forces down while
24486-445: Was active in the Siege of Hooghly and the Anglo-Mughal War . One of the best-documented naval campaign of the Mughal empire were provided during the conflict against kingdom of Arakan , where in December 1665, Aurangzeb dispatched Shaista Khan , his governor of Bengal to command 288 vessels and more than 20,000 men to pacify the pirate activities within Arakan territory and to capture Chittagong , The Maratha Confederacy had
24645-444: Was appointed the first Indian Commander of the Fleet on 2 October. On 22 April 1958, Vice Admiral Katari assumed the command of the Indian Navy from Carlill as the first Indian Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy. With the departure in 1962 of the last British officer on secondment to the Navy, Commodore David Kirke, the Chief of Naval Aviation, the Indian Navy finally became an entirely Indian service. The first engagement in action of
24804-550: Was at only 114 officers and 1,732 sailors. 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. 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. When hostilities ceased in August 1945,
24963-425: Was emphatically demonstrated during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 . Under the command of Admiral Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda , the navy successfully enforced a naval blockade of West and East Pakistan . Pakistan's lone long-range submarine PNS Ghazi was sunk following an attack by the destroyer INS Rajput off the coast of Visakhapatnam in the midnight of 3–4 December 1971. On 4 December,
25122-458: Was formed on 1 October 1926, with its officers integrated into the armed forces on 15 September 1943 and given the status of commissioned officers. Following Independence, apart from those serving in the MNS, women remained ineligible for regular commissions in the armed forces until 1 November 1958, when the restriction on granting permanent commissions to women was removed for those joining the Army Medical Corps . In 1961, Dr. Barbara Ghosh became
25281-407: Was re-designated Flag Officer Commanding Southern Naval Area (FOCSOUTH). This appointment was later upgraded, in October 1977, to the three star rank of Vice Admiral and re-designated Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command (FOC-in-C SNC). On 1 July 1986, the Southern Naval Command was made the Training Command. All the training establishments were placed under the command as well as
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