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Module - IV Indian Navy

Armed Forces Today
Thereafter, it was called The Royal Indian Navy (RIN), under the British rule.
The first Indian to be granted a commission was Sub Lieutenant D.N Mukherji.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, the Royal Indian Navy consisted of
eight warships. By the end of the war, its strength had risen to 117 combat
vessels and 30,000 personnel who had seen action in various theatres of
operations.

Note (b) On India attaining Independence, the Royal Indian Navy consisted of 32 ageing
vessels suitable only for coastal patrol., with R Adm ITS Hall, CIE, being the
first Post-independence Commander-in-Chief. After the independence of India
on 15 August 1947 and the ensuing partition, the RIN's fleet of ships and remaining
personnel were divided between the newly independent Union of India and
Dominion of Pakistan.
(c) The first engagement in action of the Indian Navy was against the Portuguese
Navy during the liberation of Goa in 1961. During the Goa liberations, Operation
Vijay, the Indian Navy supported troop landings and provided fire support. The
1962 Sino-Indian War was largely fought over the Himalayas and the Navy had
only a limited role in the war. Indian Naval activity in the Indo-Pakistani War of
1965 largely involved coastal patrols. During the war, the Pakistani Navy attacked
the Indian coastal city of Dwarka, although there were no military resources in
the area. India deployed naval resources to patrol the coast and deter further
bombardment.
(d) The Indian Navy's capabilities were best demonstrated during the Indo-Pakistan
War of 1971. The navy successfully enforced a naval blockade of West and
East Pakistan. Pakistan's lone long-range submarine PNS Ghazi was sunk off
the coast of Visakhapatnam. On 4 December 1971, the Indian Navy successfully
executed Operation Trident, a devastating attack on the Pakistan Naval
Headquarters of Karachi that sank a mine sweeper; a destroyer and ammunition
supply ship. The attack also damaged another destroyer and oil storage tanks at
the Karachi port. To commemorate this action, 4 December is celebrated as the
Navy Day.

Fig. 14.1: Vice Admiral Ram Dass Kataria Fig. 14.2 (a): Emblem of the Indian Navy
First Naval Commander-in- chief 1958

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MILITARY HISTORY