Indian Navy Day is celebrated every year on December 4. It is not the day when the Navy was founded. Rather, it is celebrated in commemoration of Operation Trident. The Indian Navy launched the operation on December 4, 1971 against the Pakistani Naval Headquarters in Karachi. Being the seventh-largest country in the world, India owns a 7,516.6 km long coastline. Indian Navy is responsible for safeguarding and securing such an enormous coastal area. Apart from securing the maritime borders, it also plays key role in rescue operations during disasters. The navy always holds high strategic value for India. It is the seventh-largest Navy and is considered as one of the strongest navies in the world. The force has 150 submarines and ships and 300 aircraft, and 67,252 active and 55,000 reserve personnel in service. As we celebrate the 49th Indian Navy Day, here are some lesser-known facts about our 'guardians of the oceans':
Originally called the Royal Indian Navy, the naval branch of the armed forces of India was founded in 1612 by the East India Company. It was renamed the Indian Navy on January 26, 1950 after independence. Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale is considered as the Father of the Indian Navy.
Indian Navy’s aerobatic team, Sagar Pawan is one of the only two naval aerobatic teams in the world. The other naval aerobatic team is US Navy’s Blue Angels.
INS Vikrant was India’s first aircraft carrier manufactured indigenously. INS Vikramaditya is the second and the largest aircraft carrier in India.
Indian Navy’s BrahMos missile is the fastest cruise missile in the world. The Defence Research and Development Organization has recently upgraded the missile’s range from 298 km to 450 km.
After the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai, the Indian Navy raised new patrolling units known as Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB) to patrol the coastlines.
IN has completed an expedition to the South Pole and the North Pole in 2006 and 2008 respectively. Indian Navy was the first Navy to send a submariner on an expedition to Mt. Everest.
MARCOS (Marine Commandos) are the special operations unit of the Indian Navy. Also nicknamed as Magarmach, the MARCOS are one of the most efficient special forces in the world. The terrorists also acknowledge them as the ‘Dadiwala fauj’ due to their bearded disguise.
INS Arihant is the first ballistic missile submarine to have been built by a country other than one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
The current flag of the Indian Navy incorporates St. George’s Cross design, a part of the Union Jack. All the ships and bases of the Indian Navy are prefixed with INS which means Indian Naval Ship or Indian Navy Station.
