Blue Waters Ahoy! encapsulates the many momentous transformations and challenges faced by the Indian

Navy during the period 2001–2010.

Following on the heels of the five before it, this volume records the entire spectrum of activities spanning

shipbuilding to operations, to maritime diplomacy,

human resource development, the force-multiplier

components, the organizational changes, to those

related to ceremonial events and welfare measures.

The book begins with chronicling the Navy’s impetus

towards becoming a Builder’s Navy and throws light

on the ultimate achievement of designing and building an aircraft carrier—the IAC 1.

VICE ADMIRAL ANUP SINGH, former Flag Officer

Operations are part of the expected roles of a

Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, was

maritime force. In that context, the book discusses

commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1 July 1973.

events spanning those in combat conditions to those

During his career, he commanded four warships, IN

in support of humanitarian causes on its own shores

Ships Matanga (1985), Veer (1986–88), Ranvir (1995–

as well as those afar.

96) and Delhi (1997–98). His last sea appointment—

Strengthening maritime diplomatic ties with other

that of the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet

nations has been an imperative for the Navy. In this

(2006–7), saw Operation Sukoon.

context, the book looks at, among others, the launch

Ashore, he was Director Naval Plans (1998–99),

of the IONS, as well as the Indian Navy’s training of Director of Personnel (2001–2), ACWP&A/ACCP

personnel from friendly foreign countries.

(2003), CI (Navy) (2003–5), ACNS Air (2007),

This book also highlights the Navy’s human resource

DCNS (2007–8), DCIDS (Ops) (2009) and finally

development initiatives. The seminal changes that

the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval

occurred in the terms and conditions of Service

Command (2009 to 2011).

following the recommendations of the Ajai Vikram

He was also the commissioning Sailing Master of the

Singh Committee, have been specially covered—apart

first ever square-rigged sailing vessel, STS Varuna from other changes in pursuit of greater delegation of (1980–82), and skippered the Naval Yacht Samudra

authority and motivational measures across ranks.

for her Pacific Crossing during the tri-Service

Also discussed is the establishment of the Navy’s

circumnavigation (1989).

premier institutions such as the Indian Naval Academy; After superannuation from the Service in October

the processes involved in augmenting its naval air

2011, he has been engaged in research on maritime

and submarine arms; the education, hydrographic

economy, maritime security, and the South China

and meteorological organizations; and the Navy’s

Sea imbroglio. Associated with some think-tanks in

commitment to ensuring the welfare of Naval personnel Delhi including the Institute for Defence Studies and and their families.

Analyses (IDSA) and United Services Institution of

India’s push for a formidable Navy was always an

India (USI), he is also the Director (Strategic Studies) exercise against challenges. The Indian Navy of today at the Society for Indian Ocean Studies (SIOS). During instils confidence in the nation that the seas around us 2015–16, he was appointed by the GoI, as a member

are secure and that it can perform any task, anytime, of the India–Indonesia Eminent Persons Group for

anywhere. Blue Waters Ahoy! : The Indian Navy 2001–

bilateral relations. He has been visiting faculty at the

2010 is a salute to that undying spirit.

National Defence College (NDC), and the Foreign

Service Institute (FSI), Delhi.

Blue Waters Ahoy!

First published in hardback in India in 2018 by HarperCollins Publishers India, A-75, Sector 57, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301, India

www.harpercollins.co.in

Copyright © Directorate of Administration,

Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy), 2018

Photo titled ‘Hotel Taj under attack’ (p. 115) © Alamy Image titled ‘Mumbai map indicating sites where attacks took place’ (p. 116), courtesy Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike2.0

Images of satellite in the Section VI separator (p. 292) and the National Emblem inside the Naval Ensign (p. 397), © Shutterstock

ISBN: 9789353025526

The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s own and the facts are as reported by him. Neither are the publishers in any way liable for the same nor do they refl ect the views of IHQ MoD (N).

Vice Admiral Anup Singh, PVSM, AVSM, NM (Retd) asserts the moral right to be identifi ed as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers and the DoA, IHQ MoD (N).

Typeset in 11/15.5 Sabon (TI)

Design by Haitenlo Semy

Printed and bound at Thomson Press (India) Limited

Contents

Foreword

ix

Preface

xi

India’s Surroundings (2001–10): A Geopolitical Scan xiii

I The Coming of Age of a Builder’s Navy

Prologue

2

1. Warship Building in India: The Defence PSUs

7

2. Indigenous Design Capability: A Unique Skill for a Navy 23

3. The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC): IN’s Warship-building Prowess at its Peak 34

4. Indigenous Submarine Construction: A Niche Capability 51

5. Maintenance: Ensuring Operational Readiness and Reliability 56

6. Indigenization Efforts: The March towards Self-reliance 72

II Operations

Prologue

80

1. Operations Sagittarius and Parakram: Protecting Vital Assets and Exercising Sea Control 81

2. Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami: Setting a New Precedent 84

3. Operation Sukoon: Evacuation of Indians from a War Zone 102

4. IN’s Anti-piracy Deployment: A Major Step against Transnational Crime 109

5. The Mumbai Terror Attacks (26/11): The Role of the IN as First Responders 114

6. Other HADR Operations (2001–10)

119

III Maritime Diplomacy

Prologue

124

1. The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

131

2. The President’s Fleet Review (PFR 2006)

143

3. The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): Enabling Synergies amongst 153

Maritime Forces

4. Building Bridges of Friendship: IN’s Training Interaction with FFCs 159

IV Human Resource Development

Prologue

166

1. Nurturing Human Capital: Enabling Empowerment Within 167

2. The Indian Naval Academy (INA): Shaping Future Naval Leadership 183

3. The Naval Education System: Facilitating Instruction and Assimilation 190

4. The FOST Organization: Formalizing Operational Sea Training 195

5. The Sixth Central Pay Commission

200

6. Grooming Leaders of Tomorrow: The Role of CLABS

206

7. Establishment of DAPSA: Instilling Esprit de Corps and Promoting Fitness 209

through Sports and Adventure

8.

Tarangini: The Cradle of Seamanship Training

220

V Force Multipliers & Supporters

Prologue

228

1. The Naval Air Arm: Establishing Maritime Air Power 229

2. Guarding the Subsurface: The Navy’s Submarine Arm

240

3. Logistics in the Indian Navy: Ensuring Op Readiness and Sustenance 250

4. Hydrography: The Naval Cartographers’ Domain

258

5. The Naval Armament Inspection (NAI) Organization: Ensuring Weapon 267

and Ordnance Reliability

6. The Medical Branch of the Navy: A Vital Support System 272

7. Naval Oceanology and Meteorology: IN’s Continued Effort at Sophisticated 280

Weather Forecasting

8. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG): Overseeing Coastal Security and Maritime Zones 285

VI Transformational & Organizational Changes

Prologue

294

1. Creation of HQIDS: Towards Better Synergy between the Services 295

2. The Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC): A Natural Strategic Outpost 299

3. A Networked Force at Sea: From Organic AIO to Shared Plots 306

4. Strategic Thinking in the IN: Symbolizing Relevance through Evolution 312

5. The National Maritime Foundation (NMF): Bringing Together Research, Policymaking 318

and Intellectual Discourse

6. Project Seabird: The Making of a Notable Third Naval Base 320

7. WESEE: Innovating the Gen-next Systems for the Navy 328

8. Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP): Building Effi ciency in Procurement Processes 334

9. Induction of New Weapons and Sensors: Strengthening the Dynamics of Operations 344

10. The Kursura Museum: A Submarine through the Eyes of Time 351

VII Inductions from Abroad

Prologue

358

1.

The

Talwar-class Ships: Making up for the Shortfall in the Fleet 359

2. Acquisition of the Gorshkov ( Vikramaditya): Project 11430

363

3.

INS

Jalashwa: The First Indian Acquisition under the FMS Procedure 370

4. Acquisition of Tankers Deepak and Shakti: Helping Harness the Navy’s Blue-water 377

Capability

VIII Ceremonials & Welfare

Prologue

382

1. Ceremonials in the Navy: Emblems of Service to the Nation 383

2. The IN Welfare Schemes: Support Measures for the Serving and Retired 402

IX Cardinals

Appendix 1: Ships and Establishments Commissioned/Decommissioned (2001–10) 418

Appendix 2: List of Incidents/Accidents of Indian Naval Ships, Submarines and Aircraft 421

(2001–10)

Acknowledgements

424

Bibliography

426

Abbreviations and Acronyms

428

Index

439

Foreword

To a seafarer, chronicling history is of special signifi cance since the sea leaves no tell-tale marks for those who follow. There are no forts or ruins to tell a story.

India is a maritime nation, with a rich history of seafaring spanning many millennia.

The earliest references to India’s maritime activities could be found in the Rig Veda.

The dry dock at Lothal, dating to about 2500 BCE, stands testimony to India’s ancient maritime tradition.

The Indian Navy is the inheritor of this rich maritime heritage, having grown to its present size of 132 ships from a mere 33 ships on the eve of Independence. This remarkable journey has so far been chronicled in fi ve volumes; the fi rst two by Rear Admiral Satyindra Singh, AVSM (Retd) and the next three by Vice Admiral G.M. Hiranandani, PVSM, AVSM, NM (Retd). As the second decade of the twenty-fi rst century comes to an end, it is time to record the momentous changes experienced by the Indian Navy in the fi rst decade.

The current volume covers the period from 2001 to 2010, a particularly signifi cant one in our maritime history. In that, it traces the history of India’s shipbuilding legacy and the successful transition from a ‘Buyer’s Navy’ to a ‘Builder’s Navy’. In many ways, the decade laid the foundation of the many accretions such as the Shivalik class, Kolkata class, RPAs and P8I aircraft that power the Indian Navy today. The pinnacle of this achievement is underlined by the concurrent construction of the aircraft carrier, nuclear submarines and multi-role ships at various Indian shipyards.

This was also a period of tremendous change in global politics. Terror took on new forms and shapes, and maritime forces had to adapt signifi cantly to deal with this new threat. Operation Parakram and the reprehensible attacks by Pak-based terrorists on Mumbai on 26 November 2008, necessitated a careful re-examination of our operational postures and priorities.

The

fi rst decade of the twenty-fi rst century was transformational in many ways.

This was also a decade in which the Navy’s outreach increased signifi cantly. Numerous bilateral exercises were initiated and the Navy collaborated with a number of regional and extra-regional navies. The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) was

Preface

The proverb, ‘History repeats itself’ has become

previous volumes covered the developments that

commonplace and is generally linked with the

took place between 1945 and 2000, this volume

famous quote by George Santayana, ‘Those who

chronicles events spanning the decade from 2001 to

cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat

2010, events that not only built upon or reinforced

it’. Both maxims are seen as offering negative

the existing framework but also ones that were

connotations. However, the great philosopher

transformatory and, in some cases, revolutionary.

in Santayana had the good of the world in mind

This book, for which I started to collect

when he penned the abovementioned words. By

material and carry out research in early 2015 at

all available accounts, in writing them, he meant

the invitation of the Navy, examines a period that

to say that one has to remember how a particular

saw the Navy’s blue-water aspirations starting to

thing was done in the past in order to have a ready

take coherent shape as operations and exercises

reckoner for the future, but more importantly,

were conducted with ease in distant waters, and

to improve the future, through lessons from past

maritime diplomacy took firm roots. It is this

events. Hence the importance of recording history

seminal change that inspired me to use the title

for the benefi t of the future generations.

Blue Waters Ahoy! , as the capability to become It is human nature to leave records for the later

a full-fledged blue-water force is not far for the

with the attendant risk of fading memories and the

Indian Navy now.

absence of important details when history is fi nally An important threshold that a developing

written. It is to avoid such pitfalls that the Indian maritime country aspires to cross is transforming

Navy has maintained the practice of writing history

itself from having a Buyer’s to a Builder’s Navy. That at regular intervals while memories and written

dream came to full realization during the decade

records are still fresh.

when the fi rst steel plate for the Indigenous Aircraft The idea for this book, as with the previous fi ve

Carrier (IAC)—being built at the Cochin Shipyard

volumes, emanated from the intention to record the

Ltd (CSL)—was cut, heralding India into a handful

history of the Indian Navy for posterity. While the

of nations with the enviable capability to build a

‘fl at-top’. The period witnessed the commissioning this initiative was that the initial mechanism was

of INS Shivalik, the fi rst of the indigenous stealth created through in-house efforts before introducing

frigates. This was also the period that witnessed

the subject to professional agencies which have

the revival of the submarine-building facility at

since upgraded the system in its footprint as well

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL).

as in speed and reliability.

In the wake of the Kargil confl ict, major changes

At the level of strategic thinking and concept

took place in the Higher Defence Organization.

formulation, the Service made certain path-breaking

In this context, for the fi rst time in the history of organizational changes. New structures were

independent India, an Integrated Defence Staff was

raised—including those for foreign cooperation and

raised, as also the first tri-Services Command—

intelligence, and the National Maritime Foundation

replacing the Fortress Headquarters of the Navy—

(NMF)—which continue to formulate various

in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

doctrines, strategies and concepts in support of the

The Navy’s long-cherished dream of a third

Navy’s principles and aims.

naval base at Karwar saw fruition when Phase 1 of

This book should provide ample opportunity

Project Seabird was commissioned in 2005. There

to every kind of reader—from one who wonders

was also the commissioning of the prestigious

where the Navy was in the years gone by to one

Indian Naval Academy (INA)—the largest in

who wishes to study its past in true earnest to

Asia—to shape the future leadership of the Navy.

understand where it is headed. Most importantly,

Further, the Navy’s lead in information

this work is intended to help future generations look technology—nurtured over the decades—saw the

back, understand the Navy’s past and negotiate

force getting ‘networked’ through contemporary

their era with the lessons that may come handy

IT applications. The most satisfying aspect in

from recorded history.

Vice Admiral Anup Singh (Retd)

New Delhi

24 October 2018

xii

Blue Waters Ahoy!

India’s Surroundings (2001–10)

A Geopolitical Scan

Background

the security environment in the Indian Ocean.

India’s geostrategic location makes it sensitive to

A decade following the end of the Cold War,

developments beyond its immediate neighbourhood

while one awaited the new world order to take

in West Asia, Central Asia, in the Indian Ocean

some shape, a rude shock awoke the Indian

Region and the Asia-Pacific region (now the

Ocean littorals. With the American destroyer, USS

combination of the two is referred to as the Indo-

Cole, attacked by the Al Qaeda in Aden harbour, Pacific). Major geopolitical and geo-economic

maritime terrorism had struck the Indian Ocean

developments were seen to be transforming

at a time and in a manner hitherto unthinkable.

the global security scenario into one involving

Earlier, the MV Achille Lauro (cruise ship) incident uncertainty and volatility. The post-Cold War

in the Mediterranean in 1985 was thought to have

international situation and the terrorist attacks,

been a ‘one-off’ desperate attempt by Palestinian

including the 9/11 tragedy, brought about greater

terrorists seeking the release of their colleagues held international convergence on global security issues,

by Israel. That maritime terrorism would become a

although signifi cant differences in perception and

norm of sorts, and that too in the tranquil waters

action on specific threats remained. Even as the

of the Indian Ocean, was unprecedented.

probability of a full-scale conventional war was

Next came an even more damning tragedy—the

thought to have receded since the end of the

fall of the twin towers of the World Trade Center,

Cold War, a number of drivers had catalysed

New York, in September 2001, which was to be

new challenges in the regional and the global

followed by another incident of maritime terrorism

security landscape. The intensifying competition

on the MV Limburg, an oil tanker, again off the for natural resources too made the existing fault

Aden harbour, and once again claimed to have

lines of territorial disputes between nations more

been perpetrated by Al Qaeda’s arm, ‘Al Qaeda in

mercurial, and posed a challenge to the norms

Arabian Peninsula’ (AQAP).

of international law and accepted standards of

The two incidents of maritime terrorism gave

international behaviour.

a very clear indication of the changing state of

The shift in geopolitics after the Cold War

has brought about path-breaking changes in the muscle unilaterally or in association with allies or

way nations interact with each other. On the one

coalition partners. This heralded a global revolution hand, the world witnessed a spurt in globalization

in military affairs (RMA), using new technologies,

and deepening economic interdependence, which

n o t a b l y i n f o r m a t i o n a n d c o m m u n i c a t i o n served to enhance the growth of countries like

technologies, sensors and satellites, and precision-

India, China, Brazil and South Africa; on the

guided munitions to great effect.

other, large parts of the world continued to be

affected by confl ict, violence and internal strife.

India’s Surroundings

The global balance of power was witnessing new

adjustments and dynamics, with increased multi-

To an extent not often realized, few countries

polarity generating new strategic uncertainties,

in the world have faced the range of security

often reflected in competition and contestation.

challenges, concerns and threats that India has,

The continuing economic crisis in the West was

since the late 1980s. On one end of the spectrum,

becoming a major cause of worry for the global

India has experienced a series of low-intensity

economy and this, consequently, affected the

conflicts such as a proxy war fanned by radical

economies of other regions as well.

jihadi outfits supported by state institutions in

The new era brought about new equations

Pakistan; insurgencies, in many cases tolerated,

and alignments. Relations between major powers

aided or abetted by sources from within India; and

were, by and large, seen to be stable and free of

spillovers of confl icts in neighbouring states. On

tension. China was in the process of modernizing

the other end, it inhabits an environment in which

rapidly, building up its ‘Comprehensive National

two of its neighbours have nuclear weapons and

Power’. The Persian Gulf remained the pre-eminent

its immediate neighbourhood has been a source of

supplier of crude oil in the world, with increasing

nuclear proliferation. In between these poles, India

competition for access and control of the region.

has encountered, in the course of its 60-plus years

Concurrently, alternate sources of energy, notably

of post-Independence history, at least four major

in Central Asia, came into sharp focus. Terrorism

conventional border wars, besides an undeclared

and the prospect of the use of weapons of mass

war in Kargil, through external aggression.

destruction (WMD) for terrorism emerged as the

India’s principal foreign policy objective is to

new and most immediate issues of global security

support the country’s economic growth. It is the

concern.

economy and the desire to build the well-being

In response to these new, and other, perceived

of the nation that drive India’s priority for energy

challenges, the US started redeploying its forces,

security and regional stability, and open trade fl ows defences and operational philosophy with renewed

and sea lanes. This is particularly relevant with

vigour, and a changing posture, worldwide. As the

regard to Pakistan and China. Over the past decade,

world power with the ability to project power in

India has also worked to achieve what it believes

distant seas, the US was reshaping the international

is its rightful place—a natural regional leader and

security environment in many ways with its policies

an important global player. At the same time, India

and actions. There was increased US presence of

has played a subtle role in south and east Asia, one

varying degrees in the Gulf, Afghanistan, Pakistan,

that has led to improved relations with neighbours

Central Asia and South-east Asia. The US-led wars

in these sub-regions.

in Iraq and Afghanistan amply demonstrated the

Cross-border terrorism is India’s primary and

US’s military power and willingness to flex its

most immediate security threat. India’s location at

xiv

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the centre of an arc of terrorism between North relationship. Though not much has changed in

Africa and South-east Asia, its close proximity

the way defence cooperation was already being

to a key source of nuclear proliferation and the

exercised between the two, the agreement did create

continuing acts of terrorism as a proxy war from

avenues for expansion into areas of mutual benefi t

across her western borders require India to maintain

in achieving higher levels of interoperability and

a high level of vigilance and defence preparedness.

shared understanding. It also laid down ways to

To counter the increasing incidents of piracy

transact business of military sales from America.

in waters dangerously close to her shores, India

Subsequently, in 2007, India bought USS Trenton,

started anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden

a landing platform dock (LPD) type ship. The ship

in September 2008. Then, the terrorist attacks

serves the Indian Navy as INS Jalashwa 1 and, being on Mumbai in November 2008 mandated a

the fi rst ship of its kind that India has bought, it complete review of India’s coastal security set-up.

serves the purposes of not only improving our own

The special directive by the Cabinet Committee

amphibious warfare capability but also acting as a

on Security (CCS), in February 2009, designated

base-design to draw from, and make other ships of

the Indian Navy as the authority responsible for

the type in our own country.

maritime security (including coastal and offshore

security). The nature of these new threats has also

The Century of the Seas

reinforced the need for international cooperation to

combat terrorism and proliferation of WMD. They

Two themes that were heavily spoken of before

underline the role that India should increasingly

the dawn of the present century were: the

play in the global response against such forces.

twenty-first century will be the century of Asia;

India’s response to the multiple threats and

and secondly, this century will be the century of

challenges that have faced the nation from time

the seas! Both are proving to be true. In an era

to time has always been restrained, measured and

of rapid economic growth, nations are attaching

moderate, consistent with its outlook and reputation

considerable importance to maritime issues such

as a mature nation. Diplomacy remains India’s

as jurisdiction, trade routes, fi shing rights, offshore first means of dealing with such challenges, but

resources, transit rights, piracy, gun-running, drug-

effective diplomacy has to be backed by credible

trafficking and illegal migration. These factors

military power which offers strength to politico-

have been signifi cantly infl uencing every nation’s

diplomatic efforts in negotiating, resolving and

perception of the regional environment in relation

‘posturing’ against mischief-makers. India’s strategic to maritime economic capacity, democratic values,

and security interests require a mix of land-based,

cultural heritage, and the desire for just, fair and

maritime and aerospace capabilities, and a credible

equitable relations between all nations. The concept

minimum deterrent to thwart the threat of use of

of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has now put

nuclear weapons against the country.

36 per cent of the world’s oceans under respective

The year 2005 saw a memorable milestone in

national jurisdiction. For us, with the inclusion of

relations with the US when the Civil Nuclear Deal

the Continental Shelf and the new deep-sea mining

was concluded. Coincident with that agreement,

area, India’s maritime jurisdiction will eventually

was the New Framework for US–India Defence

become more than the Indian landmass itself!

1 See Section 7, Chapter 3 for details on acquisition of the ship.

India’s Surroundings (2001–10)

xv

vulnerabilities for navigational safety, as well as the maritime strategy had a twofold impact on India’s

security outlook.This map clearly shows what choke

surroundings: an increased presence of Peoples

points mean to the Indian Ocean. From the Cape of

Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) units in the IOR,

Good Hope in the west to the Lombok Strait in the

and proliferation of Chinese military hardware into

east, the Indian Ocean can be accessed only through

the regional navies’ inventories. These two factors

these constrictions. Of these, the Strait of Hormuz is served to complicate India’s security matrix.

particularly critical as it is the only access point for One of the most conspicuous signs of China’s

40 per cent of the global seaborne oil trade.

strategy in the IOR came to be unravelled with the

Apart from affecting navigational safety, choke

publication of a report by US Defence contractor

points also offer safe havens and launch pads for

Booz Allen Hamilton. The report, titled ‘Energy

transnational crime like piracy, armed robbery and

Futures in Asia’, had been commissioned by then

maritime terrorism.

US Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and was

At the cost of repetition, a maritime State like

aimed at determining the trends in energy production, India needs a strong Navy that is adequate not just

consumption and routes in Asia. While carrying

in terms of numbers but also technology (including

out the survey for the study, Booz Allen Hamilton

space-based technology, delivery of ordnance at

reported that ‘China is building strategic relationships stand-off ranges and a large number of MR aircraft,

along the sea lanes from the Middle East to the South both long- and medium-range). Only then can the

China Sea in ways that suggest defensive and offensive second largest peninsula in the world be secure.

positioning to protect China’s energy interests, but

also to serve broad security objectives . ’2 Based on The China Factor

the study, it was surmised that China was adopting a

‘string of pearls’ strategy. The implied reference was Coinciding with the dawn of the new millennium,

to a strategy of bases and special diplomatic linkages China was seen engaging in several new ventures—

stretching from the Middle East (from where most of

expanding its warship-building industrial base,

China’s energy basket was being sourced at the time), creating new weapons and expanding its sphere of

to the South China Sea (where many major Chinese

infl uence amongst countries in the Asia-Pacifi c (as ports are located).

the region was then called). These activities raised

One clearly identifi ed node in this ‘string’ was

many an eyebrow—as much from the Indian Ocean

Gwadar in Pakistan where development had been

Region (IOR), as from the Western world.

seen taking shape in 2001–2 itself. There were other

China’s Naval strategy underwent two major

countries, such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia

changes: fi rst was a shift from ‘near-coast defence’

and Thailand, which were in China’s sights for either to ‘near-seas active defence’ in the mid-1980s.

building infrastructure on land, or upgradation of

In the next decade, post the Taiwan Strait crisis

ports, or military cooperation agreements.

and US realignment, alongside China’s growing

The study had pointed out that since China

overseas economic interests, the second shift to

was hugely dependent on its oil and gas imports

‘far seas operations’ took place between 2005

from the Middle East, it had become apprehensive

and 2010. The gradual outward shift in Chinese

about sea lane security from the Persian Gulf to the

2 Quoted in the Washington Times, ‘China Builds up Strategic com/news/2005/jan/17/20050117-115550-1929r/, accessed Sea Lanes’, 17 January 2005, https://www.washingtontimes.

on 1 October 2018.

India’s Surroundings (2001–10)

xvii

southern ports in China, and was therefore building cent of that sea. Through this representation,

up defences through facilities in certain countries.

China sought to restrain Vietnam from what it

In the middle of the decade, even Sri Lanka

called ‘infringement’ of China’s ‘sovereignty’ and

sought to build a port in Hambantota, the contract

‘jurisdiction’ in the South China Sea.

for which was finally awarded to a Chinese

Though the Chinese based their claim on the

company.

historical legacy of the nine-dash line, this was the With the passage of time, the first decade

fi rst time that they sought to legitimize it against of the millennium saw a dynamic change in the

another country’s continental shelf claims. And

capabilities of the PLAN as also in the facilities

thus started the era of aggressive behaviour and

China had started creating in the Indian Ocean.

assertive attitude by China’s forces against any

This strategy was seen as a prelude to finding

other nation’s vessels or aircraft seen ‘infringing

‘places’ and perhaps ‘bases’ in some countries, for

China’s “sovereignty”’ in the area enclosed by the

the benefi t of the PLA (Navy).

nine-dash line.

Since the turn of the century, the strategic efforts

The spate of incidents between Chinese

of China to leverage its economic power into a

platforms and those of the others started to give

military one—and in the case of poorer and smaller

rise to tensions amongst other littoral States in

nations, into political infl uence—have come to be

the South China Sea, most of whom were also

known as ‘debt-book’ diplomacy. Through a series

claimants of either a legally drawn EEZ or certain

of infrastructure initiatives and soft loans, China

maritime features in that waterbody.

has altered the established diplomatic equilibrium

The ensuing tension in the region was seen as a

of the region.

trigger for an unwanted arms race and had a direct

A concurrent development in the South China

bearing on relations between China and the other

Sea—in the year 2009—gave reason for concern to

powers, not just the littorals, but also the US which the littorals of that waterbody.

had continuously exercised ‘freedom of navigation

On 6 May 2009, Malaysia and Vietnam made

patrols’ (FONOPS) to assert its rights under the law

a joint submission of claim on their continental

of the sea.

shelf—beyond the 200nm limit—to the Commission

While India is not a Pacifi c power, it is certainly

on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), in

concerned with the prevailing situation in the Indo–

accordance with Article 76, paragraph 8, of the

Pacifi c in general and the IOR in particular. India is United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

conscious of the negative fallout that could result

(UNCLOS).3 This claim was for a portion in the

from an arms race in the western Pacifi c, and is also southern part of the South China Sea.

concerned about the entry of extra-regional powers

A day later (on 7 May 2009), China represented

into the Indian Ocean.

to the CLCS, through a note verbale,4 claiming

indisputable sovereignty over the islands in the

In Conclusion

South China Sea and attached a map depicting

a nine-dash line which covered almost 90 per

India’s unique peninsular jut in a landlocked ocean

3 Extracted from UN’s Division for Oceans & the Law of the 4 CML/18/2009 (Chinese Note Verbale, English translation), Sea, http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs-new/submissions-fi les/

dated 7 May 2009, http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs-new/

submission-mysvnm-33-2009.htm, accessed on 2 October

submissions-files/vnm37-09/chn-2009re-vnm.pdf, accessed 2018.

on 2 October 2018.

xviii

Blue Waters Ahoy!

makes it a country whose history has, is and will And so we have, in our most inimitable style,

forever be intrinsically governed by its geography.

always kept our doors open to friendship and

Our possessions, therefore, need to be protected

constructive dialogue through a benignly aggressive

with unstinted assertion. Although, thanks to

pursuit of naval diplomacy. India has been involved

our mature and professional Navy, we need not

in the capacity-building of various Small Island

fear any threat, instances of things going wrong

Developing States (SIDS) in the Indian Ocean,

cannot but be guarded against. India is, not without

even training them in our country.5 No Navy in

reason, the pre-eminently important regional player

the world, facing so many threats, can look after

and an economic powerhouse. We have to ensure

its vast area of primary interest alone. This is where that intrusions are kept at bay—not just to ensure

maritime cooperation, borne out of a vibrant naval

tranquillity, but also maintenance of the fi ne balance diplomacy comes in. The Indian Navy has, thus,

of power in the IOR. This requires keeping under

been part of (and in most cases, initiated itself)

check not just transnational players, but also the

several bilateral/multilateral exercises and ventures.

misadventures of such countries that may harbour

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and

ill-will. The only foolproof way of going about it is the MILAN series of naval exercises are a glowing

to ensure effective patrolling of all choke points by example of this. These activities are part of an

an effi cient Navy in all the three dimensions.

overall plan towards confi dence-building measures

The other side of the coin is soft power and

(CBM) so that there is lasting peace in the only

diplomacy. The Indian Navy is, after all, Indian.

major waterbody named after a country—India.

5 This part is covered in greater detail in various chapters under Section 3—‘Maritime Diplomacy’—of this book.

India’s Surroundings (2001–10)

xix

Prologue

India’s shipbuilding heritage goes back to the Indus

Ancient Vedic texts, such as the Rig Veda and Valley Civilization (3500–1700 BCE). During this

Shatapatha Brahmana, refer to naval expeditions period, India’s maritime trade network included

and travels to distant places by sea routes which

the use of compasses ( Matsya Yantra) and planked were well-known at the time (3000 BCE).3 India

ships, and trained navigators who reached different

was building great seagoing vessels in as early as

parts of West Asia, Mesopotamia, Africa, and other

the fourth century BCE and sustaining a thriving

ports far beyond those borders. These ships were,

trade with Egypt, Arabia, Africa and Rome.4 It is

possibly, also capable of making trips to the ocean

a well-known fact that ships, made in India5 and

that could have helped reach even the Americas.1

manned and navigated by Indian sailors, were

The Harappans are believed to have built the fi rst

sailing in the Indian and Pacific Oceans during

tidal dock in the world for berthing and servicing

centuries when the West had not yet started to get

ships at the port town of Lothal (in present-day

there. Accounts in Pali literature talk of vessels

Gujarat), in around 2300 BCE.2 The sizes of anchor

which could accommodate up to 700 passengers.

stones found in the Lothal dock also support this

Kautilya’s Arthashastra gives insights into India’s view.

shipbuilding skills of the time.6 During the

1 C a r l L e h r b u r g e r, S e c r e t s o f A n c i e n t A m e r i c a : 4 Lt Cdr Kalesh Mohanan, Maritime Heritage of India, Indian Archaeoastronomy and the Legacy of the Phoenicians, Celts, Naval Academy, Indian Navy, 2016, p. 48.

and Other Forgotten Explorers, Bear & Company, Rochester, 5 B. Arunachalam (ed.), Chapter on ‘Shipbuilding in India Vermont, 2015, p. 209.

During Colonial Times’, in Essays in Maritime Studies, by the 2 Rear Admiral K. Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, Naval Study Group, Maritime History Society, Mumbai, 1998, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, pp. 66–77: and Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, p. 16.

1982, p. 13.

6 See Mookerji, Indian Shipping, pp. 73–74, and Sridharan, 3 Radha Kumud Mookerji, Indian Shipping: A History of the A Maritime History of India, pp. 21–22.

Sea-Borne Trade and Maritime Activity of the Indians from the Earliest Times, Orient Longman, Bombay, 1957, p. 37.

2

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Mauryan era, boats—some of them 30-oared—are in 1498 CE. The arrival of the Europeans from

believed to have been built in the Punjab region

the fourteenth to the sixteenth century saw their

for Alexander’s fl eet.7 Hindu kingdoms since the

trade monopoly being extended into the seas whilst

Mauryan era built ships at Calicut, Cochin (now

the more continental perspective on the part of the

Kochi), Kaveripattinam, Masulipatnam and

Indian rulers diminished the maritime prowess of

Calcutta (now Kolkata). The shipbuilding industry

the subcontinent. Despite the decline of Indian

fl ourished under the Vijayanagar Empire. ‘Ships

kingdoms owing to the domination of the West,

were built not only in India but also in the Maldive

Indian shipbuilders continued to hold their own

Islands.’8 The Cholas (984–1042 CE) undertook

well into the nineteenth century CE.

great naval expeditions to Burma (now Myanmar),

Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Malaya and Sumatra and

The Modern Period

suppressed the piratical activities of the Sumatran

warlords.9 The manner in which Sarkhel (or

By the time the British arrived in India, the

Admiral) Kanhoji Angre’s fl eet pursued innovative

shipbuilding industry was already fl ourishing with

guerrilla tactics against a superior British naval

several shipyards along the coast.11 In 1612, the

force in the sixteenth century also stands testimony

British set up a factory at Surat—a port that was

to India’s continued engagement with the seas and

already an experienced shipbuilding hub at the

a shipbuilding culture of yore.

time the Portuguese were present. However, the

vulnerability of this port to attacks and the location The Medieval Period

not allowing for construction on a larger scale,

led the British to move to and start shipbuilding

The Indian Ocean was a zone of maritime trade

in Bombay from 1693 onwards.12 Further, this

activity during the medieval times for the Indians,

was also the time when one name emerged that

Chinese, Arabs, Africans, Javanese and Sumatrans,

dominated the shipbuilding industry for the next

to name a few, before the Europeans found their way

two hundred years—the Wadias.

into these waters. The Mughal dynasty’s landward

Built presumably under the able supervision

outlook caused them to focus primarily on land-

of Master Builder Lowjee Nusserwanjee13 in July

based trade and warfare and this became one of

1750, the Bombay Dock, which was the fi rst dry

the major causes behind the eclipse of maritime

dock in India, is in use even today, after more

activity in India during the medieval period.10

than two and a half centuries.14 The present-day

Indian maritime power commenced its slow descent

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) had

in the thirteenth century, and it had declined by a

its humble beginnings in the eighteenth century

large margin when the Portuguese arrived in India

as a ship repair yard for the East India Company.

7 See Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, pp. 20–21, 11 See Essays in Maritime Studies, p. 72.

and Mohanan, Maritime Heritage of India, p. 130.

12 Ibid.

8 See Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, p. 48.

13 S Commodore Sanjay Tewari, Through the Labyrinth of 9 See Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, pp. 41–43, History: A Journey Through Two Hundred and Seventy-fi ve and Mohanan, Maritime Heritage of India, p. 20.

Years of the Naval Dockyard at Mumbai, Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, 2010, p. 178.

10 See Sridharan, A Maritime History of India, p. 55.

14 Ibid. p. 36.

Prologue: The Coming of Age of a Builder’s Navy

3

The Bombay Dock is still considered a marvel of Old type ships, however, continued to be built in

engineering for its ingenuity and prowess in Indian

the erstwhile Bombay Dock under the able guidance

masonry. Ships, built from teak at Daman, displacing

of the Master Builders, the Wadias. It was only with

800 to 1000 tons, were found superior to their

the fourth Master Builder, Nowrojee Jamsetjee,

British counterparts—both in design and durability.15

that steam technology was introduced in the Yard

Lt Col A. Walker wrote in 1911 that ‘The docks

in the 1830s. The HMS Investigator, built in 1881, that have recently been constructed at Bombay are

was the last of the wooden paddle-steamers for the

capable of containing vessels of any force. … the

survey service in India, and the HMS Meanee, built teak wood vessels of Bombay were greatly superior

in 1848, was the last in the ‘2nd rate’ 80-gun ships, to the oaken vessels of Old England.’16 Consequently, later converted to a screw ship at Chatham in 1854.

active measures were adopted to cripple the Indian

Both these ships were launched during Cursetjee

shipbuilding industry. Nevertheless, many Indian

Rustomjee’s18 tenure as Master Builder. The HMS

ships were inducted into the Royal Navy, such as

Meanee was the last of the ships built for the Royal the HMS Hindostan in 1795, HMS Camel in 1801, Navy in the Bombay Dock.19

HMS Minden in 1810, the frigate Cornwallis in 1813, HMS Ceylon in 1808, HMS Ganges in 1821, Indian Shipbuilding—Traversing the

and HMS Asia in 1824.17

‘Slow’ Years

The Era of Steam Ships

Events, both political and scientifi c, were occurring in quick succession. The Great Rising of 1857 (also

Steam engines were initially introduced into

known as India’s First War of Independence) was

s t e a m b o a t s w h i l e i n t h e 1 8 0 0 s c a m e t h e followed by the end of the East India Company in

paddlewheel steamers. Only later, in the 1830s,

1858 and the redesignation of the Indian Navy as Her

were transatlantic voyages made entirely on steam.

Majesty’s Indian Navy. Again, in 1863, the designation Within 10 years of the introduction of a steamship

was changed to the Bombay Marine. Apart from the

in the Royal Navy, an Indian-assembled steamship

political scenario on one side, the invention of the iron from the Bombay Dock had been commissioned

hull in 1840, the steel hull in 1880, the diesel engine for the erstwhile Bombay Marine, redesignated the

in 1895, the turbine in 1900 and the electric motor

Indian Navy on 1 May 1830. Thus, the change in

vessel in 1903 on the scientifi c front—all occurring in a technique of naval construction did come to India,

matter of fi ve decades—had an adverse impact on the

but not in as good a time as it should have.

shipbuilding industry in India. From 1857 onwards,

Further, with the invention of the screw

shipbuilding in India was done on a low key, in a sense propeller, British naval policy was to acquire ships

that only smaller ships were built. It is noteworthy, from Britain and there was no question of even

however, that in 1883, the Nancowry was built as a a discussion on the feasibility of building such

wooden screw steamer, and the engines were built in

advanced ships in an industrially backward India.

the Bombay Dockyard for the fi rst time.20

15 Mookerji, Indian Shipping, p. 180.

18 Cursetjee Rustomjee is a legend in shipbuilding from the Wadia family.

16 Quoted by Mookerji, pp. 179–80.

19 Tewari, Through the Labyrinth of History, p. 71.

17 Tewari, Through the Labyrinth of History, pp. 65–70.

20 See Essays in Maritime Studies, p. 76.

4

Blue Waters Ahoy!

With these activities, came the end of the Ltd ventured to establish a shipbuilding yard in

Wadia era in 1884. In a span of 150 years, the

India under the management of the luminary

Wadia family of nine hereditary Master Builders

industrialist and visionary, Seth Walchand

contributed immensely with their skill and energy

Hirachand in 1941, at Visakhapatnam. This was

in constructing 170 war vessels for the East India

a watershed event that heralded the revival of

Company, 34 warships for the Royal Navy and

India’s once coveted skill even if, at that juncture, 87 merchantmen, and other specialized vessels

shipbuilding wasn’t an economically sustainable

for private fi rms.21 If these fi gures are impressive, business for an independent private entity. It was

the performance of each and every vessel was

this very shipyard that stands today as Hindustan

even more spectacular. For durability, there is the

Shipyard Ltd (HSL).

Trincomalee as a living testimony; for speed, there The ownership of the shipyard in Bombay had

was the Punjab, renamed Tweed, which completed changed many hands before being taken over by

her passage from London to Melbourne in 83

the Government of India (GoI). Mazagon Dock

days22 (a record for its time); and for sturdiness, one Limited was acquired by the Government in 1960,

had the Ferooz, unscathed in the worst grounding to set in motion the strategic national objective of

ever recorded, and the Salsette, trapped in ice and indigenous warship building and became a Public

escaping unhurt.23

Sector Undertaking (PSU) on 14 May 1960.25

Garden Reach Workshops in Calcutta (later to be

Modern Shipbuilding in the Twentieth named Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd Century

or GRSE) was involved in small-scale shipbuilding

and repairs since 1884. This shipyard was also

From the early 1900s onwards, the shipbuilding

acquired by the government in 1960. In 1957, the

industry remained dormant until World War I.

Portuguese established a yard on 6 November 1957

‘Despite the recommendations of the Indian

named Estalerios Navais de Goa.

Mercantile Marine Committee appointed by

In December 1961, after the liberation of Goa

the Government in 1923, the industry was not

from the Portuguese, the management of the

revived as it was evidently in confl ict with British shipyard was handed over to the Mazagon Docks.

shipbuilding interests.’24 And so, having missed the

The yard went through a series of changes before it

propitious Industrial Revolution bus, coupled with

got its current name, Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL),

its suppression by the colonial yoke, a strategic

in 1967 with a majority stake having been acquired

national industry that had once been an important

by the GoI.

reason why India had seemed so attractive to its

Despite these additions after Independence, it

colonial marauders, got consigned to dormancy.

was felt that this bouquet of yards could not fulfi l Between the two world wars, there was hardly

the requirement of adding more shipping tonnage

any progress in the shipbuilding industry in India,

to the nation. Therefore, in 1972, India’s first

except that the Scindia Steam Navigation Company

21 Ibid.

23 Sachin Ballal, ‘Naval Dockyard at Mumbai Legacy

of Excellence’, Salute, Nov–Dec 2015.

22 Rear Admiral Satyindra Singh, Blue Print to Blue Water: The Indian Navy 1951–65, Lancer International, New Delhi, 24 See Essays in Maritime Studies, p. 76.

1992, p. 261.

25 Ibid, p. 77.

Prologue: The Coming of Age of a Builder’s Navy

5

greenfield shipbuilding yard, Cochin Shipyard manner presents constraints which are not easily

Ltd (CSL) was created by the Indian government,

surmountable. It, therefore, becomes imperative

with technological collaborative assistance from

that ‘quality’ and orderly integration are embedded

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Japan. Within four

at every stage of warship building, be it design,

years of the shipyard’s creation, the construction

construction, trials or training, so that a warship

of the fi rst of the 75,000 DWT Panamanian-type

can be equal to the task in the defence of the nation.

bulk carriers, Rani Padmini, commenced on

Today, the survivability of a warship means more

11 February 1976. During this period, the yard had

than just enduring the assault of the elements or the also created a facility to dry dock vessels of up to

foe. It requires that the vessel’s infra-red, acoustic 100,000 DWT.26

and radar cross-section signatures be minimized to

It would be interesting to note that these ‘hubs’—

the best extent possible, so as to avoid detection by MDL, GRSE, GSL and CSL—were historically

the enemy. The stealth and velocity (of ordnance)

signifi cant as shipbuilding centres, some of them

are force multipliers in modern warfare. Fire power

since the seventeenth century CE. Their roots

is obviously the most critical component that needs

go deep down in the sands of history. It should,

careful planning. The modern warship typically has

therefore, come as no surprise that the medieval

multiple weapons. The primary offensive weapon

era held in its palm the destiny of modern Indian

suite is determined by the role of the warship, say

shipbuilding. Conversely, some of the biggest, more

anti-surface, anti-submarine, or even strategic-

prominent shipyards stand as evidence of India’s

delivery. For its defence, it would have anti-aircraft, long, arduous and fruitful preoccupation with this

anti-submarine and anti-surface weapons along

craft, thereby not only holding in its fold many

with dispensers for decoys and electronic warfare

stories, but also becoming a story itself, one that packages against anticipated threats. Larger

is studded with long-standing achievements in the

warships also carry secondary weapon outfi ts for

form of several milestones that still continue to be

support, if required.

a cause of pride and prestige.

The process of envisaging India’s prowess as

a shipbuilding major, and placing it in the league

And the Modern Warship ...

of those select nations which have a thriving,

flourishing shipbuilding industry would not be

Unlike wooden hulled sail ships, the modern warship

complete without elaborating on the manner in

stands in a different league of craftsmanship, design which some of these major shipbuilding ‘hotspots’

prowess and intellectual complexity. Modern

have evolved and come to stand as they do today.

warship design and construction is an iterative

Their evolution also stands as a metaphor, if not as

process that involves numerous interconnected

testimony, of India’s coming of age as a shipbuilding and overlapping agencies. Designing for maximum

nation.

survivability, yet constructing in a cost-effective

26 See Essays in Maritime Studies, p. 77.

6

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

Warship Building in India

The Defence PSUs

I. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)

Genesis

Progress

Currently headquartered in Mumbai, Mazagon

The scale, scope and nature of achievements

Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) had its humble

registered by MDL in the post-Independence era

beginnings in the eighteenth century as a ship

are noteworthy. A shipyard which once built sailing

repair yard for the East India Company. Today,

vessels and wooden hulled ships for the British has

it has emerged as India’s topmost shipbuilding

evolved over the years to currently build the

and fabrication yard. It would be interesting to

Type 15 B (follow-on of the Delhi class) destroyers, recall that it was here that the fi rst of the Wadia

and the modern Scorpène-class submarines. In

‘Master Builders’ was commissioned by the British

the interim, as the proverbial saying goes, ‘a lot

in 1774 to set up a shipbuilding industry. Over

of water has flown under the bridge’, and the

the years, the ownership of the shipyard changed

subsequent sections will help illuminate the same.

many hands: from the East India Company, then

the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation

The Leander

Company (P&O Group) to later the British-India

Steam Navigation Company and thereafter the

The fi rst modern warship built by MDL was the

Mackinnon & Mackenzie Managing Agents, until

Leander-class frigate INS Nilgiri. Its design was it was finally taken over by the Government of

obtained from the British Admiralty and the frigate

India (GoI) in 1960. The takeover was done with

itself was built in collaboration with Vickers Ltd

the objective to set in motion the strategic national and Yarrow (Shipbuilders) Ltd of the UK. The

aim of indigenous warship building. MDL became

Nilgiri joined the fleet on 3 June 1972, after a a functioning Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) on

historic commissioning of the ship by Smt. Indira

14 May 1960.

Gandhi, the then Prime Minister. Subsequently,

three more Leander s christened Himgiri, Udaygiri innovative ventures between the Indian Navy and

and Dunagiri were commissioned into the Indian MDL without any form of external assistance.

Navy in November 1974, February 1976 and May

The production of the fi fth frigate, eventually

1977 respectively.

named Taragiri, commenced on 15 April 1975

Observing the trends in the new weapon

and the ship commissioned on 16 May 1980. The

platforms in advanced countries, the Indian Navy

construction of the sixth Leander-class frigate, took the initiative to modify the design of the

Vindhyagiri, commenced on 5 July 1976 and she Leander-class frigates through in-house efforts.

was commissioned on 8 July 1981. The Leander

Thus, the fi fth and the sixth Leander-class ships Project ushered in a new crop of designs, scores

were completely different in dimensions and

of modern shipbuilding and integration skills, and

packaging than their predecessors. Fundamental

greater confi dence amongst the yard’s workforce.

changes were made in their guns, radar and fi re-

control systems (FCS). Two Seacat Surface-to-Air

The First Submarines

Missile (SAM) launchers replaced the original single

unit. The ship was modifi ed to operate the Seaking

After detailed government-to-government

helicopter (as against the much smaller Alouette

negotiations, Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft

Medium-range Anti-submarine Torpedo Carrying

(HDW) of Germany were selected by the GoI to

Helicopter [MATCH] Role). The new hull design

build two submarines in their yard at Kiel and

incorporated in the new Leander- class frigates to transfer the technology used and the material

and installation of the advanced weapon fi t were

package to MDL for building subsequent

First indigenously built submarine of Shishumar class 8

Blue Waters Ahoy!

submarines in India. MDL began its association

with the collaborating shipyard (HDW) in July

1980 and a formal agreement was signed between

them in December 1981. The construction of

submarines in India was a major milestone, for

which the facility named East Yard at MDL was

formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira

Gandhi on 6 May 1984.

The production of the first submarine had

already begun on 12 January that year and the

second one commenced on 12 September the

same year. The fi rst indigenously built boat, INS

Shalki, was launched on 30 September 1989 and commissioned on 7 February 1992. The second,

INS Shankul, was launched on 21 March 1992 and commissioned on 28 May 1994.

The Godavari-class Indigenous Design Concurrent with the acquisition of ships from

the Soviet Union from the mid 1970s to the late

1980s (guided missile destroyers, missile corvettes,

The game-changing Godavari class

minesweepers, maritime reconnaissance anti-

submarine warfare [MRASW] aircraft and ASW

on1 Veer class of missile vessels (INS Vibhuti [1991], helicopters), another effort at redesigning the

INS Vipul [1992], INS Nashak [1994] and INS

stretched Leander ( Taragiri) was underway at the Prabal [2002]) which heralded the yard’s entry into Directorate General of Naval Design. This effort

the era of building gas-turbine propelled warships,

led to the Project 16 Godavari-class frigates. The achieving yet another milestone in MDL’s journey

production of Godavari commenced on 15 May

to building state-of-the-art warships.

1978, and the lead ship was launched in 24 months,

i.e., May 1980, followed by her commissioning in

1983. Two more, viz. Ganga and Gomati, followed, the latter having been delivered in December 1987.

The Khukri and Vibhuti classes After the Godavari, came the Khukri class of ships ( Khukri, Kuthar and Kirch) from 1988 to 2001.

Along with that, MDL also rolled out the follow-

Indigenously built 1241 RE ship, INS Vipul

1 The fi rst fi ve Veer-class vessels were directly acquired from construction of follow-on ships in India.

the Soviet Union. The contract for these vessels included Warship Building in India

9

15 November 1997; 2 June 1999 and 22 January

2001, respectively. The Delhi class were the fi rst destroyers made by MDL. They were larger, faster

and more capable in all domains of naval warfare

and represented a quantum leap in the country’s

shipbuilding capabilities.

Other Achievements

Apart from these epochal milestones, MDL has

INS Kuthar of the Khukri-class corvettes also constructed Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for

the Indian Coast Guard, Offshore Supply Vessels

Project 15 Delhi-class Destroyers

(OSVs) and Multipurpose Support Vessels (MSVs)

for the petroleum industry, and even dredgers

The jewel, not only in the crown of MDL, but

during the course of its long and eventful history.

also in that of the nation

Apart from this, MDL was the first in India to

Larger, faster and

was the arrival of the P-15

construct offshore platforms and jack-up rigs, and

more capable in all

class of ships, or, as it

nearly 50 per cent of all wellhead platforms at

domains of naval

was rechristened later, the

Mumbai High.

warfare, the Delhi

formidable and majestic

Today, MDL is one of the premier shipbuilding

class were the fi rst

Delhi-class Destroyers—

yards in the country not only capable of constructing destroyers made by

at that time, the largest

submarines but also the largest warships with

MDL.

warships built in India. The

the Indian Navy and Coast Guard benefitting

three ships of this class, INS

immensely from its contributions.

Delhi, Mysore and Mumbai were commissioned on INS Delhi—the fi rst destroyer made in India

10

Blue Waters Ahoy!

II. Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) Genesis

Wars hip building

Through centuries, the Hooghly river—on whose

In 1957, when Sri V.K. Krishna Menon became

left banks is situated the port of Kolkata—has seen

India’s defence minister, he was convinced with

vessels of all shapes and sizes transiting through

the Navy’s aim of becoming a Builder’s Navy and

it for various purposes, be it fishing, trading,

therefore envisaged a role for shipyards like MDL

piloting, carrying troops or just for cruising. Even

and GRW (later GRSE) in building warships at

though smaller workshops and karkhana s had

home. After a protracted period of deliberations

existed along the river through time, a full-fl edged and negotiations, the GoI, in a package deal with

workshop was established in 1884 on the banks of

the P&O Group, acquired both MDL and GRW on

the Hooghly specifi cally to repair vessels belonging 19 April 1960 for British Pound Sterling 2,882,487

to the River Steam Navigation Company that were

or `3.85 crore. Thus heralded a new dawn for the

used for transportation over the Ganges, Bhagirathi,

company when it was reborn as a government-

Hooghly, Brahmaputra and other interconnecting

owned Central Public

rivers and canals. This workshop, established at

Sector Enterprise and set In 1961, the fi rst-

the present location of the Main Works of Garden

sail on a course towards ever warship

Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE),

self-reliance in the defence

designed and built in

formed the origin of GRSE.

sector. In 1961, the first-

the country, the INS

Garden Reach Works Ltd, located in Calcutta

ever warship designed Ajay —an SDB, was

was developed by the famous P&O Company

and built in the country, made at GRSE.

(formerly the Peninsular and Oriental Steam

the INS Ajay— a Seaward

Navigation Company), to maintain their ships in

Defence Boat (SDB), was made at GRSE. On

Indian waters. On 26 February 1934, the Garden

31 December 1976, the company’s name was

Reach Workshop was incorporated as a Joint Stock

changed to Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers

Company and was registered under the Indian

Ltd (GRSE). Since then, GRSE has traversed several

Companies Act, 1913 under the name Garden

such fi rst-time ventures, such as missile corvettes, Reach Workshops Limited(GRW). From 1934 to

multirole steam propelled frigates, and fast attack

1960 GRW was managed by Macneill & Barry Ltd,

craft, to name a few.

Managing Agents of the P&O Group.

The INS Ajay, after having served the Indian

During World War II (1939–45) the shipyard

Navy for 13 years, was transferred (gratis) in

made its mark in carrying out construction, conversion 1974 to serve as a warship of the Bangladesh

and repair of a large number of naval and merchant

Navy which hardly had any resources, having

vessels. Reportedly, during the war years, over 4,000

gained independence three years earlier. Before

vessels were repaired at GRW. After Independence,

being transferred, she was put under maintenance

from the early 1950s onwards, GRW started meeting

repairs (an extensive refi t). The Bangladesh Navy

the nation’s needs for small vessels and harbour craft.

renamed her BNS Surma. The second ship of the On 5 November 1957, GRW was rechristened as

class, INS Amar, was transferred to Mauritius in Garden Reach Workshops Private Ltd, under the

March 1974 to become MNS Amar to start with

Company’s Act, 1956.

Warship Building in India

11

and, later, CGS Amar.2

INS Sandhayak, was commissioned on 26 February In an effort to expand its facility and create

1981. Thereafter, five more survey vessels were

infrastructure, the shipyard took over and refurbished built and delivered to the Indian Navy between

the Rajabagan Dockyard (RBD) in July 2006.

1983 and 1993.

Ships for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

The First Indian Fleet Tanker

One of the fi rst decisions taken up on the founding

INS Aditya, the largest indigenously built fleet of the Coast Guard (now the Indian Coast Guard

replenishment tanker, with a displacement of

or ICG) in 1978, was to place an order to GRSE to

24,600 tons, was built by GRSE and commissioned

construct two patrol vessels for the Indian Coast

on 3 April 2000.

Guard. Just like the unique distinction of building

the fi rst indigenous warship INS Ajay, GRSE also holds the milestone of having built the fi rst-ever

patrol vessel for the ICG, CGS Rajhans.

SDBs for the Navy

GRSE has been a leading player in designing and

constructing vessels for coastal security since the

early 1960s when the company was known as

GRW. The first lot of SDBs built by GRSE had

riveted hulls with a displacement of 180 tons. Three

such ships were built by GRSE for the Indian Navy

INS Aditya—the fi rst Indian fl eet tanker

from 1974 to 1978.These diesel-powered ships

achieved a maximum speed of 25 knots.3 They were

Landing Ships (1987–2006)

classifi ed as SDB Mk-I ships.

The follow-on versions of SDBs were of

The fi rst indigenously designed Landing Ship Tank-

improved design and came with a number of

Large (LST [L]), INS Magar, was built by GRSE and modifi cations. These were the SDB Mk-II ships, commissioned on 18 July 1987. Follow-on vessels,

followed soon after by updated SDB Mk-III

IN Ships Gharial, Shardul, Kesari and Airavat were between 1983 and 1985.

of improved design. These ships were delivered

between 14 February 1997 and 30 March 2009.

The First Indian Hydrographic Ship

GRSE, therefore, also has the unique distinction

of having built all the LSTs (L) currently in service The fi rst survey vessel for the Indian Navy was also with the Indian Navy.

designed and built by GRSE. This 1900-ton ship,

2 Vice Admiral G.M. Hiranandani, Transition to Triumph: 3 The role of Seaward Defence Boats was to do what is today Indian Navy 1965-75, Second Edition, New Delhi, Naval called coastal security. In doing so, they were required to move Printing Press, 1999, p. 387.

fast enough to chase/intercept suspicious vessels (the average speed of which used to be 12–15 knots only).

12

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Guided Missile Corvettes (1998–2004)

GRSE has built four missile corvettes of the Type

25 A for the Indian Navy.4 The fi rst corvette under

this project, INS Kora was commissioned on 10

August 1998. Subsequent vessels of the class were

commissioned by 2004.

Building Frigates for the First Time

After the successful construction of major weapon

Brahmaputra class—the fi rst frigates built by GRSE

platforms like the P-25A Missile Corvettes, GRSE

was found ready to reach the next level in warship

Hoverwork Limited, UK to build a hovercraft.

construction. The contract

This was a valuable partnership for imbibing new

Included in GRSE’s

for the construction of

technology. A total of six vessels were built, the

list of signifi cant

three Brahmaputra-class

fi rst two having been imported directly from the

achievements,

frigates (Project 16A) was

UK and the remaining four built by GRSE between

is India’s fi rst fl eet

signed in 1986. This was

1999 and 2005.

tanker, INS Aditya ,

a turning point in GRSE’s

all the LSTs-L

shipbuilding capabilities.

Fast Attack Craft

currently in service

T h e B r a h m a p u t r a -

with the Indian Navy, class were steam-engine The Fast Attack Craft (FAC) developed in-house

and the construction p r o p e l l e d v e s s e l s —

in the late 1990s, was one of the most successful

of steam-engine

s o m e t h i n g t h a t G R S E

designs developed by GRSE. The fi rst of this class

propelled

had never tried its hands

was delivered on 11 September 2000, and the

Brahmaputra -

at earlier. These frigates

remaining seven were delivered between February

class frigates.

were multirole platforms

2001 and July 2006.

with a contemporary suite

of weapons and sensors including two Seaking

Second Generation Water Jet Fast Attack

helicopters. All three ships were delivered between

Craft (WJFAC)

2000 and 2005: the INS Brahmaputra on 14 April 2000, INS Betwa on 7 July 2004 and INS Beas on The highly successful design of the FACs made

11 July 2005.

by GRSE lent confidence to in-house designing

capabilities which led to the making of a

Hovercraft5 for the ICG

48.9m Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC).

The fi rst two of this class, INS Car Nicobar and INS

In 1999, GRSE joined hands with Griffon

Chetlat, were commissioned on 16 February 2009.

4 Corvette is a type of warship that is between a frigate and various improvements included the type of SSMs and sensors.

a patrol boat. The fi rst corvette ever designed by the Navy’s 5 A hovercraft is a vessel that primarily moves at very high speed design bureau was the Type 25 ( Khukri class made by MDL).

over water with a cushion of air under its ‘skirt’ and because of An improved version followed as Type 25A, made by GRSE. The this property, can also move over land with that cushion of air.

Warship Building in India

13

This was a rare occasion when two warships were

on 1 July 2006, GRSE took over the RBD from

delivered concurrently and commissioned together.

the Central Inland Water Transport Corporation

The remaining eight ships were delivered between

(CIWTC), thereby becoming India’s biggest defence

July 2009 and August 2011.

shipyard in terms of real estate. This facility, spread over an area of 33 acres and with a water front

(Hooghly River) of 600m, has already enabled the

expansion of GRSE’s shipbuilding effort.

Aside from the above, GRSE had also

embarked upon a phased modernization program

for upgrading its infrastructure given that it is

a very old shipyard. Accordingly, a preliminary

concept proposal for modernization was prepared

in 2001–2.

On 1 July 2006,

The Initial Phase-I GRSE took over

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft INS Car Nicobar

M o d e r n i z a t i o n w a s

completed by 2005–6. RBD from CIWTC,

An Anti-submarine Warfare Corvette

Phase-I of this effort was thereby becoming

aimed at revamping the India’ s biggest

In 2003, a new milestone was carved with the

existing (somewhat vintage)

defence shipyard

commencement of the construction of new

shipbuilding infrastructure in terms

generation anti-submarine warfare (ASW)

to facilitate construction of of real estate. As corvettes. Four of these ships have since been under

larger ships and accordingly,

part of expanding its

construction, under the code Project 28 (P-28). The

the building berth, block shipbuilding effort,

design and combat features of these ships make

handling, and workshop it also embarked

them extremely versatile, with excellent stealth

and store capacity were on a phased

features, both above and below the surface. While

increased.

modernization of

the first two have been made with conventional

S u b s e q u e n t l y, t h e its infrastructure material, the two remaining will use composite

Phase-II Modernization post 2001.

carbon fibre superstructures—a first in surface

of GRSE was undertaken,

vessels in India. More importantly, these ASW

the aim of which was to create a new shipbuilding

corvettes have won a distinction in having over 90

infrastructure that would enable integrated

per cent indigenous content, i.e., material sourced

construction of large ships, using advanced modular

from India. This has been possible due to sustained

shipbuilding technology. Accordingly, an Integrated

efforts to become self-reliant on the part of both the Shipbuilding Facility comprising a new dry dock,

Indian Navy and GRSE.

building berth, module hall and a 250-ton Goliath

crane was created. The crane has a reach that

Pursuing Expansion

encompasses the dock, the building berth, a module

hall as well as the paint cell. With this, the shipyard GRSE has endeavoured to grow with the demands

has doubled its capacity and now has the unique

of time, augmenting infrastructure, upgrading

capability of building eight large and six small

technology and enhancing its human capital.

warships simultaneously. After the modernization

As witness to its steps towards diversifi cation,

of existing infrastructure and acquisition of RBD,

14

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the shipbuilding capacity of GRSE will increase to to structure the design for high-speed small boats

14 ships at a time. This facility provides greater

(25 to 30m in length with a speed range of 25 to 30

fl exibility to undertake construction of ships in the knots) for meeting the requirements of the Ministry

form of blocks and mega blocks concurrently

of Home Affairs.

at different locations including at the vendor’s

premises. This will considerably reduce the build

In Conclusion

period to the extent of 30 to 40 per cent.

It would not come as a surprise, therefore,

From being a small shipyard that was able to

t h a t t h e G o I , i n r e c o g n i t i o n o f G R S E ’s build only patrol boats and corvettes, GRSE

exceptional performance in

has graduated to building frigates and has even

In recognition of

shipbuilding, accorded it the

built a tanker for the Navy. During the decade

GRSE’s exceptional

‘Mini Ratna—Category I’

2001–10, it added real estate and upgraded its

performance in

status on 5 September 2006.

infrastructure in such a manner that it can now

shipbuilding, the

This status has provided

undertake simultaneous construction of over a

GoI accorded GRSE enhanced decision-making

dozen warships—eight of them being large and

the ‘Mini Ratna—

p o w e r s a n d i n c r e a s e d

the others of small size.

Category I’ status on delegation of financial The infusion of construction technology and

powers to the yard.

infrastructure, including large capacity cranes,

5 September 2006.

Additionally, GRSE

has enabled the yard to embark upon integrated/

have also undertaken some major research and

modular construction which would mean that

development programs over the years that include

new warships will now be launched with a high

the development of new hull forms of warships

percentage of pre-outfitting, and the time for

with sizes varying from 65 to 115m and capable of

construction will also be compressed.

speeds of 25 to 35 knots. The company also took

III. Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL)

Goa, a Port City of Infi nite Possibilities

than in London or Paris at the time. History has

it that the Gomati river (now named Mandovi),

Goa was coveted by a great number of Indian

fl owing between the elevated lands of Tiswadi and

kingdoms and dynasties from the fourth century

Bardez, had developed on its banks dense maritime

CE onwards as a beacon of advancement and

traffi c, both coastal as well as trans-oceanic.7 Pre-prosperity—her shoreline being just as full of

Portuguese Goa was indeed an international port,

possibilities then, as it is now.6 By 1510, Goa

frequented by ships from Aden, Ormuz, Palestine,

Dourada (Golden Goa) was the centre of the

Cambay and other hinterland kingdoms. And so,

world’s spice trade and one of the richest places

to build new ships and to provide repair facilities,

on earth. It is said that more people lived in Goa

the (pre-Portuguese) rulers had maintained a well-

6 The UNESCO Courier, Great Trade Route, vol. 37, no. 6, 1984.

Architecture and Urbanism, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, 7 Valter Rosa, ed., Portuguese Heritage Around the World—

Lisbon, pp. 73–81.

Warship Building in India

15

Chronology

hardware and software, was commissioned in 1989.

This era saw a major turnaround in the yard’s build

1957–70.

capability as a number of defence orders for LCU

Since there were only two slipways and limited

Mk-III, torpedo recovery vessels (TRVs), SDBs

depth of water at its seafront, shipbuilding during

and survey vessels were successfully executed.

this period was limited to the construction and

Seven auxiliary vessels were constructed too for

repair of small vessels, particularly barges. Towards the Government of Mozambique during this time.

the end of this period, the addition of a third

These were the years that also saw the shipyard

slipway and extension of the first two slipways

extend its capabilities to include specialized

helped develop infrastructure.

auxiliary vessels such as support vessels for offshore platforms of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

1971–80.

(ONGC). This project was the fi rst move towards

This period witnessed the construction of small

the diversifi cation of GSL’s capabilities.

auxiliary vessels. Four barges were constructed

for the Government of Yemen during this period.

1991–2000.

This era also saw the construction of an additional

The augmentation of certain facilities during the

fourth slipway and the extension of existing berths.

period added new momentum to the shipyard’s

Between 1975 and 1977, additional land measuring

activities. Construction of OPVs, missile

17,400 square metres was acquired for the Yard

vessels (1241 REs) and Awarding GSL

Expansion Project which included fabrication bays,

h y d r o g r a p h i c s u r v e y

high capacity cranes and some essential machinery.

vessels were the main the order for the

This augmentation aided in the construction of

highlights of this era. construction of the

larger vessels and a 300-ton barge was also built

In a closely contested fi rst sail training

for the Government of Iran. The year 1976 saw

competition, GSL won a vessel—INS

GSL taking a quantitative leap with the building

prestigious contract for the

Tarangini indicated

of three Landing Craft ‘Utility’ (LCU) Mk-II for

design and construction of

the growing faith

the Indian Navy. These

three Advanced Offshore in the shipyard’s

The years 1981–90

vessels were built to rigid

Patrol vessels—the largest capabilities.

saw GSL extend

specifications, demanding

for the ICG. Faith in GSL’s

its capabilities to

exacting standards of an

growing capabilities was further reinforced when

include specialized

improved design for use

GSL was awarded the order for the construction

auxiliary vessels

during opposed amphibious

of the first sail training vessel (INS Tarangini).

such as support

landings.

Successful construction of the sailing ship, in

vessels for offshore

collaboration with Colin Mudie of UK, proved to

platforms of ONGC. 1981–90.

be an exciting challenge that instilled confi dence in B y t h e y e a r 1 9 8 3 , t h e

the yard. It was also during this period that GSL

This project was the

third and fourth phases of

established itself as a dependable yard for the task of fi rst move towards

expansion were completed

designing as well as constructing weapon platforms.

diversifi cation of

which signifi cantly increased

GSL’s capabilities.

the yard’s capacity to build

The Decade 2001–10.

larger and more sophisticated vessels. A CAD/

This was a time that saw a plethora of new

CAM Centre, equipped with world-class structural

technologies being imbibed. Besides building

Warship Building in India

17

conventional vessels, the construction of five

approved under the Lloyd’s Register of Ships (LRS)

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFACs) was undertaken.

classifi cation;11 this approval was limited to hull

These new types of vessels were built on the back

design only. From approving the hull drawings

of a number of transfer-

to surveying the hull—a task that demanded

For GSL, the decade o f - t e c h n o l o g y ( To T ) coordination on a large scale—the entire process 2001–10 was a

agreements with European/

was carried out by LRS. While the survey equipment

momentous period

I s r a e l i s h i p y a r d s . T h e

of the ships had to be imported, achieving 80 per

of expansion both

capability of building OPVs

cent indigenization in the construction of the vessels in terms of imbibing

was further strengthened

was a matter of pride for a defence shipyard. The

new technologies

w i t h t h e a d o p t i o n o f

fi rst of the two vessels, INS Darshak, was launched stealth design for Naval

and also augmenting

on 28 April 1998 and delivered on 23 March 2001.

O P V s ( N O P V s ) . T h e s e

infrastructure.

The second ship of the project, INS Sarvekshak, was warships were based on

launched on 24 November 1999 and delivered on

the shipyard’s in-house R&D effort which led to

22 December 2001.

its own design having been found successful for

specifi c requirements of the Navy.

The Construction of 1241 RE Missile Vessels.

The drive towards infrastructure augmentation

The 1241 RE- class missile vessels, the fi rst four and yard expansion continued during this decade

of which were directly imported from the Soviet

and major infrastructure for mine countermeasure

Union, had their follow-on ships built under ToT

vessels (MCMVs; yet to be built) was initiated,

from ALMAZ of St Petersburg, Russia. Four

including a ship lift, jetties, workshops, etc.

of these follow-on vessels, viz. Vinash, Vidyut,

There were many other ways in which the

Prahar and Pralaya were built at GSL. Of these,

period 2001–10 was momentous.

INS Pralaya had a completely new weapon-sensor suite. It was delivered to the Navy on 11

Survey Vessels. GSL was chosen to construct two December 2002.

survey vessels for the Indian Navy in mid-1995. The

design was based on the Sutlej-class ships. However, numerous changes had to be incorporated in them

due to modifi cations in design suggested from time

to time. One such critical modifi cation was the hull-mounted multi-beam echo sounder which, it was

assumed, would pose challenges during the process

of dry docking the vessel for refit/maintenance.

Further, stern thrusters were introduced on these

types of (hydrographic) ships for the first time.

It was also the first time that ships were class-

INS Pralaya with all-new weapons and sensors

11 The process of classifi cation comprises validating/certifying however, the Indian Navy has started to involve classifi cation ship designs under established standards. LRS is one of the societies like LRS and the Indian Register of Ships (IRS) in oldest and most prominent classification societies in the design validation/certification of such vessels and marine maritime world. Naval vessels are normally not required to get structures that may or may not be used for combat.

design validation or certifi cation from a classifi cation society; 18

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFACs). The Extra Fast coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance

Attack Craft (XFAC) class of ships is one of the

and monitoring of sea lines of communication

most effi cient surface combatants of its size in the (SLOCs), defence of offshore oil installations,

world. The XFAC was designed for being put to

escorting high-value ships and embarkation/

sea at the shortest possible notice for day and night operation of the advanced light helicopter (ALH).

coastal surveillance and reconnaissance, search and

As compared to the design of similar NOPVs in

rescue missions (SAR), special operations tasks and

operation with navies of other countries, the design

high-speed interception of small intruder craft over

of this platform incorporates excellent stability and territorial waters.

other (improved) features in terms of functionality,

maintainability, better ergonomics and habitability.

Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs). Having

The keel for the first ship (an NOPV),

successfully built various types of vessels for the

Sarayu, was laid on 15 December 2006 and the

ICG since the mid-1970s, GSL had mastered the

construction of the other three vessels also started

art of designing and constructing OPVs. In fact,

progressively with the keel of Sunayna being laid by the end of the twentieth

on 25 September 2007, Sumedha on 7 May 2008

By the end of the

century, the shipyard was

and Sumitra on 28 April 2010.

twentieth century,

the undisputed leader in

GSL was the

OPV construction in India.

STS Sudarshini. Considering the huge success of undisputed leader in

Based on this skill, the

Tarangini, launched in December 1995, GSL was OPV construction

shipyard was entrusted with

again called upon to construct her follow-on clone,

the task of constructing

in India.

Sudarshini. Her keel was laid on 14 May 2009.12

four Naval Offshore Patrol

Unlike her predecessor, Sudarshini was built on the Vessels (NOPVs) for the Indian Navy. The formal concept of modular accommodation in the living

contract for three ships was signed on 31 March

area, which is fully air-conditioned.

2005 and a contract for an additional ship was

signed on 15 November 2007.

Other Vessels. Apart from the ships listed above, However, despite the shipyard’s considerable

GSL constructed a number of OPVs and fast

experience in this fi eld, the Naval Staff Qualitative patrol vessels (FPVs) for the ICG too during the

Requirements (NSQRs) posed new challenges for

aforementioned period. It also successfully designed

it. In the late 1990s, GSL had made its own design

and constructed a number of boats for the Central

for an advanced OPV (AOPV) for the ICG. The

Police Forces under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Navy’s requirement for an OPV was much greater

in terms of capacity, war-fi ghting capability and

In Conclusion

endurance. Therefore, a completely new design had

to be worked upon. The outcome was an impressive

Having started out as a small barge-building yard,

NOPV that was 105m in length a displacement of

GSL has come a long way and is today counted

2,200 tons, and contemporary weapons including

amongst the technology-oriented defence PSUs of the

a light/medium helicopter.

country. For over four decades, GSL has designed,

The NOPV is capable of fl eet support operations,

built and commissioned a wide range of sophisticated

12 The Sudarshini was commissioned in January 2012.

Warship Building in India

19

vessels for varied applications in the defence and

commercial sectors with special expertise in building modern patrol vessels with steel as well as aluminium hull structures. The building and designing of the sail ships Tarangini and Sudarshini, the XFACs, and the success of the NOPV project, in addition to a

plethora of important milestones achieved during

the previous decades, such as the indigenous OPV

project, the construction of survey vessels and

smaller but specialized vessels such as SDBs and

TRVs, attest to the growing stature of GSL and its

focus towards self-reliance.

Tarangini sailing ‘full and by’

IV. Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL)

The long journey towards making ships in India

infrastructure resumed in the mid-1940s. The fi rst

started aeons ago. However, one shipyard that

ship to be constructed entirely in India, at a (then) was established just before Independence was a

contemporary shipyard, was at this very Yard and first-time attempt at bringing the art of modern

was christened the MV Jala Usha. Its keel was laid shipbuilding to the East Coast. This effort was the

in 1946.

founding of the fi rst greenfi eld shipyard in the year I n t h e a b s e n c e o f a n y s u b s i d y i n t h e 1941 under the name Scindia Steam Navigation

shipbuilding industry, the Scindias had a tough

Co. Ltd by Seth Walchand Hirachand. Today, it is

time breaking even in their shipbuilding venture.

known as Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL).

They sought relief; the Its keel laid in 1946,

Seth Walchand selected Visakhapatnam as

government of the day the MV Jala Usha

the port as it was considered an ideal location,

decided to take over the

strategically. Accordingly, in November 1940, he

yard but had to step back

was the fi rst ship

acquired land there. On 21 June 1941, he invited

due to fi nancial constraints to be constructed

Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of the

facing the country just entirely in India,

Congress party, to lay the foundation stone of the

after Partition. However, at GRSE, which

shipyard, breaking the prevalent norm of inviting

it was later decided that was at the time the

British offi cials to do so.

the yard be nationalized. most contemporary

The establishment of HSL resulted in an

I n 1 9 5 2 , t w o - t h i r d s shipyard.

exponential increase in the visits of foreigners and

of the yard’s holdings

traders to Visakhapatnam. Because of this, and the

were acquired by the GoI in 1952 and HSL was

need to transport raw material, the city was linked

incorporated on 21 January that year. This was

to Bombay, Madras and Calcutta by the Indian

one of the rare instances when a private company

Railways and subsequently by air too.

initiated proposals and willingly handed over an

After the hiatus in industrial activity caused by

industrial establishment to the government.

World War II years, the construction of the yard’s

The process of expansion and development

20

Blue Waters Ahoy!

gained momentum when the government acquired

all the shares of the Scindia House in July

1961. And so, HSL emerged as a PSU under the

administrative control of the Ministry of Shipping

& Surface Transport (MOST).

The yard’s real estate holding was expanded

from 55 acres to 73 acres in the 1960s, primarily to

accommodate the construction of a graving dock

and a wet basin. Construction of the country’s

largest dry-dock (at the time) was completed at

HSL, in August 1971. With a size of 244m x 38m, it

was capable of handling vessels up to 70,000 DWT.

INS Dhruvak, a mooring vessel, the fi rst vessel Sindhukirti undergoing upgradation

built by HSL for the Indian Navy was delivered

on 16 November 1958. In December 1964, the

Navy and the ICG.

Shipyard built the first

The yard was a profi t-making company till the

By 1961, HSL

hydrographic survey vessel,

1980s and was also paying regular dividends to its

was a PSU under

INS Darshak, equipped

shareholders. However, due to worldwide recession

the administrative

with state-of-the-art sensors

in shipping/shipbuilding sectors, HSL’s order book

control of MOST.

and electronic equipment.

was adversely affected in the ensuing years. This

In 1971, HSL

N o n - w e a p o n i z e d

had serious repercussions on its fi nancial earnings.

constructed the

warships (survey vessels,

Consequently, after years of trying to break even,

country’ s largest

OPVs and LSTs) like IN

a Rehabilitation Plan was presented to the GoI in

Ships Dhruvak, Darshak,

July 2005.

dry-dock.

Savitri, Gharial, Sarayu,

Due to persistent demands by the Navy to

Sharda, and Sujata were built by HSL. Further, incorporate HSL into the Defence PSU fold, a

during its life under the MOST, the shipyard also

Group of Ministers (Committee) recommended

repaired 80 vessels for the Indian Navy and ICG.

in 2008 that HSL be transferred to the Ministry

HSL entered a new domain, that of conventional

of Defence (MoD). Considering the warship and

submarine repairs, by winning the order for in-

submarine building requirements of the Navy, the

depth repair/retro-fitment of new equipment on

yard was brought under the administrative control

INS Vagli, a Foxtrot-class submarine which was of the MoD on 22 February 2010. Hereafter, the

repaired between 1997 and 2007. The yard was

Navy hopes to capitalize on this yard, it having

also nominated to undertake the medium repair-

been added to the ‘Defence Industrial Base’ of the

cum-modernization of 877 EKM Submarine

nation and particularly to the strategic industry of

INS Sindhukirti. This first-of-a-kind repair and warship building.

upgradation was undertaken in 2006 and continued

beyond 2010.

In Conclusion

Since its inception till 2010, HSL has built

163 vessels and repaired 2,000 vessels of various

To harness the major characteristics of a builder’s

types. Out of these 163 ships, 21 ships (including

navy, the most basic yet important requirement is

the Korean design OPVs) were constructed for the

to imbibe the art of shipbuilding. From there, a

Warship Building in India

21

maritime nation must graduate to involving itself carrier. The Navy has been infusing the requisite

with the complex science of warship building. It is

thrust as well as funding from its own budget to

to the credit of our ancestors in the whites, at the

upgrade certain infrastructure in these shipyards

time of Independence, that the bold aim of self-

so that they not only remain contemporary in the

suffi ciency in becoming a builder’s navy instead of a techniques of shipbuilding but they also speed up

buyer’s navy was kept as the fi rst mission statement the pace of production. It would not be overstating

of the Indian Navy. At the risk of repetition, it must that Indian warship building (and by inference,

be emphasized with a sense of pride that, despite

the shipbuilding yards) have truly come of age.

having missed the Industrial Revolution and despite

Disadvantaged by a gap in direct involvement in

having lost touch with the sea since the thirteenth

matters maritime as discussed above, the Indian

century CE, the nation, and particularly the Indian

shipbuilding industry did well to start at the bottom Navy, has successfully pursued the revival of the

and slowly work its way to the very top. From

art and science of warship building. Today, not just

making small SDBs to having an aircraft carrier

are contemporary destroyers in series production,

in the pipeline, the country’s warship-building

but the IN is also building the largest, and one of

machinery has truly earned its spurs and stands

the most complicated naval platforms—the aircraft

shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.

22

Blue Waters Ahoy!

2

Indigenous Designing

Capability

A Unique Skill for a Navy

Introduction

qualities, strength and stealth are specially catered for, as factors that make them distinct from merchant Designing warships is a completely different science

vessels. Today’s warships must also incorporate

as compared to designing merchant ships. It is a

features that help in avoiding detection by radar,

creative, iterative process with the ultimate objective thermal, or acoustic sensors of the adversary. Another of fully satisfying the Naval Staff Qualitative

requirement unique to warships is accommodating a

Requirements (NSQRs). That apart, it also involves

large crew (as compared to commercial vessels), in a

a number of interconnected agencies besides the

very limited space.

user-representative directorates at the Integrated

The most demanding task, of course, is the

Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) (IHQ

intricate process of integrating complex systems like MoD [N]). Two imperatives that can be categorized

the weapon-sensor suite, the combat-management

as ‘must-haves’ are: maximum survivability and

system including networks for feeding inputs,

cost effectiveness of the fi nal product. These two

extracting outputs, and providing redundancies in

factors warrant that quality be ensured at every

case of defects or damage.

stage of warship building, be it during the time of

In fact, the challenges faced by designers

creating a detailed design or subsequently at the

o f w a r s h i p s a r e c o m p l e x a n d s o m e t i m e s time of construction. The process is an exemplar

conflicting, and these require to be addressed

of a physically large and complex web including

without compromising on the fi ghting ability and

numerous equipment, and systems and devices that

survivability of the vessel. Warships have to be

are integrated in a manner that all types of (desired) designed for quick deployment, propulsion power

functions can be performed with maximum

for independent manoeuvrability and high speeds.

effi ciency and least chance of failure.

Yet they must be economical in terms of fuel

The most important features that have to be

consumption for ‘sea legs’ (i.e., they ought to be

embedded in a warship’s design include the properties capable of being kept deployed for long durations

of mobility, fighting capability and adaptability

with the onboard fuel). Apart from being highly

to varying situations. Speed, stability, seakeeping

manoeuvrable, the design must be such as to keep

them stable even in high sea states. This one factor book. The country, through the ages and despite

is extremely important for ensuring crew alacrity

several setbacks and less than ideal circumstances,

and weapon effi ciency no matter what the nature

has kept the art and science of shipbuilding alive.

of the operating environment.

The British East India Company observed with

One obvious requirement in designing a

envy India’s shipbuilding capability as the ships

warship is the need to pack maximum fi repower in

being built out of Malabar teak by a supposedly

the vessel. It requires the placement of large pieces

‘inferior race’ were far superior to theirs in terms

of specialized hardware inside the hull, and on

of longevity as well as seakeeping. Throughout the

the superstructure. This aspect requires extremely

nearly two century-long British rule, ships built in

intricate and careful planning for the design effort

India formed an integral and important part of the

as it involves interfacing various devices (sometimes British fl eet, in waters both home and afar.

from different sources) and integrating all systems

In the years immediately after Independence,

for precision control at the nerve centre.

the Indian Navy consisted of a few and mostly

Yet another typical necessity in a warship’s

second-hand ships. As a young nation still fi nding

design is the need to build it in such a fashion

its feet, its requirements were naturally expected

that it can accommodate an increase in and the

to grow, thus necessitating newer acquisitions.

replacement of weapons and other systems as

Friendly nations willing to offer sophisticated ships desired during the life cycle of the ship. For this

to India at that time were scarce and the foreign

reason, as far as possible, today’s warships are

exchange to fund such acquisitions even scarcer.

designed based on modular concepts.

Thus it was of vital importance for the country to

Because every new class of platform is meant

plan for building indigenous capabilities.

to perform a particular role and fi ll a vacancy in

It was as early as 1950 when the Navy

the desired force structure of the Navy, the process

recruited its fi rst naval architects and thereby laid of designing is not as simple as templates on the

the foundation for creating a capability to design

drawing board. Due to the factors described above,

and build its own ships. Building a Corps of Naval

the process of designing a warship is laborious and

Constructors within the Navy was thought of

time-consuming and graduates from the concept

sometime in the subsequent years and training of design stage through numerous iterations before

the fi rst few batches was carried out in the UK. The a fi nal design is produced. When the design gets

Directorate of Naval Construction was established

converted to a full-fl edged warship, it is easy to

at Naval Headquarters in 1954. Subsequent batches

draw the analogy that she is like a city afloat

were trained in India, at the Faculty of Naval

since there are people who work, sleep, operate

Architecture, IIT Kharagpur (IIT Kgp), the only

and monitor equipment, provide electricity, food,

faculty for the discipline at that time in India. This water, and all such requirements that are needed

arrangement was such that engineering graduates

for normal life. The most important attribute of a

inducted by the Navy were sent to IIT Kgp for a

warship, unlike a city, of course, is that she has the period of two years to qualify as naval architects.

capability to fi ght with weapons.

In 1962, a small design cell was set up within

the Directorate of Naval Construction (DNC). By

Indian Roots

1964, it had grown to become the Indian Navy’s

Central Design Organisation (CDO) which assisted

India’s pre-eminent stand in shipbuilding is common

in the construction of the new fl eet tanker Deepak in knowledge and is already discussed elsewhere in this

the Federal Republic of Germany in 1966. By 1968,

24

Blue Waters Ahoy!

CDO had successfully designed numerous auxiliary

Ship Group’ (DND [SSG]) and DND ‘Submarine

vessels like the 200-ton water boat Ambuda (1966), Design Group’ (DND [SDG]).

500 HP Tug Balshil (1966), Hopper Barges Sevak Though at the start, DND was understandably

and Sahayak (1967), Bucket Dredger Nikarshaka a compact organization, it was slowly but surely

(1967), and Victualling Barges Pankaj and Amrit laying the foundation for a self-sustaining fleet

(1967/68). These were modest beginnings that met

of the future. The consistency of DND’s upward

with varying degrees of success, yet they proved

trajectory over the years in terms of its ever-

to be critical points in the learning curve of the

expanding size as well as the complexity of the

organization determined to chart an independent

warships it has come to design will become evident

and indigenous course.

as one goes deeper into the chapter.

The Design Bureau

The First Attempt—Survey Vessels

Warship building was well and truly ushered

One of the early designs from the drawing boards

into the country with the licensed production of

of the nascent directorate was for building

Leander-class frigates in the 1960s. Giving a fi llip survey vessels. These vessels were required to

to the Navy’s ambition of becoming a Builder’s

undertake shallow coastal as well as deep oceanic

Navy, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, following

hydrographic surveys and collect oceanographic

the launch of Nilgiri—the fi rst Leander—in 1968, and geographical data required for the production

directed that the Navy’s design offi ce should design of navigational charts and publications.

frigates, submarines and other fast craft (now that

there was a design offi ce). This laid the foundation for self-reliance in warship design and production

in the ‘1969–74’ Defence Plan. The aim of this

plan was to meet the Navy’s requirements through

indigenous efforts and conserve foreign exchange.

Accordingly, the indigenous construction of frigates, patrol craft, submarines, minor war vessels and

auxiliaries was accepted therein. In 1969, the Naval

Sandhayak—the fi rst hydrographic (survey)

Headquarters proposed to the government that a

ship designed by DND

sanction for a full-fledged Directorate of Naval

Design (DND) be accorded.

T h e v e s s e l s w e r e d e s i g n e d t o c a r r y a Eventually, in 1970, DND came into being,

range of modern surveying, navigational and

operating from an office at the R.K. Puram

communication systems, including echo sounders,

Defence Offi ces Complex in New Delhi. The newly

extensively equipped laboratories and four survey

created DND had a staff strength of about 200

launches. Besides carrying out the primary role

personnel. A noteworthy feature of DND was that

of hydrographic survey, these vessels were also

it was conceived and created as an integral part

to be equipped to assist in times of war and

of the Navy, thereby enabling a close interaction

natural calamities as troop transports and casualty

at all levels, while functioning under the scrutiny

holding (hospital) ships. The designed vessel had

of the Naval Staff. In May 1986, DND was

a length of 87.8m, a displacement of 1,950 tons

segregated into two groups: namely DND ‘Surface

and a maximum speed of 16 knots. The ship was

Indigenous Designing Capability

25

also required to operate a helicopter needed for

against 70 per cent in the case of the fi rst ship.

extensive surveys and search and rescue (SAR)

operations at sea. It was one of the fi rst successful Gaining Confidence in Designing: The

designs to which ultimately eight such vessels were

Godavari-class Ships

built. The fi rst ship of the class, INS Sandhayak, was commissioned in 1981, and the eighth in the

Post 1971, the Navy was looking at a platform

series, INS Sarvekshak, in early 2002.

that would incorporate the lessons learnt in the

just concluded Indo–Pak war. This called for an

The Stretched Leander

upgraded weapon package which included surface

and air capabilities, in addition to the anti-submarine Nilgiri and her three successors— Himgiri (1974), capability of the earlier Leander-class frigates.

Udaygiri (1976) and Dunagiri (1977)—were The need was felt for an option where surface-landmark inductions in the Indian Navy, as they

to-surface, anti-submarine, anti-air, and even air-

heralded the age of India’s ability to make her

to-surface (through integral aircraft) capabilities

own major warships. These four Leander s were would be available from a single ship.

made under the guardianship of the Directorate of

Leander Project (DLP). Thereafter, it was felt that

the fi fth and sixth ships of the class needed better anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities.

By 1973, the NHQ1 had decided that the

design of the fifth frigate would be given to

DND instead of DLP. The revamped weapon and

sensor suite replaced several ageing equipment

with more contemporary ones. These, along with

design changes,2 delayed the commencement of

the construction of the frigate. INS Taragiri, the fifth Leander (but the first designed by DND

Godavari—completely modifi ed beyond the Leander design and employing new design elements and weapon

suite), was commissioned on 16 May 1980. INS

This naturally required the ship to have surface-

Vindhyagiri followed suit on 8 July 1981.

to-surface missiles (SSMs), surface-to-air missiles

The Leander Project commenced with Nilgiri

(SAMs), a large stock of anti-submarine torpedoes,

under DLP in 1966 and was concluded with

and helicopter-launched air-to-surface missiles. It

Vindhyagiri under DND in 1981. By the time of was decided to opt for two Seaking helicopters so

the last ship, the indigenous content of bought-out

that at any given time one helicopter could be kept

equipment had risen to 70 per cent. Also, the fi fth and in the air, be it for an anti-submarine mission or an the sixth ships had 27 per cent imported content as

anti-ship mission. All this appeared to be too much

1 The Integrated Headquarters Ministry of Defence (Navy) 2 One of the major changes was in the propulsion, with the (IHQ MoD [N]) was the Naval Headquarters or NHQ prior conversion from Furnace Fuel Oil (FFO) to a Steam Atomized to 1 October 2001.

Dieso-Burning System. This, however, was installed only in Vindhyagiri.

26

Blue Waters Ahoy!

to incorporate in the existing Leander design.

and 1988, respectively. The Godavari class truly The Design Directorate was then headed by

heralded the coming of age of the Indian warship-

Shri S. Paramanandhan.3 Given the requirements

building capability also attracting international

in terms of designing, organizational capability also attention.4

needed to be built up as there were not enough

trained draughtsmen or junior designers to assist

The Smart Corvette

in the process. Further, a well thought-out decision

was taken to design a larger hull while using well-

Another successful venture of DND was the Project

established, conventional, steam turbine machinery

25, Khukri-class corvette. The task of designing the and auxiliaries. This meant that a new frigate

corvette was assigned to the DND in 1976. The

had to be designed from scratch, except for the

team developed a new hull form which amounted to

propulsion package.

packing a much heavier weapon load on board, than

Project 16 was the designation given to the three

the Leander could accommodate, but at less than half frigates that would follow the stretched Leander

the former’s displacement, together with the ability to Project. The preliminary design was completed by

launch a helicopter from such a small platform! This

1975. Initial checks indicated that with all weapon

exceptional design was validated in 1978, and four

packages (including the helicopters) and additional

ships of the Khukri class ( Khukri, Kuthar, Kirpan and manpower, the new design would lose around 2

Khanjar) were produced between 1989 and 1991.

knots of speed but could provide a longer range by

20 per cent. As the design progressed, the designers

realized that the ship had to be longer and thinner to accommodate all the requirements. It now seemed

that the increased length would result in the ship

doing just about half a knot less than the Leander.

Finally, during the detailed design phase, which

commenced in 1976, it turned out that the new

ships would be about 8m longer than the original

Leander. It was predicted with confi dence (and later proved), that there would be no loss of maximum

speed; in fact, the ship would go faster! This

Khukri-class corvette—small form, big punch

was because the designers had hit upon the right

hull-form that resulted in a lower wave-making

With the passage of time, came the need to

resistance, thereby decreasing the total resistance

keep pace with new technologies in the weapon-

of the ship, at higher speeds. The keel of Godavari, sensor suite as well as some systems onboard. Thus

the fi rst ship of the class, was laid in 1977 and the came Project 25A, the Kora class, again with four ship commissioned in 1983. The two other ships

ships ( Kora, Kirch, Kulish and Karmuk) delivered Ganga and Gomati were commissioned in 1985

between 1998 and 2003.

3 The fi rst Director General Naval Design (DGND), circa 1976.

4 The Godavari-class vessels were featured on the cover of Time He was a legend of the Indian warship-building program who magazine in 1989, with the caption ‘Super India—The Next would go on to be conferred with a Padma Shri.

Military Power’.

Indigenous Designing Capability

27

The Amphibians—Landing Ship Tank apart from some other staff. Construction of the (Large)

Tir commenced at MDL, in 1982, and the ship

commissioned in 1986.

The Landing Ship Tank-Large (LST [L]) was one

of DND’s precious projects. The main purpose of

Embarking on the Ambitious Delhi-class these ships was to deliver men and material on

Destroyer

shore in support of amphibious assaults. A single

ship could transport up to 500 troops, 10 main

With the confidence gained from the success of

battle tanks and eleven 3-ton vehicles. Apart from

the Godavari program, the Indian Navy was now this, the capability of these ships to project power

poised to embark upon a very ambitious design of

ashore was greatly enhanced by the Seaking and

a large destroyer. At the outset, several conceptual

Dhruv helicopters. The ships were also armed

studies were undertaken concurrent with a search

with guns and rocket launchers required to ‘soften

for weapon and propulsion package. A major

up’ a hostile beach before the tanks went in and

decision to go in for gas turbine propulsion was

the Landing Craft Assault (LCA) charged in with

taken after an intense debate. These conceptual

assault troops. Five ships of this class, namely

studies eventually pointed to a multi-mission

Magar, Gharial, Shardul, Airavat and Kesari were command platform with a top speed over 30 knots.

delivered between the years 1987 and 2009.

The design was intended to be an improvement

over all previous designs and imbibe useful features

Cadets Training Ship

of ships of both Western and Eastern origin,

based on the Indian Navy’s fi rst-hand experience

INS Tir was the fi rst dedicated Cadets Training Ship of operating these ships for several years. This

to be designed by DND. She was designated to be a

culminated in the design of a successful Delhi class senior ship of the First Training Squadron. To fulfi l which would catapult India to the league of a select

its role, the ship was required to be fi tted with the few nations who have the capacity to design and

latest navigational and communication equipment.

construct such complex warships. The weapon

package for Project 15 was totally new, as was its

propulsion aggregate.

Tir—the fi rst indigenously designed Cadets Training Ship It was also to have the capability of operating

helicopters from its deck. To save on cost/time-

consuming military specifications (mil specs),

the Navy had decided to build the ship to

commercial standards. Typical deployment was to

accommodate up to 120 cadets and 20 instructors

The Delhi—pride of the Navy

28

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The professional judgement and knowledge

help the Navy in acquiring adequate force levels

of the designers were stretched to the limits to

quickly and prevent resort to imports. To start with, determine the dimensions, weight, stability and

therefore, GRSE was nominated for building three

structural parameters of this class of warships.

frigates of Project 16A ( Brahmaputra class). These Long hours, and weeks and months were spent

ships were to be built as follow-on vessels of the P-16

on deliberating and debating various issues.

( Godavari class) frigates with many changes in the Further, the requirement of thicker scantlings and

weapon-sensor suite as also in the Operations Room.

a rugged structure to meet the harsh environmental

To fully leverage GRSE’s capacity, while

conditions wasn’t making things any easier for the

minimizing the inherent diffi culties in absorbing

designer.

new, more complex designs, the proposal for

The design was undertaken at SSPA Sweden5

construction of these frigates also included the

in late 1985 and the greatest point of satisfaction

transfer of technical knowhow, design specifi cations came when the results were found to be positive.

and lead-yard services from MDL (which had made

However, since that was the first time that the

the P-16 vessels).

design of a ship with the size and complexity of

a major vessel was undertaken by DND, it was

decided to repeat model tests at the Krylov Institute in the Soviet Union, for further validation. This was done in 1986 and the design proved to be effective

again.6 Subsequently, the contract for three ships

under P-15 (the Delhi-class destroyers) was signed with MDL. Unfortunately, due to the break-up

of the Soviet Union and the ensuing confusion in

fi nalizing the weapon package, the construction

of these ships was delayed. INS Delhi was fi nally commissioned in 1997, INS Mysore in 1999 and

Brahmaputra class—reimagining the Godavari INS Mumbai in 2001.

The majority of the weapon fi re-control systems,

Legends in the Making: The

sound navigation and ranging (sonar), electronic

Brahmaputra-class Frigates

warfare (EW), navigational and communication

suites were supplied by PSUs like BEL, ECIL,

While MDL had matured as warship builders over

HAL and Keltron. The propulsion turbines, turbo

the years, GRSE and GSL were still building vessels

alternators, diesel alternators and steam auxiliaries less effective in terms of combat capability and

were also manufactured indigenously by BHEL,

complexity of design, like SDBs, LCUs and OPVs

HAL and a number of private sector fi rms. Indian

for the ICG. Therefore, it was considered essential

industry had come in to its own and displayed the

to offl oad some important projects to these yards as capability in building state-of-the-art equipment not well. Only then would they come up to speed and

only conforming to stringent defence standards but

5 SSPA Sweden AB is a renowned shipbuilding company that 6 It was further confi rmed during the sea trials and subsequent provides concept development and assists in design validation.

operations that the ship took to the sea, extremely well.

Indigenous Designing Capability

29

also capable of withstanding the extremely hostile

marine environment.

The outcome was a healthy project with

almost 70 per cent indigenous content, and GRSE

evolved to handle the construction of warships

of the frigate category. The process of creating a

second production line for bigger warships had

begun in right earnest.

The New Generation: Shivalik-class

Stealth Frigates (Project 17)

Shivalik class—the fi rst indigenously designed stealth frigate In the mid-1990s, the Navy decided to progress

The unique hull form of the P-17 design catches

towards indigenous attempts at pure stealth forms.

the eye from its exteriors to the innards. The nerve

The DGND therefore embarked upon the fi rst-ever

centre of the ship’s fi ghting capability is another

effort in designing stealth frigates. Thus was born

triumph in indigenous effort: the ATM-based

the concept for Project 17—the Shivalik class. The Integrated Shipborne Data Network (AISDN),

principle design-governing factor of this project

which was supplied and integrated by BEL. This

being stealth, a major part of the endeavour was

is the backbone network that allows all electronic

directed towards achieving this breakthrough in

information from the ship’s systems and sensors—

technology. To explain stealth, the phenomenon

such as engines, navigation equipment, radars,

that reveals the identity of an object is called its

weaponry, radio sets and control systems—to be

signature. A ship has many signatures that are

transmitted digitally all over the ship on a common

critical against homing torpedoes and missiles;

data bus. Taking feed from AISDN, is another

for instance, the radar cross-section (RCS), the

network—the Computer-aided Action Information

infra-red signature (IR), the noise signature,

Organisation (CAIO)—which brings to the Captain

the extra-low-frequency emissions (ELFE), etc.

a complete picture (plot) of the battlefield. The

Therefore, the design had to be such as to make

ship’s machinery (propulsion, power generation and

the ship as detection-free as possible. During the

other systems) is controlled through an Integrated

course of this effort, DND (SSG) acquired the

Machinery Controlled System (IMCS) that links all

requisite technologies and imbibed the know-how

the engines and other auxiliary machinery, via an

for creating stealth designs, a specialized domain

optic fi bre cable layout, to various control points.

within warship designing. Implementation of

The P-17 is the fi rst design in the Indian Navy

stealth specifi cations for P-17 ships was an onerous with a Total Atmospheric Control System (TACS),

task requiring the development of noise isolation

which fi lters all the air going into the ship at all equipment, interaction with equipment suppliers

times, including the air being used by the engines.

to ensure adherence to stipulated specifi cations, the This removes all risk-prone elements including

development of RCS materials and a host of other

radioactive, chemical and biological impurities,

such activities.7

thus protecting the crew and the systems.

7 DND (SSG) has since nurtured the growth of an in-house capable of undertaking such complicated designs to demanding

‘Stealth Cell’, which is one of the few centres in the country specifi cations.

30

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The Shivalik not only wears sleek lines on the outside, she has also been designed to provide a

conducive environment for her crew to achieve

higher peaks of efficiency

The P-17 is the fi rst

through a good mix of

design in the Indian

ergonomics and comfort.

Navy with TACS,

T h e s e s h i p s w e r e t h e

which fi lters all air

first to be outfitted with

going into the ship

standardized modular living

Kolkata class—a new dimension in naval warfare at all times, including quarters. The platform the air being used

is also gender-sensitized

Like the P-17 ( Shivalik class), the habitability by the engines.

with cabins designed for

infrastructure onboard P-15A ships has once again

women officers, the main

been designed with a modular concept to ensure

feature being attached washrooms and additional

improved crew comfort,

wardrobes. All subsequent designs will have similar

With their enhanced

operational efficiency

modular quarters.

stealth features

a n d o p t i m i z e d s p a c e

The construction of the lead ship, Shivalik,

and land-attack

utilization.

commenced in 2000 and it was commissioned in the

This class will be truly

capabilities, the

year 2010.8 With a sleek form, low signatures in all

c o n t e m p o r a r y w i t h a Kolkata class P-15A fi elds, and armed with cutting-edge weapon-sensor

multifunctional conformal

destroyers will add

suites, these frigates now form the front-end of the

array radar which, apart a new dimension in

fl eet, drawing positive appraisal from all quarters.

f r o m i t s s u r v e i l l a n c e naval warfare for the function, will also feed Indian Navy.

After Delhi, the Kolkata-class Destroyers target data to the weapons.

The ships are also being fi tted with Vertical Launch As a follow-on to the highly successful Project

modules capable of launching SAMs and SSMs.

15 ( Delhi class) destroyers, Project 15A had a With their enhanced stealth features and

large number of design changes. The underwater

land-attack capabilities, the P-15A destroyers

hull form has been retained (same as the Delhi) will add a new dimension in naval warfare for

to ensure proven hydrodynamic performance.

the Indian Navy.9

However, a bow mounted sonar was introduced to

enhance sonar acoustic performance. As a major

The Next Design: Kamorta-class ASW

improvement over P-15 ships, the above-water

Corvettes

region of P-15A ships has been specially designed

with enhanced stealth features obtained through

Long after the P-25 Corvettes came into being,

styling of the hull-geometry, and use of radar

a new project, designated Project 28 (P-28) for

transparent deck fi ttings.

four ASW Corvettes was taken up by DND.

8 The second ship of the class, Satpura, was commissioned in 9 At the time of publishing this book, all three ships are in 2011; and the third ship, Sahyadri, in 2012. Although made commission with the Western Fleet.

in Mumbai, these ships now form part of the Eastern Fleet at Visakhapatnam.

Indigenous Designing Capability

31

These ships will largely be indigenous in content.

of-the-art Integrated Platform Management system

To be built at GRSE, Kolkata, the first ship will

(IPMS), for achieving a superior state of control

be christened Kamorta 10—after the first of the and integration. The ship’s design also features an

Petya class inducted from the Soviet Union in Integrated Bridge System (IBS). Almost 90 per cent

the late 1960s. These vessels will feature low

of the ship is indigenous, the most prominent being

noise Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD)

the hull that has been built with special grade high-

propulsion aggregate with a very low radiated

tensile indigenously developed steel. Other unique

noise, underwater. Advanced stealth features

features include employment of Carbon Fibre

will make them less susceptible to detection not

Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) for the construction of

only against submarines, but also aircraft and

the superstructure (in the third and fourth ships of

surface ships.

the class), an indigenous rocket launcher for ASW,

an indigenous surveillance radar for surface and air

surveillance, and Rail-less Helicopter Traversing

System.12

The Game Changer: Indigenous Aircraft

Carrier (IAC)

As far back as 1979, the Navy had fi rst thought

Kamorta class—reinforcing anti-submarine warfare of building a Helicopter Carrier at home.

Accordingly, DND fi rst prepared a concept design

The platform marks the Navy’s increasing

of a Helicopter Carrier. Subsequent decisions of a

efforts towards achieving stealth signatures with

Sea Control Ship, scaled down to an Air Defence

the design featuring a full beam superstructure

Ship due to funding constraints of the early

with contemporary X-form11 and sloped surfaces

1990s, and fi nally a full-fl edged aircraft carrier

to reduce Radar Cross Section (RCS). Indigenously

w i t h a s k i j u m p w a s India is now part developed Infra-red Signature Suppression (IRSS)

approved by the GoI in of an elite group of

devices are fitted in the engine exhaust for

late 2002. Throughout

reducing infra-red signatures. The ship’s hull form

those stages, DND was seven countries in the

is highly efficient with excellent seakeeping and

engaged in preparing and world that make and

manoeuvrability characteristics. The ship is also

adjusting the design of the

operate their own

fi tted with a sophisticated stabilizer system, designed (intended) vessel. Finally, aircraft carriers.

and fabricated indigenously. The propulsion as well

a functional design of

as the power generation systems, and the damage

the approved carrier was created between 2002

control system are together enveloped by a state-

and 2004. This was followed by a much more

10 At the time of publishing the book, three ships ( Kamorta, primary objective—but also affords greater fl exibility to the Kadmatt and Kiltan) are in commission with the Eastern Fleet.

designer for compartment layout due to greater availability of covered space.

11 ‘X’ form is a naval design term that denotes ‘sloped’

exposed surfaces of superstructure of a ship that has an ‘X’

12 The fi rst two of the ships have been inducted into active duty form cross-section. This form ensures RCS—which is the with the Eastern Fleet.

32

Blue Waters Ahoy!

laborious task of coming up with a detailed design.

In Conclusion

India is now part of an elite group of seven

countries in the world that make and operate

There are only a few countries in the developing

their own aircraft carriers. This makes the IAC

w o r l d w h i c h c a n b o a s t o f a n i n d i g e n o u s the most prestigious project that the Indian Navy

capability to both design

India has evolved

has taken up so far. The ship is being constructed

and construct warships.

a very robust design

at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). The production of

D e s p i t e h a v i n g l o s t

IAC commenced in 2005 and the ship’s keel was

o u t o n t h e I n d u s t r i a l bureau within the laid in 2009.

R e v o l u t i o n ( h a v i n g Navy, symbolizing been under colonial rule both self-reliance

during the period), India and future thought

has evolved a very robust that caters to these

design bureau within the intricate exercises.

Navy, symbolizing both

IAC: Towards blue waters

self-reliance and future thought that caters to these intricate exercises. The many milestones the Navy

has set over the past decades in this context make

for the difference between a confi dent ‘Builder’s

Navy’ and a ‘Buyer’s (or Borrower’s) Navy’.

Indigenous Designing Capability

33

3

The Indigenous Aircraft

Carrier (IAC)

IN’s Warship-building Prowess at its Peak

I. Beginnings

From its first attempt at making a warship on

with the Alize aircraft and Seaking helicopters.

its own, albeit a seaward defence craft—INS

After an outstanding role in the 1971 war, it

Ajay 1—to have graduated to designing and

was converted from a catapult carrier to a ski

building a 40,000-ton aircraft carrier is no mean

jump one, as the steam catapult was no longer

achievement. The business of designing a carrier

supportable, and because the Navy had decided to

is itself a daunting task. Only a select few nations, replace the ageing Sea Hawks with the Sea Harrier

namely, the USA, UK, France, Italy, the former

‘jump jets’.3

Soviet Union (now the Russian Federation) and

Though

Vikrant was decommissioned in 1997,

Spain have accomplished this feat thus far.2

its replacement had been considered much earlier.

The very first carrier that India acquired, in

First conceived in the Naval Development Plan

1961, was the ex HMS Hercules, renamed INS

of 1979–84,4 the need for a replacement was

Vikrant. It served the Indian Navy for 36 years (till subsequently clubbed with the Navy’s need of

1997), providing air defence of the fl eet with its

a ‘three carrier force’, as a part of the 15-year

Sea Hawk fi ghters, and anti-submarine protection

perspective plan covering the period up to 2000.

1 INS Ajay was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & 3 ‘Jump Jet’ was a colloquial nomenclature assigned to a fi ghter Engineers Ltd (GRSE), Kolkata (then called GRW), in 1961, that could take off and land vertically. The fi rst ever jump jet to and subsequently transferred to the nascent Bangladesh Navy be innovated was the Harrier GR-2 in the mid-1960s, followed in 1974. See History of GRSE: Sailing from Workshop to a little later by the Sea Harrier which found useful assignment Shipbuilding, p. 37.

on the British Carrier Hermes and a converted container ship, MV Atlantic Conveyor, during the Falklands confl ict.

2 With the launch of a Type 001A aircraft carrier reportedly 4 Originally meant to be the Sixth Plan period, however, due named Shandong, on 26 April 2017, China is also on its way to the Janata Government’s decline by 1980, a rolling plan to joining this select group. (The earlier carrier, Liaoning, 1978–80, meant a Part-II Sixth Plan for the period 1980–85

was only equipped/refurbished in China. Its hull had been was confi gured. The Navy had made its plans well before 1979

fabricated in the erstwhile USSR and was sold to China as a for the scheduled Five-Year Plan 1979–84.

bare hull by Ukraine.)

INS

Viraat, ex HMS Hermes, which had served naval architects the confi dence to embark upon this

as the Royal Navy’s Flagship (of the RN’s Task

prestigious project.

Force) during the Falklands campaign in 1982,

In practical terms, warship designing and

was inducted in the Indian Navy in 1987. As of

construction are processes that are evolutionary in

2010, she continued to provide air defence with

nature. The design of a carrier in particular is an

Sea Harriers and anti-submarine protection with

extremely complex task as it requires integration

Seaking helicopters.5

of a multitude of equipment, weapons and sensors

In January 2004, the Indian and Russian

procured from various sources and dovetailing

governments signed an Intergovernmental

of any special features like the aviation facilities

Agreement (IGA) concluding a contract for the

complex (AFC) and the fl ight deck systems, with

repair and refurbishment of the Gorshkov.6 The the rest of the ship’s design.

ship was upgraded by stripping her of all the

The build program involves formulation of

weaponry from the foredeck to make way for a

outline staff requirements (OSR), Acceptance of

‘short-takeoff-but-arrested-recovery’ (STOBAR)

Necessity (AoN) by the Government of India (GoI),

fl ight deck and modifi cation of other associated

selection of the shipyard, formulation of preliminary structures, compartments, systems and equipment,

build specifi cations and build strategy, arriving at to convert her from a ‘hybrid’ ASW Cruiser under

budgetary costs, price negotiations, approval of the

Soviet nomenclature, to a pure aircraft carrier with

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),8 issuance

a ski jump.7

of the Letter of Intent (LoI), contract conclusion,

procurement of shipborne equipment, system

Indigenous Designing and Construction

integration, construction and, finally, tests and

trials. Various stages of design studies (Feasibility An aircraft carrier holds a position of pre-eminence

Design, Concept Design, Preliminary Design and

amongst warships and is rightly considered the

Detailed Design), model tests, specialist studies,

pinnacle in the business of designing warships.

etc., are interspersed within the ship development

The sheer size and complexity of a carrier has kept

program.

many a maritime power from attempting this feat.

A critical burden of the shipbuilding procedure

For India, the development of an indigenous carrier

is cost revision, given the long gestation periods

has also been a national aspiration. It is the many

in naval shipbuilding owing to the incorporation

years spent in designing ships, an experience that

of developmental technologies with consequent

has been equally rich and rewarding, that gave our

delays in the availability of binding data9 for

5 The Viraat was decommissioned in 2017.

to 34 aircraft, primarily comprising MiG-29K fi ghters, and Seaking and Kamov (KM 31) helicopters.

6 Commissioned in the Soviet Navy in 1987 as Baku, it operated in the Soviet Navy and was later rechristened 8 The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decides on matters Admiral Gorshkov in the Russian Navy where it remained in of national security and defence expenditure beyond a certain commission till purchased by India, in 2004. Finally, it was threshold.

in 2013, that it was commissioned as INS Vikramaditya, and 9 In shipbuilding, the term ‘binding data’ refers to data that is inducted into the Indian Navy after a repair/refurbishment specifi c to equipment, viz. dimensions, footprint, maintenance lay-off lasting eight years in Russia.

envelope, etc. These parameters are essential while undertaking 7 As of 2018, the INS Vikramaditya (ex Gorshkov) is the only detailed design.

operating Indian Naval carrier with an air wing of around 30

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

35

the detailed design. In naval shipbuilding, much bureau, the Directorate of Naval Design (DND;

like during childbirth, one cannot reach the

subsequently upgraded to Directorate General

desired end state without

of Naval Design or DGND), prepared a concept

The aircraft carrier

going through the pangs of

design of a Helicopter Carrier based on the hull

is a rare class of

labour. In particular, in the

form of MV Harshavardhan, a merchant vessel.

vessel that holds

case of an aircraft carrier,

Subsequently, in September 1985, staff requirements

a position of pre-

whose specifications may

(SRs) were formulated for a Sea Control Ship (SCS)

eminence amongst

have undergone numerous

of approximately 35,000 tons, with short-takeoff-

warships. A critical

changes over a period of

but-vertical-landing (STOVL) capability and the

burden of the ship-

t i m e , t h i s p r o c e s s g e t s

capacity for carrying a total of 29 fi xed and rotary building procedure,

e v e n m o r e c o m p l e x ,

wing aircraft.

especially in the

posing genuine diffi culties

In December 1988, a contract was signed with

case of building an

in accurate assessments of

DCN10 of France for assistance in the concept design

aircraft carrier, is

cost and timelines. This is a

of the SCS and for an audit of Cochin Shipyard

peculiarity that is universal

Limited (CSL)—for its

cost revision, given

in the case of fi rst-of-class

capabilities in building the

In December 1988,

the long gestation

carriers.

carrier. In September 1989,

a contract was signed

periods in naval

an Indian Naval Design with DCN of France

shipbuilding owing

IAC 1: The Journey

and Liaison Team (INDLT)

for assistance in the

to the incorporation

of naval architects was concept design of

of developmental

The IAC 1 has not been

assigned to DCN to take the SCS and for an

technologies.

an easy, straight-from-

part in the design process, audit of CSL—for

the-design-table story. The concept itself has

to work out the areas of its capabilities in

undergone a number of changes due to funding

design work to be given to

building the carrier.

constraints, geopolitical considerations, and

certain select consultants,

the need for self-reliance. The path traversed

and for auditing the CSL. The study was done on

in this arduous and seemingly slow journey has

the basis of the OSRs formulated by the Navy.

not been easy to negotiate, but the advantages

The contract came into force on 1 May 1989. The

gathered in establishing the eco-system (through

study was progressed over a period of one year,

lessons learnt and efforts at indigenization of

during which time a team from Brest Shipyard11

systems as well as creation of infrastructure)

was also deputed to Kochi in August/September

have been satisfying.

1989 to perform the audit. The conclusion drawn

by DCN, after completing the audit, was that CSL

The Sea Control Ship (SCS)

undeniably had the potential for constructing the air defence ship (ADS) subject to requisite infrastructure The indigenous carrier first took shape on the

augmentation.

drawing board in 1979–80, when the Navy’s design

By March 1990, the concept design study by

10 DCN or Direction des Construction Navales was a French DCNS since 2007.

defence industrial group founded in 1631. Known as DCAN

11 This was the yard which, at that point in time, was in charge (Direction des Constructions et Armes Navales) in an earlier of the construction of the French nuclear-powered aircraft avatar, it came to be known as DCN in 1991 and has been carrier Charles De Gaulle.

36

Blue Waters Ahoy!

DCN had evolved designs for a ship of around Headquaters (NHQ) on the role, and therefore size

37,000 tons, with two variants—one with a

of the ADS, a new set of Outline Staff Requirements

ski jump and the other with two conventional

(OSRs)12 was finalized in September 1991 for

catapults, for operating 22-ton catapult-assisted-

a ship displacing only 12,000 to 15,000 tons,

takeoff-and-arrested-landing (CTOL) aircraft.

which would be capable of carrying 14 vertical or

This SCS was to be 250m long and 56m in

short take-off and landing (VSTOL) aircraft and

beam (width). The construction milestones

helicopters. The feasibility design was completed in

recommended by the DCN report envisaged keel-

October 1991 and directives were issued to size the

laying in January 1994, launch in mid-1997 and

ship accordingly. The decision to include the Light

delivery of the vessel in

Combat Aircraft (LCA) in the carrier’s complement

By March 1990, the

mid-2001. The estimated

was taken in December 1991. The concept design

concept design study

c o s t o f t h e s h i p w a s

of the resultant 19,500-ton ADS was completed in

by DCN had evolved pegged at `1,400 crore at 1993 and preliminary design work commenced in designs for a ship of

1990 prices and `2,700

1994. Based on a request from the Aeronautical

around 37,000 tons,

crore as per the revised

Development Agency (ADA)13 in 1995, the ship’s

with two variants.

delivery schedule.

length was increased by 15m. The concept design

However, this could

U n f o r t u n a t e l y,

with this change of length overall (LOA)14 was

not go through due

h o w e v e r, t h e s e v e r e

accordingly amended.

resource crunch faced by

In this manner, iterative designing by naval

to severe shortage

the nation constrained

designers continued till 1998 when the blueprint

of funds. The project

the Indian Navy in taking

for the ADS was evolved based on the anticipated

was revived in 1991.

this concept design study

induction of the naval version of the LCA (LCA

further. It was actually set aside after inability to

‘N’). This ship would displace 24,000 tons and was

fund the project was conveyed by the government,

designed with a ski jump to operate Sea Harriers

in October 1990.

and the LCA (N).

By 1996, the acquisition of Gorshkov was being Air Defence Ship (ADS)—a Scaled

considered for possible induction. This, however,

Down Carrier

did not, in any way, alter the Navy’s urgency of

building an indigenous aircraft carrier.

Undeterred, DND kept evolving alternate designs

The GoI was, therefore, convinced that an

with emphasis on economy, and the project was

indigenously developed aircraft carrier would

revived in 1991 in the form of an Air Defence Ship

be cost effective and would also offer positive

(ADS). After extensive deliberations at the Naval

spin-offs, such as development of indigenous

12 The formulation of Staff Requirements for ships is an requisite to case for Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) by the GoI evolutionary process and goes through a cycle of repeated and Feasibility Design by the naval designers.

consultations before finalization. This process progresses 13 The Aeronautical Development Agency or ADA, under the concurrently with the design and construction of the ship.

Department of Defence R&D, is the nodal agency for the In this evolutionary process, there are four distinct stages, design and development of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

namely, Outline Staff Requirements (OSRs), Preliminary Staff Requirements (PSRs), Revised Staff Requirements (RSRs) 14 Ship measurements consist of a multitude of terms. One of and Frozen Staff Requirements (FSRs). OSRs are necessary them is Length Overall or LOA, which is a measure of the for indigenously designed ships. Approved OSRs are a pre-overall or maximum length of a ship’s hull.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

37

capabilities for design and construction of aircraft carrier for projecting power, not just air defence of carriers, growth in hi-tech systems in various

the fl eet. The ability of the carrier to wage a three-fi elds, development of ancillary industries, and

dimensional war, was particularly underscored in

generation of employment opportunities.

the proposal.

In June 1999, the government gave its approval

to proceed with this project based on the 19,500-

The IN’s need to build an indigenous

ton ship configuration even as the design was

aircraft was dictated by three reasons:

being advanced for the 24,000-ton ADS variant.

• We needed to hone skills for indigenous

The construction was envisaged to commence in

development of aircraft carriers.

January 2002. Accordingly, on 6 August 1999,

• The Gorshkov, if and when inducted,

the Ministry of Defence issued an LoI to CSL for

would be a replacement for the Vikrant.

initiating preparatory work.

• The need for another aircraft carrier

Based on the first approval by GoI, a draft

to replace Viraat.

contract on design and pre-production activities

of the ADS was forwarded by NHQ to CSL

With the decommissioning of Vikrant on 31

in February 2000. Thereafter, it was decided

January 1997, the Navy’s proposal for an aircraft

to remodel the shipbuilding contract into two

carrier gathered momentum. Funding for the ADS

mutually acceptable, distinct and time-bound

project was included in the Ninth Defence Plan

phases, for design and construction of the ship. The

(1997–2002). In May 1999,

idea was to go ahead with the construction with

With the Vikrant

a proposal was put up to the

better control and accountability of every aspect

decommissioned on

CCS for the construction of

of the project. Phase 1 was to cover development

31 January 1997,

an indigenously designed

of detailed design, leading to ship defi nition stage, the proposal for

ADS for the Indian Navy, at

while Phase 2 would cover shipbuilding.

an aircraft carrier

an estimated cost of `1,725

gathered momentum. crore, with delivery envisaged Enter the MiG-29K

In May 1999, a

in about eight to ten years.

proposal was put

U n l i k e p r e v i o u s

It was around this time that the Russians came

up to the CCS for

acquisitions for carriers

up with the ship-based version of MiG-29, called

(from the UK), which were

construction of an

the MiG-29K15 and the Navy’s designers sought

acquired mainly for air

indigenously designed

fruition of the STOBAR option, wherein the launch

defence of the fl eet, the ADS

ADS for the Indian

would be from a ski jump but recovery would be

was justified in terms of

Navy.

with the help of arrester gear. These requirements

threats of the time and the

dictated an optimum launch runway of 200m with

need for countermeasures—for both air defence

a carrier overall length of approximately 250m. As

of the fl eet and strikes by integral aircraft against a result, an ADS variant displacing 37,500 tons and

surface and shore-based targets. In other words,

capable of operating aircraft in the all-up weight

this was the fi rst time that India was acquiring a

category of 20 to 22 tons was evolved.

15 In Russian nomenclature, ‘K’ stands for ‘Korabelni’ meaning ship. Therefore, this variant (MiG-29K) signifi ed the aircraft as being shipborne.

38

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Not unexpectedly, in 2001, this proposal potent carrier for the Indian Navy to grow into

ran into rough weather with the MoD raising a

a power-projection force apace with the security

point on the ship’s principal features—notably,

requirements as also in keeping with the nation’s

its displacement—having

growing stature. It was also highlighted that the life Finally, in November gone up from 19,500 tons of the ship would be 40 years, and that the enlarged 2002, the design

to 37,500 tons, and because

carrier would give the country the capability that

of a full-fl edged

the ship’s design had become

India needs and deserves in the twenty-fi rst century.

carrier at 255m

totally different from the

Finally, in November 2002, the design of a full-

length, 60m beam,

variant approved by the

fledged carrier at 255m length, 60m beam, and

and displacement

CCS in 1999. The Navy

displacement between 34,000 to 37,000 tons,

of between 34,000

strongly countered these

was approved by the CCS at a cost of `3,261

to 37,000 tons, was

views with the argument

crore. This carrier would have the capability of

approved by the CCS that the 1999 ADS had

power-projection and sea control in a multi-

a lesser displacement not

at a cost of ` 3,261

threat environment. Based on this approval, the

because the Navy did not

crore.

preliminary or functional design of the IAC was

want a larger carrier but

carried out between 2002 and 2004 and work on

purely because of fi nancial considerations at the

the detailed design commenced in 2004.

time. A case was also made out for a larger, more

II. Challenges, and Beyond

In January 2003, a formal LoI to design and

towards the total cost became clear. That would

construct an aircraft carrier was placed by the

have meant many more years in the struggle to

GoI to CSL. This LoI envisaged a completion

arrive at a ‘fi nalized’ design and fi gures.

of preliminary design by the end of 2003,

In 2003–4, the outline build specifi cations of the

commencement of ship construction by early

carrier were forwarded by the Navy to CSL.

2004, detailed design and integration by 2007 and

delivery of the ship in 2010. The work order for

Supervision

commencing design and pre-production activities

was issued to CSL in 2004. This work order would

In keeping with naval shipbuilding practice, a

enable design development and pre-production

Warship Overseeing Team (WOT), headed by

activities (to facilitate ordering of long lead items the Warship Production

and steel) well before starting on actual production.

Superintendent (WPS), 2005 marked the

It stipulated validity till 2006 when a shipbuilding

was established in January

beginning of the

contract was expected to be signed between the

2004, at CSL, Kochi, to IAC’s production

Indian Navy and CSL. This unusual method was

oversee construction of journey. The ship’s

followed in order to avoid any prolonged hiatus in

the ADS, with a combined

keel was laid in 2009.

the production line since in the normal course, a

sanctioned strength of 76

contract would have been concluded only after the

offi cers, sailors and civilian technical supervisory design was frozen and various elements aggregating

staff.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

39

Extension of Designated Phases

In 2010, CSL proposed that the balance work be split

over two more phases. This became inevitable due to

the delay in fi nalization of design elements of certain compartments, especially those for the aviation

complex and those containing weapon systems.

The availability of documents for the working

design in respect of the aviation equipment which

were to be imported from Russia was critical for

Steel cutting on 11 February 2005

modelling the compartments. In the absence of vital

design parameters required from foreign sources,

it was impossible to freeze

the balance scope of work A third phase was

related to the construction added to

of the ship. Thus, since the construction

complete information on of IAC 1, since

the design wasn’t received, completing it within

and consequently, what the two phases

remained of the work stipulated earlier

could not be ascertained, was practically

c o n c l u d i n g a s i n g l e impossible.

Built on a strong foundation—keel-laying on 28 February 2009

c o n t r a c t t o c o v e r a l l

aspects up to delivery of the ship was practically

In 2005, the foundations of the IAC were fi rmly

not feasible. It was, therefore, proposed that Phase-II established by steel cutting, an act signifying the

start of production. The keel of the ship was laid

in 2009.

The construction of the ship itself was initially

envisaged in two distinct phases.16 Accordingly,

the Phase-I contract for raising a certain part of

hull structure and outfi tting, up to the fi rst launch of the ship, was signed with CSL in 2007. Phase-II

was to be devoted to the completion of balance

construction and outfi tting till delivery of the ship to the Navy.17

Block assembly

16 The decision to build the ship in two phases was taken 17 The ship was successfully launched by Smt. Elizabeth Antony, during the second meeting of the Empowered Apex Committee wife of then Hon’ble Defence Minister Shri A.K. Antony on 12

headed by the Defence Secretary, held in 2006.

August 2013 and christened ‘ Vikrant’.

40

Blue Waters Ahoy!

would encompass the completion of all outfi tting to naval shipbuilding requirements particularly

excluding aviation facilities, weapons and sensors,

for the construction of a complex platform, like a

and another phase would be introduced (Phase-III),

carrier.

for covering the balance work, including trials, up

The major difference, between commercial

to the ship’s delivery.18

and naval shipbuilding is in the methodology of

The aircraft carrier project is one of the fi ttest

working. Until the IAC, Being primarily

examples of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. In order

CSL had only been building

a commercial

to accomplish the huge challenge and address

ships on a competitive shipbuilder, CSL

the national aspirations of building an aircraft

basis, within a fi xed time

had no experience

carrier within India, the Indian Navy and CSL

f r a m e a n d b u d g e t . I n in building a have forged a healthy and fruitful partnership.

commercial (merchant

CSL’s nomination to build the IAC was based on

vessel standards) ship warship. It had to,

the shipyard’s pre-eminence in the field of ship

construction, a detailed therefore, implement

construction in the country and its infrastructure,

defi nition of the ship and several changes in

including the size of its dry dock.19 The technical

its design is available at its organization

audit of CSL by the French Government’s Naval

the time of signing the including enhancing

Design and Shipbuilding Authority (DCN, now

contract. Most owners technical capabilities

DCNS) in 1989–90 had also confirmed the

prefer to have proven and infrastructure in

shipyard’s capability to build a carrier of the

designs because series order to migrate to

intended parameters. The Indian Navy bore the

production of vessels of naval shipbuilding

cost to improve the shipyard’s infrastructure, to

a proven design results requirements

help it in implementing the project, which was also

in a shorter time frame particularly for the

the subject of the 1990 DCN Report.20

of production, providing construction of a

At the time of keel-laying in 2009, it was

an overall cost benefit to complex platform,

expected that the delivery of the ship could be

the owner. In contrast, like a carrier.

undertaken by 2014. The calculation was based

the IAC was a ship for

on the idea that the ship would be launched by

which the design was not yet completed due to

2010. However, due to delay in receipt of certain

non-availability of inputs from various original

pre-launch equipment such as gearboxes and diesel

equipment manufacturers (OEMs) at the time

generators, the IAC’s launch was pushed by almost

of contracting and that happened alongside its

three years.

construction. The shipyard was, therefore, required

Being a commercial shipbuilding yard, and

to carry out detailed design engineering of the ship

having no experience in building a warship,

while it progressed with its construction. Towards

CSL had to implement several changes in its

this, the combined capabilities of the yard and

organization including enhancing its technical

the Navy were used in conjunction with those of

capabilities and infrastructure in order to migrate

consultants for specifi c areas.

18 The Phase-II contract was finally signed with CSL after Dock No. 2 (also known as the Building Dock) of dimensions obtaining the revised CCS sanction in 2014.

255m x 43m x 9m.

19 The dry dock facilities included Dock No. 1 (also known 20 The 1989 Report of DCN was an assessment of the yard’s as the Repair Dock) of dimensions 270m x 45m x 12m and capability to build the SCS, whereas the 1990 report included the basics of design effort for an SCS as well.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

41

Yet another venture into uncharted territory, Inspection procedures in warship construction

for the shipyard, was the contracting strategy. Due

are more elaborate and detailed as compared to

to the many uncertainties in the project, the Navy

those used for commercial ships. The percentage

preferred a ‘cost-plus’ approach for shipbuilding

of consumables inspected or surveyed and the

so that it could be fl exible with meeting the varied extensive use of non-destructive testing methods

changes needing implementation while progressing

like ultrasound and X-ray are unique cases in point.

with the design. This was contrary to the system of

Such elaborate inspection processes also require

time- and budget-management used in commercial

more trained manpower resources for the yard as

shipbuilding; therefore, it was not the preferred

well as the Navy. In the bargain, we have created a

contracting strategy. CSL did, however, realize that

skilled pool apart from specialized tools.

a fixed price could not have been possible for a

As part of the Navy’s indigenization policy,

ship whose exact defi nition would only emerge as

suppliers were developed for different types of

the design developed. Finally, it was decided that

equipment and materials. Though considered

both a fi xed and a cost-plus approach would be

necessary from the long-term perspective (and it

adopted. The Phase-I contract would be a fi xed-

has indeed proven worthwhile), this exercise had

price contract for ship construction up to the

its demerits at the time. It led to delays in the

fi rst launch, with a defi ned hull and outfi t scope, design and construction process, mainly because

whereas procurement of equipment and material

of the longer lead time for equipment supply and

would be on a cost-plus basis.

non-availability of data for the design activity.

With the evolution of the design, the shipyard

Funded by the Indian Navy, some of the important

had to expand its design resources and separate

improvements in CSL’s infrastructure implemented

them from the commercial design group as the

before construction began included setting up a

rules and standards were entirely different. Over

300-ton gantry crane over the dry dock, a CNC

a period of time, the design department of CSL

plasma cutting machine for cutting plates, a plate

expanded, with separate groups for machinery,

bending roller for bending of plates and a 150-ton

piping and electrical works under centralized

capacity self-elevating transporter for carrying and

control for the entire ship’s design. The project

storing hull blocks; consolidation of fl oor area for management of the ship was also vested with the

storage of blocks; and computerization with 3-D

Design Group as management of information was

modelling software and aligning the same with

to play a crucial role in the design development and

the Navy’s design bureau for handling the detailed

construction sequence.

design of the ship.

The design of the aircraft carrier also required

The cost of the project has also undergone

an in-depth understanding of naval shipbuilding

changes, with the evolving form and fit of the

standards, particularly Naval Engineering

aircraft carrier. There were various reasons

Standards (NES). This protocol in warship building

including absence of data on cost/estimates of

was something entirely new to CSL, as commercial

equipment, which were being used for the fi rst time

ships use Classifi cation Society Rules21 which are

in indigenous ship construction and also delays

substantially different from NES.

as brought out earlier. Notwithstanding, the cost

21 Please see note on the process of classifi cation in Chapter 1, section on GSL.

42

Blue Waters Ahoy!

for which revised government approval was to be also, after conducting suitable training for selected obtained, was comparable to other carriers22 being

vendors. Block-module manufacturers were

inducted worldwide. It was also underscored that

contracted to work from the premises of CSL. Also,

while most carrier-producing nations take up to

various areas in outfit works were identified to

seven years to build an aircraft carrier of 6,50,000

encourage other ancillary units to be set up inside

tons to 1,00,000 tons, India would have taken

the shipyard’s premises.

about twelve years to build one of about 40,000

A long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM)

tons. This aspect, however, needs to be seen in the

system with a contemporary multi-function radar

light of the fact that all other carrier-producing

(MFR) and a close-in-weapon system (CIWS) are

nations are advanced industrialized nations while

envisaged as the primary shipborne weapon-sensor

India is trying to catch up despite having missed

suite of the IAC. It will be equipped with the most

the Industrial Revolution. Apart from inadequate

modern suite of radars and tactical air navigation

ancillary industries, an added problem was the poor

and direction fi nding systems. She would also have

response from the Indian industry, presumably

a CCA system to aid air operations. Integration

on account of low order quantities and stringent

of all weapon systems onboard the carrier would

specifications for a warship requiring a huge

be through an indigenously developed Combat

investment without any assurance of future orders.

Management System (CMS).

This, perhaps, turned out to be a major cause for

delay in maturity of design, thus affecting the

Complexity of Design

ultimate project timelines.

Some of the valuable efforts that have been made

The enormity of size and the complexity of IAC’s

towards this end include an active ongoing dialogue

innards have themselves been a challenge for naval

with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),

designers. Before this This is the fi rst

and the development of an elaborate vendor base.

project, the Indian Navy

This will ensure the primary goals of promoting

a n d I n d i a n s h i p y a r d s time that the self-reliance through indigenization, with a focus

have had experience in Indian Navy and

on core technologies, standardization, inter-

constructing warships an Indian shipyard

changeability, inter-operability, maintainability

displacing up to 7000 are designing

and efficient inventory management. Surely, for

tons. This is the fi rst time

and constructing,

the next carrier onwards, lessons imbibed from

that the Indian Navy and respectively, a

this experience will make things easier and faster as an Indian shipyard, are warship of the

equipment selection and vendor data bases would

designing and constructing

order of around

have matured for the project.

respectively, a warship 40,000 tons

The shipyard had over a period of time

of the order of around displacement.

encouraged the development of ancillary units

40,000 tons displacement.

within its premises. Since this procedure was

A comparison of a carrier with a typical destroyer

successful in commercial shipbuilding, it was

and a frigate, tabulated on the next page, depicts

decided to use the same procedure for the IAC

the magnifi cence of a carrier’s design.

22 At that point in time, the Royal Navy was in the process

`32,580 crore. The USN was pursuing the CVN 21 Program, of ordering two 65,000-ton carriers, Queen Elizabeth and with the fi rst ship of the class (CVN 78, a 1,00,000-ton carrier) Prince of Wales, under the CVF Program at a combined cost of likely to be contracted at a cost of `33,000 crore.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

43

Features

Frigate

Destroyer

IAC

Displacement

6,000 tons

7,000 tons

37,500 tons

Electric Power

4MW

4MW

24MW

AC Capacity

850TR23

850TR

4,700TR

Cabling

500km

550km

2,500km

Piping

18km

20km

70km

Compartments

450

500

2,300

Crew

225

360

1450

Building Experience (No. of vessels)

22

10

First Attempt

engineering design and for generating production

drawings required for facilitating construction.

It was given the task of equipment procurement

apart from the ship’s construction. Thus, while

preliminary design was the Navy’s responsibility,

detailed design and issue of production drawings

were the shipyard’s responsibility.

Towards this end, the design was completed by

the DGND and the resultant 2-D plans were sent

to CSL. Based on these inputs, the shipyard carried

out detailed 3-D modelling

For the fi rst time in

The hull taking shape

on Tribon software,24

incorporating production-

a warship building

Armed with the confidence gained from the

r e l a t e d i n f o r m a t i o n project, the use experience in designing warships for over half a

s u c h a s d i v i s i o n o f of TRIBON has century, the task of going through with the majority

b l o c k s , c o n n e c t i o n eliminated the of the IAC’s design has been undertaken in-house,

details between various cumbersome ‘Line-

with the idea of consulting over certain specific

structural components, out Inspection’

design areas such as aviation facilities and the

e t c . T h i s s o f t w a r e procedure—a

integration of the propulsion system. In contractual

h a s b e e n e x t e n s i v e l y prerequisite for terms, the functional design of the vessel up to the

u s e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e commencement ship-definition stage, and providing equipment

c o n s t r u c t i o n p e r i o d , of outfi tting in and building specifi cations were to be the Navy’s

n o t o n l y f o r d e t a i l e d any ship.

responsibility. In specifi c areas mentioned above,

design and modelling of

the Navy and CSL were to jointly identify

compartments, but also for on-site inspections to

design consultancies required for developing the

verify the correctness of outfi tting. In fact, for the design. Further, CSL was responsible for detailed

first time in a warship-building project, the use

23 TR as in tons of refrigeration

comprises various modules of specialization which create and refer 24 Tribon is a comprehensive 3-D shipbuilding software that to a common set of databases containing the complete design details supports the complete shipbuilding process, material and document of the ship. The software is commonly used by public sector as well control, and even product lifecycle after the ship is delivered. It as privately owned shipyards in India.

44

Blue Waters Ahoy!

of this software has eliminated the cumbersome complex structures but also add a significant

‘Line-out Inspection’ procedure—a prerequisite

amount of structural weight to the ship on either

for commencement of outfi tting in any ship. The

side, which, if not balanced correctly, can lead to

DGND has been closely monitoring the detailed

instability.

design undertaken by the shipyard wherein 3-D

Since India did not have a hydrodynamic model-

models of over 2,000 compartments of the ship

testing facility for the size and characteristics of a have been verifi ed for their correctness.

carrier, the task of validating the hydrodynamic

characteristics of the developed hull form, viz.

‘Opportunity from Challenge’

resistance, powering, cavitation, seakeeping and

manoeuvring—was undertaken at the Maritime

The IAC has been the most complex project taken

Research Institute, Netherlands (MARIN).

up by the Indian Navy so far. The process involved

Aerodynamic studies to establish wind fl ow on the

in designing and building this ship far surpasses

fl ight deck and aircraft jet The validation of

the challenges faced hitherto by the Navy’s design

exhausts were undertaken the preliminary

organization.

in Russia, in 2007–8.

Any first-time development poses its unique

S o m e a e r o d y n a m i c designs of several set of challenges and so was the case with India’s

studies of the ship were ship systems and

maiden foray into carrier construction. The

a l s o c a r r i e d o u t b y the development of Preliminary Staff Requirements (PSRs)25 of IAC

various agencies in India. Build Strategy was

were promulgated in 2004 even though CCS

Integrating the outcome to be undertaken by

approval for the carrier was accorded by the end

of several studies—often Fincantieri as part

of 2002. It was a considered decision to obtain a

c o n f l i c t i n g — i n t o t h e of a contract between sanction in the form that was envisaged in 2001–2,

design was another major CSL and the Italian

rather than delaying the entire project by a few

challenge for DND, but the

ship design company

more years. This allowed commencement of design

Navy’s designers derived in 2004. The fi nal

studies and preparation by the shipyard to progress

enormous satisfaction with

Build Strategy of

with. Subsequently, the PSRs were refi ned further

the process of research and

IAC was prepared

and fi nalized by 2004.

validation.

by CSL, based on the

The development of the hull form of the

Since this was the fi rst

inputs received.

carrier, along with preliminary stability and

time an aircraft carrier

hydrodynamic calculations were all carried out

was being designed and constructed in India,

in-house. In addition, the entire structural design

consultation over development of design in certain

was undertaken by the design organization and

niche areas (e.g., Detailed Engineering Drawings)

validated by a reputed classifi cation society which

was sought. Accordingly, in 2004, CSL concluded

cleared it with minimal changes. The aircraft carrier a Detailed Engineering Documentation Contract

is not a simple hull. It is an unusually vast mixture (DEDC) with the well-known Italian ship design

of a strong fl ight deck, specialized sponsons and

and construction yard, Fincantieri. As part of this

countless compartments. These are not only

contract, the validation of the preliminary designs

25 PSRs include the role of the ship, its dimensions, specifi cations of its hull, major machinery, weapons, sensors, accommodation and manpower, endurance and fuel capacity, etc.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

45

of several ship systems and the development of Build work package was sent to all four fi rms in 2001

Strategy26 was to be undertaken by Fincantieri. The

for obtaining their technical proposals. All four

fi nal Build Strategy of IAC was prepared by CSL,

fi rms responded and the proposals were technically

based on the inputs received.

evaluated. It was found that the selected fi rms had

Similarly, for aviation facilities (of a STOBAR

different methodologies for undertaking the PSI

carrier), consultancy was sought from the Russians

process. This necessitated an in-depth study of each

to assist in design work for the AFC such as the

proposal and blending it with the balance work

fl ight deck, hangar, aircraft launch and recovery

package which, in turn, entailed formulation of

systems, etc. Delay in conclusion of the AFC design

a completely new work package. Only two fi rms

contract with ROSOBORONEXPORT (ROE),

responded to the tender and fi nally, in 2004, the

had a cascading effect on the fi nalization of a large contract was awarded to Fincantieri.

portion of the ship’s design and further pushed an

Fire-fi ghting systems such as the water-based

already slipping timeline. The design contract for

sprinkling system, CO and chemical-based fi re-

2

aviation facilities was submitted by the Russian

fi ghting systems were used onboard Indian Naval

side in 2000. This draft design contract underwent

ships till recently. However, their adverse effects on several iterations, with the scope of work getting

ship areas and the environment led to a search for

finalized only in 2005 and the contract finally

an alternative fi re-fi ghting system for the IAC. One being signed in 2006, as against 2002—the

such alternative was the water-mist technology.

date originally mentioned in the CCS sanction.

The development, testing and installation of the

Following conclusion of this contract in 2006,

Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS)

the AFC design documents were submitted by the

came with their own set of challenges due to lack

Russian side in stages, through 2006–8, and were

of established guidelines and past experience.

eventually fi nalized only in 2009. The ordering

This aspect too was overcome and detailed

of the equipment could be processed only after

Integrated Factory Acceptance Trials (IFATs)

that as the technical documentation was part of

were successfully completed in 2016 wherein all

the tender documents. As a result, ordering of 18

components of the IPMS were integrated in a

Russian-origin AFC equipment was pushed well

workshop. The experience gathered and lessons

beyond 2010.

learnt during the development of this system for

The ship’s propulsion system consisting of four

IAC would be immensely beneficial for future

Gas Turbines (GTs) is by far, the largest and most

naval projects.

complex aggregate in any warship built in India.

The aviation facilities onboard the IAC have

It was, therefore, considered prudent to engage

been designed for a mix of Russian and Indian

an external agency with requisite experience with

fi ghters, primarily the MiG-29K and the LCA as

whom the Navy’s designers could work closely for

also helicopters, viz. Kamov-31 and the ALH. The

undertaking Propulsion System Integration (PSI).

design of aviation facilities therefore, came with

Accordingly, four fi rms, namely Armaris of France,

its own set of challenges especially when ensuring

Fincantieri of Italy, Izar of Spain and BAE Systems

commonality of systems and meeting different

of the UK were approached, and the preliminary

requirements of power and other services for a

26 A ‘Build Strategy’ is a document which gives the

procurement schedule for equipment, availability of yard comprehensive plan/schedule of the yard, covering all resources like manpower, etc.

important activities of design, phases of construction, a yard’s 46

Blue Waters Ahoy!

variety of aircraft at various locations onboard the special care is required to be taken to prevent

ship. This complex feat has been accomplished in

distortion during cutting and welding operations.

close coordination with all stakeholders.

This new type of steel also required compatible

A unique challenge that confronted the Navy was

weld consumables which were developed by the

the availability of trained designers. In order to tide Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL),

over this, Special Naval Architecture Entry Scheme

Mumbai. Weld processes were defi ned for various

(SNAES) was introduced in 2004 with the aim of

types of welding needs based on steel thickness and

inducting 45 naval architecture graduates directly

type of joints. Over a period of time, CSL managed

from universities and colleges and post them to

to train more than 500 welders including in-house

DND in New Delhi, after a minimum (modifi ed)

and contracted labour, so as to keep an adequate

naval orientation course and professional courses

number of qualifi ed workers at hand, all the time.

at various naval units.

The construction was planned to start in

Complexity of Construction

2004. However, it could begin only by 2006 due

to, among other reasons, the non-availability of

The hull of an IAC is composed of 1,100 blocks. In

imported steel for hull construction, as was initially ship construction (at the time of start of construction planned. The order for the first batch of about

of the IAC), shipyards in the country were following

5,000 tons of steel was placed on ROE, Russia, in

a system wherein the hull was constructed first

2003. Owing to a dispute on advance payment (for

and outfitted later. For the IAC, however, an

want of a Bank Guarantee from the supplier), the

Integrated Hull Outfi tting and Painting (IHOP)27

supplier expressed an inability to supply and with

concept was adopted as part of the build strategy

this imbroglio in hand, a delay ensued and ROE

in order to reduce the The earlier and

sought a price revision.

build period and sustain

At this juncture, a conscious decision was taken

enhanced productivity. usual system of

to construct the ship with indigenous high-tensile

This involved fabrication constructing the hull

warship-quality steel, developed by the Defence

and preparation of the hull

of the ship fi rst and

Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL),

as small, standard blocks outfi tting it later

Hyderabad, and produced by the Steel Authority of

followed by outfitting was not applied to

India Ltd (SAIL). The journey was fairly tumultuous,

( c a b l i n g , p i p i n g a n d the IAC. Instead, an with SAIL having to grapple with several issues

painting) of these blocks IHOP concept was

associated with a fi rst-time development in terms

on the shop fl oor, prior to adopted in order

of technology, process, fi nancial viability, etc. These their erection (integration)

to reduce the build

challenges were overcome and the greatest spin-off

in the building dock. IHOP

period.

from this venture has been the availability of all

is a break from traditional

grades of steel for warships in India.

shipbuilding, where hull fabrication and outfi tting

In the wake of indigenous development of

progress simultaneously. In this concept, therefore,

special steel for the IAC, under the nomenclature

detailed information (binding data) with respect to

DMR 249A & B grades, extensive training was

design and prior availability of certain equipment

imparted to the welders of the yard. That is because

to pre-outfi t the blocks were essential prerequisites.

27 Apart from the fact that at the time of the decision, CSL was a carrier, it was also the most contemporary in having imbibed the only shipyard in India with adequate dock size for making the IHOP strategy since its inception.

The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

47

public as well as private sector industries in India.

By a conservative estimate, almost 75 per cent

of the equipment fit of IAC 1 is being sourced

indigenously. The ship has also been designed with

a very high degree of automation for machinery

operation. All these facts speak of the long way

the Indian Navy has come to achieve its ambition

to being a builder’s navy.

At 21,000 tons, the total steel used

in constructing the hull of this carrier

will equal the amount required for

erecting three Eiffel Towers. The ship

can be compared to an eighteen-storey

building. In its final shape, the IAC will

be approximately 260m long and have a

maximum beam of approximately 60m.

The flight deck will cover an area roughly

the size of two football fields.

It could, in fact, cover the entire Indian

Block-by-block: The making of IAC

peninsular coastline twice, without the

need to refuel. Its diesel generators will

The principal objectives of the IHOP methodology

be able to produce 24MW of electrical

are neat and orderly fitment, improvement in

power—sufficient to supply electricity

working conditions and, most importantly,

to 5,000 households. Various electrical

reduction in build-time and therefore, overall

cables laid onboard, if stretched out,

savings in cost.

will cover the distance from Delhi to

Each piece of equipment onboard this ship has

Bangalore.

been unique if the size alone is considered. The

development of this ship would not have been

possible without the Indian industry’s support. As

The propulsion package comprising four LM-

an outcome of the elaborate but fruitful system of

2500 GTs in a twin shaft, ‘combined gas and gas’

procurement from Indian sources, the IAC will be

(COGAG) confi guration, will produce a total power

able to boast a variety of indigenous equipment

of around 90MW. Interestingly, the LM 2500 GTs

such as the steering gear, propeller, shafting, gear

for the propulsion plant, have been produced by

box, air conditioning and refrigerating plants,

HAL in India, under a ToT licence agreement with

air compressors, pumps, anchor and mooring

General Electric (GE), USA. In fact, this is the fi rst capstans, davits, doors, hatches, CMS, IPMS,

time in the Indian Navy where a shaft 100m in

the main switchboards, the Integrated Bridge

length has been used onboard a warship. Installation

System (IBS), Electronic Warfare (EW) suites, the

and alignment of the same was a real challenge for

Close-in Weapon System (CIWS), and a host of

all stakeholders, viz. the Indian Navy, CSL, and

auxiliary machinery equipment—sourced from

the various vendors involved. The ship’s top speed

48

Blue Waters Ahoy!

would be around 28 knots28 and its cruising speed, overwhelming panoply of machinery, equipment

18 knots. Its endurance would be about 7,500nm.

and systems on this carrier, the IPMS is going to

To put that in a layman’s perspective, it could cover be the largest and the first-of-its-kind platform

the entire Indian peninsular coastline twice, without management system seen by the Navy.

the need to refuel. Its diesel generators will be able The design of the IAC is one of the most fl exible

to produce 24MW of electrical power, suffi cient

and adaptable designs ever undertaken by DND,

to supply electricity to 5,000 households. Various

facilitating numerous design changes over the years

electrical cables laid onboard, if stretched out,

ranging from those of power supply systems and

will cover the distance from Delhi to Bangalore.

new machinery, to Russian aviation equipment

The onboard accommodation has been designed

and even aircraft. In addition, the various design

for a crew of around 1,700 personnel and the

feedbacks received from the Vikramaditya have sickbay mirrors a small modern fl oating hospital

also been incorporated in the design of IAC.

equipped with all testing facilities and state-of-theart infrastructure.

The Name ‘Vikrant’

The carrier’s fl ight deck will have two take-off

runways and a landing area with three arrester

It is interesting to learn the background to the name wires. It will be capable of operating STOBAR

‘Vikrant’ adopted for the first carrier acquired

aircraft as well as a range of helicopters.

by the Navy in 1961. Naming the warships of

A high-pressure water mist fi re-fi ghting system

the Indian Navy is a process that starts with the

for the machinery compartments of the ship, will be

Navy proposing one and the MoD’s Nomenclature

the fi rst of its kind in the Indian Navy. The system Committee clearing it after delving into well-has distinct advantages over other fire-fighting

established norms based on history, culture,

systems being used in the Navy.

mythology and archaeology. The Committee

Certain engineering equipment such as salvage

approves names, badges and crests. Generally, the

pumps of a massive 645 tons per hour (645TPH)

practice has been to name ships after islands, rivers, capacity, centrifuge pumps (20TPH) and fuel

fi sh, weapons, etc. After due process at the MoD,

pumps (150TPH) are going to be a fi rst-of-kind in

a ship’s name is finally approved by none other

terms of hauling capacity and size of equipment,

than the President—the Supreme Commander of

in the Indian Navy. The reason for this mention

the Armed Forces. For IAC 1, the fi rst four names

is the fact that in order to get these indigenously

suggested by the Nomenclature Committee were

developed and in compliance with military

not acceptable: Sumeru (being the name of an un-

standards (mil standards)—particularly in terms

locatable mountain); Himalaya (was unthinkable

of shock tolerances—was an achievement by itself.

having been a frigate in Pakistan); Kailash (for no

The IPMS is meant to monitor and control

apparent reason); and Vindhya (not found inspiring

all equipment except the ones related to

enough by then Minister of Defence Shri V.K.

combat, communication/navigation and aircraft

Krishna Menon). A few other names considered

operations. Considering the size of the ship and the

but rejected were: Everest (it is not in India);

28 The derived unit of speed is knot (kn), defi ned as one nautical of a degree of latitude, and it remains in use today for both air mile per hour. A nautical mile is an SI unit for measuring and marine navigation. One-tenth of a nautical mile is a cable distance and is equal to 1,852m. Historically, a nautical mile length.

was defi ned as one minute of latitude (equivalent to one sixtieth The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)

49

Kanchenjunga (not found acceptable); Nanga In Conclusion

Parbat and Amarnath (not favoured as naming

an aircraft carrier after a mountain peak was

Some people tend to compare the pace of

inconsistent with a ship’s characteristic of mobility construction in India with that in China. What is

as opposed to the immobility of a mountain). It

not realized in such a comparison is the fact that

was then decided that one would stick to abstract

while India is ‘developing’ a carrier from scratch

terms and thus the name Vikrant was conceived.

including basing it on indigenous design, the

In the 1971 war, it lived up to its motto: Jayema Liaoning in China came as a ready-made hull (the Sam Yudhisprudhah. The motto in Sanskrit is taken Varyag ex Ukraine). Even to refurbish the Varyag from the Rig Veda and means ‘We win over those

with a propulsion-aggregate, a weapon-sensor suite,

who dare to fi ght.’ Another naval tradition is that

and the AFC, the Chinese took almost a decade

‘ships never die’, and in keeping with this naval

before the Varyag could reincarnate itself as the adage, IAC 1 has been aptly christened Vikrant

Liaoning. In our case, on the other hand, there have after its illustrious predecessor. Along with that

been fi nancial constraints and large-scale design

name, the crest and motto of the fi rst Vikrant have changes at the concept stage itself, which consumed

also been allotted to it.

almost a decade before we could move forward.

The crest draws a link between the ancient and

What provides hope though is that at least an eco-

modern weapons of war in such a way that it depicts

system has been groomed in the Indian industrial

delta-winged fi ghter planes (arrow heads) launching

establishment. Had the circumstances in the 1990s

from the fl ight deck of the carrier (feathered end of been different, the story of IAC’s timeline would

the arrow), poised and armed to ward off attack

have been different. Likely to be manned by a crew

from any direction.

of about 1,600 personnel, the ship is targeted for

delivery in FY 2020–21.

50

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4

Indigenous Submarine

Construction

A Niche Capability

Submarines in the Indian Navy

process. Even afterwards, i.e., during the life cycle of a boat, a great amount of care has to be taken

Post Independence, the Indian Navy became aware

through planned preventive maintenance (PPM) as

of the necessity of inclusion of submarines in its

a number of systems and components need sensitive

inventory. However, the inherent impediments of an

handling. Very few countries have mastered this

incipient nation, followed by denial of technologies

immensely complex process which explains the

and platforms delayed the introduction of this

relatively small number of ‘manufacturers’ of this

capability by two decades. The Indian Navy’s

platform in the world. The handful of submarine-

submarine arm was born on 8 December 1967 with

building nations have developed technologies

the commissioning of INS Kalvari, a Foxtrot-class exclusively for the manufacture of submarines, be

submarine acquired from the erstwhile USSR. She

it weapons, sensors or propulsion systems, which

was soon followed by seven more of the same class

again require decades of focussed effort from all

which formed the mainstay of the Indian subsurface

quarters of the nation’s industry. Moreover, the

fl eet till the mid-1980s.

development of such technologies and expertise

The coming to existence of this capability

involves investment of huge sums of money which

warranted graduated steps in a relatively new fi eld for limits the number of nations that can make their

India. The establishment of maintenance and repair

own submarines. In fact, apart from the P-5

facilities, albeit for ‘Short’ and ‘Normal’ Refi ts of countries, only a handful of other nations possess

submarines, at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam,

the capability of building submarines. South Korea

during the 1970s, was in consonance with the

is a recent entrant to this elite club while Brazil is (desired) capabilities in shipbuilding and maintenance.

still struggling with its fi rst program. Besides this, the arrival of new technologies and developments

Self-reliance

in assorted fi elds has made it incumbent on the

designer to incorporate advancements in the

Starting from designing to actually constructing,

structures they create in order to improve the

submarine-construction is a highly complex

effi ciency of these platforms.

The necessity for the generation of such harbingers of submarine construction in India

warfighting capabilities arose due to the

with the last two boats, Shalki and Shankul having geopolitical situation and international alignments

been built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd

prevalent in the region. India’s Integrated Guided

(MDL), albeit with help from the OEM, Germany’s

Missile Development Program (IGMDP) was

Howaldswerke Deutsche Werft (HDW). The hulls

propelled to existence in the face of increasing

for these boats were fabricated at MDL under

threat from its neighbours. India had also faced

the supervision of HDW, which was a first for

sanctions against supply of critical equipment from

any Indian shipbuilder. Fabrication of submarine

various countries after the peaceful nuclear tests in hulls is a niche specialization, since the hull has

1998. A number of equipment and technologies

to withstand high pressures at designed depths

still remain out of her reach as it is not a signatory of operation. Welding techniques involved in

to all international technology control treaties.

submarine construction are closely guarded by the

Instances of powerful nations leveraging infl uence,

OEMs and this was a unique opportunity for Indian

gained through supply of military hardware, to

technicians to benefi t from exposure to exclusive

the detriment of the recipient nation are also not

technology and quality-assurance procedures.

unknown in geopolitics. India needs to secure

Specialized equipment for fabrication, were also

itself from the negativity of ‘denial regimes’ in this acquired from HDW and other OEMs in completely

respect, especially if it is to retain its pre-eminence knocked down (CKD) packages which were then

in the Indian Ocean region. In such a scenario,

a s s e m b l e d b y M D L . MDL added a

the acquisition of submarine-building skills is

The shipbuilders, MDL, specialized section,

indispensable and that in turn, requires generating

primarily intended to be East Yard, for the

national capabilities and infrastructure.

used for the construction construction of

Notwithstanding the obstacles in terms of

of surface warships, added

submarines.

available capabilities and financial resources,

a specialized section, the

India chose to develop the capability to make

East Yard, for construction of submarines. HDW

her own submarines because of a variety of

also provided detailed plans and drawings for

reasons. Self-reliance in this specialized sphere

construction of the follow-on platforms. Training

is vital for safeguarding national interests. While

on design of submarines was conducted in the

submarines are primarily weapons of war, their

(former) Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), for

deterrent capability is evident both in times of

Indian personnel to comprehend the intricacies

peace and war. Ready availability of indigenous

involved in designing and constructing submarines.

submarines ensures self-confidence and most

The construction of Shalki and Shankul involved importantly, assurance of critical technologies and

indigenization to a limited extent. The two boats

spares whenever required. The Government has

were commissioned in 1992 and 1994, respectively.

been actively involved in promoting such efforts

Thereafter, stock material like steel, fi ttings, pipes, in order to accumulate national competence in

valves, cables, paints, etc., were sourced from within niche sectors like the designing and construction

India, for maintenance purposes. The fact that these

of such platforms.

submarines are successfully operating with the

Indian Navy till date (having served for a period of

First Steps in Submarine Construction

over two and a half decades), is eloquent testimony

to the ability of Indian shipbuilders to measure up

The Shishumar-class submarines were the

to the highest standards of specialized shipbuilding.

52

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Missed Opportunities

Shishumar-class submarines. The subsequent refi ts of these submarines have been undertaken by MDL

After Shalki and Shankul, the Navy had planned and in the recent past, the Yard has undertaken

to build two more submarines at MDL in a similar

major modernization (upgrades) involving

manner as the first two, though with increased

replacement of combat equipment too.

indigenous content. While the various critical

systems like machinery, weapons and sensors would

The 30-year Submarine Building Plan

have been acquired as complete packages from

the OEMs, the intention was to develop ancillary

Having experienced the setback (in continued

equipment locally in India. However, this was

indigenous construction) in the wake of the

not to be, as a controversy

HDW episode, the Navy sought to rejuvenate the

After Shalki and

regarding alleged payment of

building blocks for self-reliance through a proposal

Shankul , the Navy

commissions to middlemen

for building future submarines in India. In July

had planned to build by HDW erupted in 1986 1999, the Government approved a 30-year plan two more submarines leading to suspension of all for the series construction of submarines and the at MDL, with

further negotiations with the

acquisition of national competence in submarine

increased indigenous fi rm, by the Government of construction. As part of the Plan, the fi rst phase

content. But the

India, in 1987. This was a

was envisaged for a period from 2000 to 2012

plan was stalled due

major setback for the Navy

and the second phase was meant to cover the

to a controversy

as also for MDL, which was

remainder (of the 30 years). The fi rst phase of the

in the process of negotiating

plan envisioned the development of two production

that erupted in

t r a n s f e r o f t e c h n o l o g y

lines in which six submarines apiece were to be

1986 leading to the

(ToT).

built in collaboration with foreign submarine

suspension of all

Thus, despite having

builders. The Navy, in the interim, would develop

links with HDW,

acquired some expertise in

an indigenous submarine design for building 12

in 1987.

submarine hull fabrication,

submarines. Government approval for the Project

MDL did not have the capability or the wherewithal

was accorded in September 2005.

to design and build submarines. The envisaged plan

of developing a bouquet of ancillary equipment

‘Project 75’

manufacturers also remained stillborn.

Another major fallout was the loss of trained

Submarine acquisition—whether through direct

manpower from MDL, who had acquired expertise

procurement or built in-house—has a long

on various aspects of submarine construction from

gestation period, typically of around 10 years from

Germany. Since the Yard did not have further

inception to the signing of contracts. The Indian

orders, many of these personnel were shifted to

Navy’s submarine force accretion plans warranted

other tasks and many subsequently retired from

a new class of submarines by the mid-2000s. Hence

MDL. Placement of further orders would have

plans had to be put in place by the mid-1990s to

ensured not only utilization of their expertise but

ensure the required force levels by the fi rst decade also a continuum in transition of expertise to future of the twenty-fi rst century. The HDW controversy

generations in the Yard.

had created major hurdles for the decision-making

All, however, was not lost. MDL had developed

hierarchy. It not only restricted their choices but also suffi cient profi ciency to undertake repairs of the

affected the minds of the political dispensation who

Indigenous Submarine Construction

53

were circumspect of further collaborations since between the various parties, namely the GoI, MDL,

the political costs of any future controversy could

Armaris and the weapon suppliers. The agreements

be very high. Notwithstanding the heartbreaking

included provision for supply of spares, both ‘short’

obstruction caused by the HDW imbroglio,

and ‘long’ term, provisioning of relevant stores, and there was fi rm conviction that future submarine

training for personnel of the Yard, and of the Indian acquisitions would have to be home-grown.

Navy on various aspects of construction, operation

Accordingly, acquisition of six submarines of the

and exploitation.

Scorpène design was approved by the Government

Construction of the submarines was to be

under ‘Project 75’ by the end 1990s. This happened

overseen by the Indian Navy while a team from

after protracted negotiations with MDL and the

the collaborator would provide advice to MDL

French fi rms, Armaris and MBDA. The contracts

on the process, in situ. The project cost of about

for the construction of six submarines and supply

US$3.5 billion also included provision of licenses to of related equipment and systems were signed in

MDL, for the duration of the life of the submarines,

2005, with the fi rst submarine to be delivered in

as also for production of additional submarines if

the seventh year and the remainder following at

considered in the future, after mutual consultation

intervals of twelve months each.

between the concerned parties.

The Scorpène-class of Submarines

Kalvari, the Lead Boat. The fi rst submarine of the The Scorpène had already been supplied by France Scorpène class, Kalvari, which has been named to Chile and Malaysia. However, those boats were

after India’s first Foxtrot-class submarine, in constructed in French yards, with support from

keeping with naval traditions, was to have been the French industry. (France has an all-nuclear

delivered by the builder, MDL, in 2012, seven years

submarine arm but that is not an impediment for

after the signing of the contract. It has however

construction of conventional submarines since there

f a c e d a d e l a y d u e t o ‘The Kalvari was to is a large commonality of equipment and systems

various reasons related to

in conventional boats.) With the Indian project,

material procurement and be delivered by MDL

the submarines were to be built in India (at MDL,

contractual obligations. in 2012, seven years

Mumbai). The Government, therefore, entered into

The learning curve of after the signing of

a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the

submarine construction, the contract. That

French Government which was necessary to ensure

which included delays in target could not

smooth ToT and licensed production of submarines.

delivery of equipment and have been achieved

The French collaborator, Armaris and later DCNS,

systems due to increase in due to delays in

was contracted to provide design and building

costs by the foreign OEMs,

material procurement

technology for the licensed production of six

and in some cases poor and contractual

submarines of the Scorpène class. The collaborator response from vendors, obligations.

was also required to provide the specifications

is an important lesson

for the entire material package comprising the

in the necessity of ensuring self-reliance in these

machinery items to be procured by MDL. It was

critical areas. Gaps in experience at the Yard also

also required to supply combat systems and certain

contributed to delays which should be overcome in

specifi c equipment for the boats, to be categorized

the delivery of the follow-on submarines. The loss

as material supplied by the collaborator. Suitable

of expertise at the Yard, after the HDW controversy,

agreements addressing all these aspects were signed

has also been a contributing factor. Consolidation

54

Blue Waters Ahoy!

of these lessons, drawn during the construction of ToT in the contract with HDW in the early 1980s

the fi rst and second boats will provide a repository and established a dedicated facility for indigenous

of reference for future indigenous submarine

construction within MDL. While that facility lay

building programs.

idle for over a decade, its revival with the Scorpène project has ensured rejuvenation of the original

Indigenizing Submarine Construction

aim of completing the learning curve in this most

complex of naval systems, worldwide. It is due to

Project 75 recognizes the need to nurture Indian

these steps—some diffi cult ones—that India is close

manufacturers and suppliers so as to develop a

to being self-reliant. The day is not far when India

local ‘ecosystem’ for future submarine construction.

will succeed in entirely designing, building and

While the fi rst four boats will have equipment from

producing sub-assemblies for submarines within

foreign OEMs, the last two have been planned

the country.

to have indigenous content, considering the

development period for such equipment. A number

Postscript

of indigenous equipment, which are currently in

service in other Indian Navy submarines, are being A Request for Information (RFI) has been recently

adapted and modifi ed for fi tment on the Kalvari-

issued by the Indian Navy for eliciting proposals

class submarines. The ancillary industry for

from prospective partners for construction of the

submarine equipment in India is still in its infancy

next line of conventional submarines in India. These

but with the new thrust on defence manufacturing,

submarines are to be designed and constructed

a number of new players are entering the field,

in India under the ‘Strategic Partnership’ model

with and without foreign collaboration. In the

of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

future, modernization/upgradation refi ts of these

2016 to attain the larger goal of ‘Make in India’.

submarines will therefore see increased levels of

The Strategic Partnership model proposes the

indigenization.

development of an Indian shipbuilding yard to build

submarines in collaboration with a foreign partner.

In Conclusion

The program also envisages ToT to Indian agencies

which will facilitate design and development of

It is with the aim of becoming a self-reliant nation

future submarines in India. This may also enable

and of harnessing the skills in designing and

establishment of an alternate Yard, besides MDL .

constructing submarines that the Navy insisted on

Indigenous Submarine Construction

55

5

Maintenance

Ensuring Operational Readiness and Reliability

Introduction

must go through preventive maintenance so as to

ensure uninterrupted performance through the

Maintenance is an essential periodic activity for

ship’s life cycle. Compounding these complexities

any equipment, machinery, integrated system or

is the uniquely different operating environment

hull of any platform. It is

of the Indian Navy. Being situated in the middle

In the case of a

much more essential than

of the tropics, most of our sea areas are infamous

warship, maintenance the routine maintenance of for heavy doses of surface temperature, salinity is even more critical

a civil structure or a home.

and humidity—more so, given the two monsoon

than it is for a

In the case of a warship,

periods. Contrary to those prevalent in areas

complex factory

maintenance is even more

in temperate latitudes, this combination of

on land, or even

critical than it is for a complex

climatic conditions results in faster deterioration

a merchant ship

factory on land, or even

thus prioritizing greater attention to be paid to

that plies the seas

a merchant ship that plies

maintenance related activities.

almost throughout

the seas almost throughout

its life. This is

its life. This is because

Sustaining a Builder’s Navy

a warship is a complex

because a warship

maze of compartments,

Sustenance through Maintenance

is a complex maze

equipment and machinery

A cardinal fact that is shaping the Indian Navy is

of compartments,

that are integrated through

the aim to transform into a ‘complete’ builder’s

equipment and

labyrinthine systems for

navy. However, the keystone lies in the element

machinery that are

performing a plethora of

of maintaining and sustaining the ‘teeth’ of this

integrated through

tasks ranging from routine

force. From an era of outright purchase of ships

labyrinthine systems

p a t r o l s a n d o v e r s e a s

from foreign countries to the current regimen

for performing a

deployments, to exercises

of indigenously conceptualizing, designing and

plethora of tasks.

simulating war and actual

building world-class ships, the Indian warship-

combat. This means that each element in a system

building industry has come of age. The Navy,

along its path of rapid growth and modernization, operational platforms and units on their respective

has consolidated its technical support facilities.

seaboards. Both provide repair assistance to

Since Independence, overcoming financial and

detached/visiting platforms of other Commands

material hurdles, the Indian Navy has made

as well.

a huge headway in assimilation of technology,

hybridization and indigenization.

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai

A Stirring Legacy. The Naval Dockyard, Mumbai

Changing Technologies

[ND(Mbi)] has a rich heritage dating back to

Today, the Navy broadly classifi es defects under

1735, when Lowji Nusserwanji Wadia set up

the following categories: ‘Engineering’ (E), ‘Hull’

a ship repair/building facility at Bombay to

(H), ‘Electrical’ (L), and ‘Weapon’ (W). Needless

maintain the ships of the East India Company,

to say, all of these four fi elds have undergone a sea upon a request made by the British. Today, it has

change over time. Propulsion has gone from wind

transformed into a strategic asset of the nation,

sail to steam, before diesel engines and GTs became

and a Yard with the capability to maintain

commonplace.1 Similarly, solid state electronics and

advanced, state-of-the-art ships and submarines.

very-large-scale-integration or VLSI2 are the driving It is a testimony to the efforts of generations of

force of today’s systems, as compared to vacuum

naval personnel (both uniformed and civilian),

tubes and capacitors of the days gone by. These fast-

that Indian warships confi dently foray into harm’s

changing trends require the Navy’s maintenance

way to safeguard national security interests in the

agencies to keep pace, so as to keep the concept of

entire IOR region and beyond.

the Builders’ Navy complete, relevant and apace

During the heyday of the Bombay Docks and

with emerging technologies.

Indian shipbuilding, the largest ships built in the

Yard had a displacement of over 2,500 tons. The

Naval Dockyards

HMS Tweed is reputed to be one of the fastest sailing ships built to-date, and HMS Trincomalee, The two Naval Dockyards—at Mumbai on the

a 46-gun Leda-class frigate built for the Royal west coast and Visakhapatnam on the east coast—

Navy in 1817 is the second oldest4 fl oating ship

are premier establishments whose primary role is

to-date, docked at Hartlepool, UK—both made

to provide third- and fourth-line3 repair support to

at ND (Mbi).

1 Nuclear Propulsion is the next step, but India is still new to and 4 repairs. These can be undertaken in dockyard/specialized that technology.

test benches/OEM Support Systems. While the two Dockyards have, over the years, imbibed the capability to undertake 2 Very-large-scale integration (VLSI) is the process of creating fourth-level repairs, it is also important to appreciate that at an integrated circuit (IC) by combining thousands of transistors times a cost-benefi t analysis leads to the decision to offl oad into a single chip. The microprocessor is a good example of such repairs to the system’s OEM and avoid investing huge a VLSI device.

amounts/assets in captive infrastructure in the Yards. However, 3 The capability to effect repairs in an organization is in the case of weapon systems, as a rule, fourth-level repair categorized between Level (or Line) 1 to 4. Level 1 and 2

facilities have been established in the form of Armament Repair repairs can be carried out onboard ships (except minor war Facilities (ARF). Additionally, waterfront support (within the vessels), with tools and onboard spares (OBS); repairs that Naval Bases), by some OEMs also complement this capability.

need to respond to a higher degree of complexity and therefore 4 The oldest being the USS Constitution.

requiring specialized tools/expertise are categorized as Level 3

Maintenance

57

Now a signifi cant part of the maritime history

submarines and yard craft, apart from providing

of India, the initial dockyard in Mumbai started

support to operational ships and submarines. The

with just a few facilities

Yard also provides secure berthing and shore-based

Today, the Naval

such as a carpenter shop,

support services such as power supply, water, stores, Dockyard (Mumbai) a ‘smithy’ and associated gangways and cranes to ships and submarines is an owner’s delight

offices. Today, however,

berthed within the base.

with state-of-the-

it is the ‘owner’s delight’

The infrastructure and facilities of the Yard

art infrastructure

w i t h s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t

are spread at various places in Mumbai which

including machinery, infrastructure including include Colaba where the main Yard is located, tools and trained

m a c h i n e r y, t o o l s a n d

Sewri where battery-charging and commissioning

manpower in

trained manpower in place,

facilities are located, and Mankhurd, where the

place, to undertake

to undertake rectifi cation of

Weapon Equipment Depot (WED) is located. The

rectifi cation of

defects of any scale.

present infrastructure and facilities of the Yard

include 138 acres of land dotted with multiple,

defects of any scale.

Moving Forward. In post-

well-maintained heritage buildings and structures,

Independence India, ND (Mbi) transformed itself

approximately 4km of jetties and wharves for

into an important national maritime asset on the

berthing, 101 work centres, 68 yard craft, fi ve dry

western seaboard. Its principal function since then

docks and one slipway.

has been to undertake planned refits of ships,

The first decade of the twenty-first century

A frigate docked for repairs

58

Blue Waters Ahoy!

saw a quantum jump in the induction of platforms commissioned to enable testing and checks on

into the Navy. Normal refi ts (NRs) of P-1135.6

sensors/systems including Fregat, Garpun Bal E,

( Talwar) class, and the indigenously designed and Shtil, Ladoga, Purga, Topaz, Puma, ASOR, MR-built Delhi- and Brahmaputra-class ships also 212, Ilmen, Buran, Onega, Angara and Burya . To became due during this period.

check serviceability and identify source of defect in Despite having a capacity of only 334 matrix

modules of ISUS 90–84 of SSK-class submarines, units (MU), ND (Mbi) bore an average working

‘RAP 190’ PCB Tester was installed.

load of 456MU during the decade.5 Although these

During this decade, a new department for

challenges increased the pressure on an already

Engine Controls and Instrumentation (ECI) was

busy organization, the Yard rose to meet the critical created in 2006, to cater to the needs of testing/

need to upgrade the requisite skill sets, facilities and repairing the complex machinery controls of the

quickly absorb newer technologies.

newly inducted platforms. Over time, activity in

this unit has diversifi ed, including in-house efforts A Barrage of New Facilities. The period of 2001–

towards design and development of pneumatic and

10 saw the induction of several facilities and

electro-pneumatic test rigs. Notably, the Burya & infrastructure for ‘Level 3’ repairs of all weapons

Onega reference facilities (2009) and the Boiler

and sensors, the principle addition being the

Control Facilities for Brahmaputra- and Godavari-

Armament Repair Facility (ARF). Some of the

class ships (2010) have been added to the ECI

notable enhancements made were for the repair of

department.

ring laser gyro (RLG), Russian origin weapons and

sensors, sonars HUMSA and USHUS, gyro STD 20-

Rebuiding a ‘Broken’ Ship. On 5 February 2004, in M, Barco Monitor, 76/62 Super Rapid Gun Mount

a freak accident caused by an anti-submarine rocket

(SRGM), Radar RAWL MK III Antenna and new

that exploded just under the hull of INS Agray, the category periscopes.

ship experienced a devastating shudder followed

The RLG Test and Repair facility set up

by uncontrolled flooding in the Engine Room.

at Weapon Electronics Controls Overhaul and

Just when the crew discovered that both sides of

Repair Shops (WECORS) unit bestowed the

the compartment had developed serious cracks,

Yard with the capability of testing the entire

the aft part of the ship separated and sank after a

Inertial Navigation Unit (INU) of the Sagem

period of about 15 hours during which intensive

make Sigma-40 RLG. Further, PCB level tests and

salvage attempts were made. The aft part could not

repairs also became feasible by using the Teradyne

be saved as the rate of ingress of water was far in

Automated Test Equipment (ATE) commissioned in

excess of the capacity to pump out.

the PCB Repair Shop. This facility has since been

The forward portion was towed back to

extensively utilized for harmonization of gyros of

Mumbai harbour (despite a serious list to one

all the platforms of the Western Naval Command.

side). At the offer of ND (Mbi), the Navy decided

The ARF of Delhi- and Talwar-class ships were to reconstruct the ship. As expected, it was a

5 An MU is equivalent to 3,000 man-days with only 60 per cent ships/submarines, i.e., operational defects (OPDEFs) or manpower being deployed for Refi t activities while the balance Requests for Assistance (RAs), etc. In actual fact, this load is task force is charged with auxiliary support responsibilities.

signifi cantly higher than the ‘designed’ value of 10 per cent.

Ten per cent of the MUs are to meet the load of operational Maintenance

59

challenging task—not just because ND (Mbi) was was undertaken using the ‘Tribon’ software. In

a Repair Yard (as against a shipbuilding yard) but

the absence of detailed design parameters and

also because some of the most complex systems

weight distribution curves for prediction of trim

in the aft section (particularly the machinery

and stability, the Tribon-generated data was used

compartments) that had sheared away, would need

for determining hydrostatic particulars of the ‘half

a large amount of precise planning, reconstruction

ship’ and the ‘complete ship, post restoration’. A

and fi nally, reintegration. It would not be wrong to composite team of the Yard carried out the detailed

say that building a new ship is easier than the task

design study of weight, trim and stability at various of reconstructing a half-broken ship.

stages of re-construction. This is not an easy task

It was decided to place the ship not only under

when the detailed design drawings of the ship are

medium repairs which would become due, but also

not held.6 Given the expertise and skills honed

use the opportunity of a lay-

in fabrication jobs over the decades, ND (Mbi)

The ND(Mbi)

off for modernizing her for

decided to carefully chalk out the reconstruction

undertook the

an upgraded role, that of a

path. The forward (surviving) section of the ship

warship with capabilities

was dry-docked in the Bombay Dock with a

challenging task of

for gathering electronic

specially created web of chocks. Then the ‘skid’

reconstructing the

i n t e l l i g e n c e ( E L I N T ) ,

was constructed on the dock fl oor, as reference for

INS Agray which

low-intensity maritime

rebuilding of the aft section of the ship.

had suffered major

operations (LIMO), and as

The entire work of reconstruction was

disintegration due

a torpedo recovery vessel

completed as part of the ship’s refi t and the reborn to the explosion of

(TRV). Accordingly, she

Agray was back as an almost new unit on 20

an anti-submarine

was placed under Medium

December 2007. The restoration of the ship in her

rocket under the

Repairs-Mid Life Upgrade

new role with ELINT, LIMO and TRV capabilities,

ship’s hull. The

(MR-MLU) with effect from

was concluded to the complete satisfaction of the

Agray , reborn, was

1 April 2004.

users. The successful restoration of Agray was back as an almost

The work package in

a landmark event in the already rich history of

new unit on 20

her reconstruction involved

ND (Mbi) which got an opportunity to relive its

December 2007.

restoration of the complete

glorious past of a shipbuilder to the nation (legacy

hull structure from frame

of the Wadia Masters).

station 40½ to frame station 77 (the aftermost

point of the ship). The propulsion aggregate,

Other Ventures. In 2005, a new workshop with 37

steering system, power generation and distribution

machines was commissioned, fulfi lling a sorely felt

systems, and many sub-systems were required to

need for enhanced machining resources. As part of

be renewed with new compartments/machinery/

the upgrades, a new test stand and equipment for

equipment, apart from special equipment for the

testing governors of turbo alternators (TAs) up to

revised role of the ship.

1,000KW, was created. The large test house in the

The digital modelling for the complete aft

Diesel and Gas Turbine (DAG) department was

section comprising the main hull, superstructure,

modifi ed to test the Paxman Ventura 8YJCAZ prime

air intakes, soft patches and machinery seating,

movers and the balancing machine in Auxilliary

6 Agray was a ship of the 1241 PE class, fi ve of which were and therefore detailed engineering drawings were not held by acquired from the erstwhile Soviet Union in the late 1980s the IN.

60

Blue Waters Ahoy!

and Steam (AST) department was upgraded with established under HMIS Circars. These vessels the latest (digital) technology.

were used to provide logistic support to the British

Machinery Repair Centres were enhanced with

Army operating in Burma. In 1958, the shop was

a Fuel Injection Pump (FIP) calibration machine,

converted into a Base Repair Organization (BRO)

engine valve lapping stands, injector and governor

under INS Circars. This BRO was the forerunner testing stands of radial engines and, with the

of the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam (ND [V]).

phasing out of the Radial Engines, it also converted

In the late 1960s, there were a number of

itself into the repair facility for all Cummins-make

acquisitions in the form of new-age warships and

prime movers for Diesel Alternators (DAs).

submarines from friendly countries. While the

The growth of infrastructure has been duly

eastern fl ank of the Navy welcomed these men-o-

supported by enhancements

war, it was inevitable that the BRO had to expand

The CAN has

in the field of information

and develop into a Yard capable of providing

seamlessly connected technology (IT). Software requisite maintenance support to contemporary

all 101 centres of the d e v e l o p m e n t h a s b e e n vessels.

Naval Dockyard with backed by a comprehensive other units of the

hardware infrastructure

Expanding the Footprint. The marshy wasteland

Indian Navy and has set-up to sustain futuristic around the foot of the Thumidelametta Hill

developments. A Campus

near the Visakhapatnam harbour was chosen as

enabled near real-

A r e a N e t w o r k ( C A N )

the site of the new facility, ND (V). Based on a

time communication covering all centres of Soviet Project Team report, the construction of the and instant

the Naval Dockyard has

dockyard commenced in 1968 under the tutelage of

dissemination of

been set up with an OFC

the Director General Naval Project, Visakhapatnam

orders, instructions

backbone. The network has

[DGNP (V)]. It was further upgraded in 1972

and information.

been designed for an 8,000-

and today spreads over 704 acres of land with

node connection capacity.

a waterfront of about 5km and built-up jetties

The system provides IT services to all users of the

totalling a length of 3.5km.

Naval Dockyard. The CAN, which is part of the

Unifi ed Domain, has seamlessly connected all 101

Moving Forward. Growing from humble roots,

centres of the Naval Dockyard with other units

this dockyard metamorphosed into a full-fl edged

of the Indian Navy and has enabled near real-

resource centre, straddling a wide spectrum of

time communication and instant dissemination of

roles and functions ranging from refi ts, operational orders, instructions and information. There are

repairs, provision of yard utilities and services,

more than 50 software applications hosted on

administration and management of the human

CAN. The applications for refi t and repair works,

capital, infrastructure development, to providing

material management, and personnel management

assistance in case of emergencies and unforeseen

have automated majority of the dockyard functions.

events. Through indigenous effort and with

signifi cant investment of time, labour and resource, Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam

the Yard has emerged as a single-window solution

Background. The Navy had its presence on the

point for technical support on the eastern seaboard.

East Coast, as early as in the 1940s. A handful of

small warships were positioned at Visakhapatnam.

The twenty-first century. The period between

To service them, in 1940, a boat repair shop was

2001 and 2010 saw an increase in load on the

Maintenance

61

Naval Dockyard by virtue of induction of several class destroyers Ranvir and Ranvijay, involving platforms falling due for major refits, such as

major upgradation of weapon fi t (maiden fi tment

Medium Refi ts (MRs), Normal Refi ts (NRs) and

and successful fi ring of vertical launched Brahmos)

Short/Extended-Short Refi ts (SRs/ESRs). During

were also completed. This included fi tment of the

the decade, on an average, the Yard undertook 35

Barak Point Defence Missile System (PDMS) for

refi ts every year which directly correlate to a load the fi rst time on an Eastern Fleet ship7. Successful of approximately 300MUs as against the ‘installed’

MLUs involved the dockyard overcoming the

capacity of 255MUs.

challenges of integrating a wide variety of weapons

A host of initiatives was undertaken during the

and sensors onto common Fire Control and

decade, for better scheduling and closer monitoring

Combat Management Systems. Not only were an

of refit activities. Some major achievements

array of weapons and sensors—from both Western

towards better refi t-compliance and streamlining

and Eastern streams—successfully integrated,

of procedures include:

the Dockyard also integrated ‘legacy’ equipment

with contemporary ones, straddling generational

technological leaps.

• Use of IT-based project management

Normal Refi t of submarines Sindhudhwaj and

methodologies and tools.

Sindhuvir were completed in 69 and 52 weeks,

• Optimum utilization of dry dock and

respectively. During the MR of Sindhuvir, full slipway resources, including several

circularity measurement of the entire submarine

innovative multiple dockings. A

was undertaken for the fi rst time in the Yard. A

contributing factor, later to prove

large quantum of rebuild/renewal activity, such

beneficial for the Navy was the use of

as renewal of 8,000m of HP air and hydraulic

the Matsya Dock for special projects.

system lines, was undertaken with the indigenously

• Refinement of procedure for forecasting

procured 316Ti material piping.8

list of spares to achieve smooth and

unhindered progress of refits.

Capacity Building. Maintenance and upkeep of

• Preparation of a standardized Defect

marine and yard assets, including dry docks, was

List (DL) for minesweepers and

a major focus area during this period so as to

corvettes.

ensure optimum availability of these assets and

their continuous upgradation. Augmentation of

repair infrastructure facilities for supporting

Refi t Milestones. There were quite a few important approximately 60 ships was progressed as per

refi t activities during the period that particularly

‘Master Plan 2002’. Infrastructure augmentation—

stand out in terms of the challenges faced by the

taking into consideration future force levels,

Dockyard. Maiden fi tment (followed by successful

emergent technologies and regular upgradation

firing) of the Brahmos SSM was undertaken

requirement—was worked out. Some of the

onboard Rajput in 2001–2. MRs of Ranjit and

important projects created/escalated during the

MR-cum-Mid Life Upgrade (MR-MLU) of Rajput-

period were:

7 Barak was fi rst fi tted onboard INS Ganga of the Western 8 316Ti is a titanium stabilized version of molybdenum-bearing Fleet in 2004.

austenitic steel.

62

Blue Waters Ahoy!

on 26 November 1986, to be initially set up in

• Upgradation of the 600-ton slipway to

Mumbai, with a satellite cell at Visakhapatnam,

overcome constraints over its optimal

to effectively monitor the material state of ships/

utilization. Augmentation included

submarines and assess the operational effi ciency of

improved infrastructure in order to

the equipment-fi t onboard.

make the slipway suitable for vessels

The main objective

The main objective of

larger than SDBs and survey craft.

INSMA is to assist in of INSMA is to

• Setting up of a electro-hydraulic and

improving the operational assist in improving

electro-pneumatic testing facility for

availability of ships and the operational

scores of systems in the fleet.

submarines, coupled with availability of ships

• Augmentation of HP-air system at

reliability in operation of and submarines,

Naval berths.

the machinery, weapons, coupled with

• Creation of a non-ferrous fabrication

equipment and systems reliability in

facility.

b y e v o l v i n g o p t i m u m operation of

• Augmentation of Gas Turbine

maintenance systems.

the machinery,

Generator (GTG) Test House to

S t a r t i n g w i t h t h e weapons, equipment undertake testing of GTG 1250-2E,

formulation of a pro-

besides retaining the facility for 1250E

and systems by

f o r m a f o r p e r i o d i c

version of turbo compressors (TCs).

evolving optimum

returns (Ships Running

• Manufacture of movable dock blocks

maintenance systems.

and Activity Return or

and keel block mechanisms (an

SRAR and Defect and Repair Transaction or

innovation that enabled docking of the

DART)9 to collate operational/defect data on

Chakra in Varuna Dock).

all equipment installed onboard Indian Naval

ships, the roles and responsibilities of INSMA

have also been progressively enhanced over the

Indian Naval Ship Maintenance Authority

years since its inception, including archiving data

(INSMA)

in soft format, capturing of ship fit definition

(SFD)10, promulgation of maintenance operations

The need to establish a Ship Maintenance Authority

or MAINTOPs11, undertaking causative analysis,

(SMA) in each Command for effectively monitoring

promulgation of Defect Acquaints, etc.

the material state of ships and consequent

The responsibilities of INSMA were further

operational effi ciency was perceived by Admiral

expanded in 2002, to broadly include real-time

O.S. Dawson, then CNS, in 1982. The Indian

monitoring of the operational efficiency of all

Naval Ship Maintenance Authority (INSMA)

platforms. This was to be done by operating

was subsequently sanctioned by the Government

machinery, analysing their state and reporting

9 SRAR is a periodic report rendered on individual equipment 10 SFD is a list of equipment fi tted on the ship at the time of and serves to monitor their performance over a given period.

commissioning along with their technical drawing/blueprints.

DART refers to a system of reporting defects/requirement of repairs and is used between the ship developing the defect and 11 Issued by INSMA, MAINTOPs defi ne the repairs supposed the repair agency (dockyard/FMU, etc.).

to be carried out on equipment along with their periodicity (daily, weekly, monthly and so on).

Maintenance

63

all defects in the form of returns. Today, the unit onboard these ships, a team was set up ashore to

collaborates with all concerned agencies to prepare

provide maintenance/repair cover (‘First Line’ and

MAINTOPs, Job Information Cards (JICs)12 and

just beyond First Line Maintenance). BMS was

undertake causative analysis studies of repeated

the founding father of the Base Maintenance Unit

defects, thus performing the role as a Class

(BMU), the fi rst of which was set up in 1961 in

Authority on Life Cycle management of onboard

Mumbai, at the location of the present ND (Mbi).

equipment and systems.

BMU is now known as the Fleet Maintenance Unit

(FMU) and exists in each of the two operational

Fleet Testing and Tuning Team (FTTT)

Commands. It operates under the authority of the

respective Fleet Commanders.14

The requirement of dedicated testing and tuning

The FMU provides immediate assistance for

teams for weapons and electronic systems at

rectification of defects during the operational

Mumbai and Visakhapatnam was accepted by the

cycle15 of ships of the Fleet/Flotilla and to all shore NHQ in 1994. The FTTTs have been at the forefront

establishments. It is a ‘Second Line’ repair agency. It in ensuring continuous operational availability

has also been designated as the sole repair authority of weapon systems through timely alignments,

of submersible pumps, water coolers and deep

parameter checks, testing and tuning, health audits

freezers. The advantage of having the FMU as a

and active participation in identifi cation as well as second line maintenance unit for ships is that it has rectifi cation of defects.

a faster turnaround due to its ‘Product Lay Out’

With recent inductions and changes in the

system wherein repairs are

FMUs have bridged

operating philosophy of platforms, a few roles

carried out under a single

have been added since 2006. In addition to their

the maintenance

roof without necessitating

primary charter, the FTTTs also have ‘core teams’

defi ciency in the

movement of equipment/

for various weapons and sensors such as ASOR,

material between different

First Line (aboard

HUMSA, Barak-AMDR, etc. In addition to

centres in the Yard.

ships), and also

monitoring their performance, these teams also

During the decade, ensured availability

undertake periodic health audits of these systems.

the FMUs have enhanced of specialized

t h e i r ‘ a f l o a t s u p p o r t ’ professional Fleet Maintenance Unit (FMU)

r o l e b y i n v o l v i n g t h e assistance at distant local industry in order to locations for ships

The title ‘Fleet Maintenance Unit’ stems from

establish a trustworthy and

on deployment.

the concept of Base Maintenance Staff (BMS)

reliable network of OEMs/

which was introduced in the Indian Navy in the

competent contractors who execute multiple Repair

late 1950s with the induction of coastal/inshore

Rate Contract (RRCs) and provide 24x7 support to

minesweepers, SDBs and custom craft13. As the

all operational afl oat units. True to their assigned accommodation for technical personnel was limited

role, FMUs have bridged the maintenance defi ciency

12 These Cards enumerate how to carry out a particular routine.

14 Flag Offi cer Commanding, Western Fleet in Mumbai and Eastern Fleet in Visakhapatnam.

13 In the early 1970s, the Indian Customs, Mumbai, inducted 15

their own high-speed boats for intercepting smugglers. These FMU thus caters to operational ships. Defects of long lead crafts were manned and maintained by naval personnel.

time nature and ships in refi t are taken care of by the various centres in the Dockyard.

64

Blue Waters Ahoy!

in the First Line (aboard ships), and also ensured The Naval Ship Repair Yard

availability of specialized professional assistance

With the emerging importance of Kochi as a major

at distant locations for ships on deployment, thus

naval base for supporting ships and establishments

adding a new paradigm to ship maintenance.

and major infrastructure augmentation, the BRO,

In 2005, the Unit’s role was further enhanced

Cochin, was rechristened as the NSRY on 16 August

to include defect rectification of certain major

1988. In the early 1990s, the Yard’s infrastructure

equipment such as prime movers, alternators, ACs

was improved to include a full-fl edged electrical

and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) radars. FMU

shop with electroplating facility, a new machine

is probably the only Unit in the Indian Navy which

Shop with state-of-the-art machinery, an IC engine

has a near equal mix of both Service and civilian

shop, welding shop and Weapon Electronics

components.

Controls Overhaul and Repair Shops (WECORS).

The South Jetty, along with the 25-ton Jetty Crane

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Kochi

was also commissioned during this period. The

Diesel Test House was commissioned in 1992 for

The Beginning

testing propulsion engines and diesel alternators of

NSRY, Kochi16 (NSRY [Koc]) started in March 1945

the inshore minesweepers (IMS).

as a Base Engineering and Electrical Workshop set-

Today, NSRY (Koc), is situated in an area of

up for supporting the RIN ships during the closing

about 13 acres. The Yard has two jetties namely,

days of World War II. With a strength of 32 men,

the North Jetty (178m in length, 8m in width) and

the facility spread over less than three acres of land, the South Jetty (471m in

was meager and comprised of a 178m long and 9m

length, 15m in width). It While in early 2000,

wide Jetty (now known as the North Jetty) and a

has also taken up a case for

the NSRY (Koc)

few repair workshops.

construction of a dry dock

handled four to fi ve

at the existing Venduruthy

refi ts a year, by the

Base Repair Organization (BRO)

Parade Ground. Geodetic end of 2010, it was

The Base Engineering and Electrical Workshop

soil survey for assessing the

handling almost eight

was upgraded to become the BRO on 21 January

feasibility of constructing to nine refi ts a year.

1948. Facilities such as a slipway, boat repair

t h e d r y d o c k w a s Further, unlike Naval shop and yard utility service shop were added

undertaken in 2009–10.

Dockyards, the

and the manpower increased. An Apprentice

Training School was also established to train and

Moving Forward

NSRY also handles

develop technical competence for meeting ship-

Within the decade, the the operational

repair requirements. The stationing of inshore

refit handling capacity load of the ships in

minesweepers at Kochi in the mid-1980s triggered

of the Yard increased absence of an FMU

further expansion of the BRO and the existing

signifi cantly. While in early

or Flotilla Technical

slipway was augmented to a modern 150-ton

2000, it handled four to Support Unit (FTSU).

slipway. Other facilities that came up included

fi ve refi ts a year, by the end

a full-fledged FRP Moulding and Repair Shop,

of 2010, it was handling almost eight to nine refi ts a Minesweeping Gear Repair Facility and the

a year. Further, unlike Naval Dockyards, the NSRY

Auxiliary Machinery and Shafting Repair Shop.

also handles the operational load of the ships in the 16 Originally Cochin

Maintenance

65

absence of an FMU or Flotilla Technical Support Capacity Building

Unit (FTSU).17

NSRY (Koc) made notable strides in the fi rst decade

of the twenty-fi rst century in terms of infrastructure to meet the rising demands of maintenance. This

The refit-related milestones of the NSRY

included development of a pump test facility, an

(Koc), during 2001–10 were:

HP Air Test facility, liner lapping tool and load

• Replacement of gearboxes of Tarangini

test facility for motors. In addition, procurement of within eight days.

cable fault locators, dynamic balancing machines,

• Dismantling of the entire gearbox to

surge comparison testers, a 20-ton dynamometer,

access the CPP system and check

laser alignment tools, etc., further improved the

the gearbox of Nireekshak despite

productivity of NSRY. The Yard also commissioned

inadequate documentation.

an electro-hydraulic pipe bending machine, a CCS

• Manufacturing a set-up using discarded

MK II repair facility, test jigs for TR 2400 and a

wave-guide pieces and attenuators

1,000kw Mobile Load Bank.

for measurement of Voltage Standing

Wave Ratio (VSWR) of X-band

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar

Navigation Radars.

• Conversion of the INS Jamuna into a

While the ‘Third Naval Base’ under Project Sea

Hospital Ship as part of tsunami-relief

Bird was fast becoming a reality, the building of

operations in December 2004 in a

the concurrent repair infrastructure gathered steam

matter of 24 hours.

only after the turn of the century. The Naval Ship

• 24,000 hourly routine of Main Engines

Repair Yard, Karwar [NSRY (Kar)] germinated with

of INS Tir for the first time, without any

a compliment of just three offi cers and three senior OEM support.18

sailors. This team was called the Operationalization

• MR of a ship (INS Sharda) for the first

Team and started to function from a small hutment,

time in the Yard itself, in 2010.

in August 2004.

17 Flotilla Technical Support Units (FTSUs) were initially PEs, and Durg class of ships, as well as minesweepers. Later, conceived and created to meet the ‘Second Line’ technical and this FTSU was merged with BMU (Mumbai) to form the

maintenance support to the ships of the Flotilla (ships under FMUs. As the roles and responsibilities of the Indian Navy the FOMA, or local Commanders), in the 1990’s. They also have expanded across the long Indian coastline, new FTSUs provided invaluable support to visiting ships during operational are being planned to be set up at Porbandar and Kochi. INS

turn-arounds (OTRs). FTSU (Chennai) was set up in October Sardar Patel (Ex- Dwarka II) was commissioned on 9 May 1994 and continues to provide support to SDBs, survey class of 2015 to serve as a Forward Operating Base (FOB) and several ships and NOPVs which were under the operational command ships were based at Porbandar. FTSU (Porbandar) is envisaged of NOIC (TN). On similar lines, FTSU (V), created in April to extend second line maintenance support to Indian Navy 1995, provided support to SNMs (Soviet Minesweepers of the ships ( Trinkat, Karuva, XFAC T-80), and FICs (T-220, T-221, SNM class acquired in the 1980s; the ‘SNM’ was a designator T-222, T-223).

given by India without a full form), SDBs, LCUs and other ships under NOIC (AP) at the time. This FTSU also continues 18 Only eight Crossly Pielstick engines exist across the world.

to remain in existence and provides support to ships under Of these, four engines are fi tted on board Indian Navy ships NOIC (AP). FTSU (Mumbai) provided support to the REs, (two each on INS Magar and INS Tir).

66

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The onshore facilities of the NSRY were set up Together, the two (the ship-lift and the associated

with giants of the Indian industry such as Larsen & ship transfer system) are designed for a service life Toubro (L&T), BHEL, the Indian Oil Corporation,

of fi fty years and are capable of dry berthing most

Nagarjuna Constructions Company, IVRCL and

Indian Naval Ships, other than the carrier and the

ABB, under the guidance of M/s Mecon Ltd, a

new tankers.

renowned Indian consultant. Offshore facilities

Despite being in its fi nal phases of construction,

were set up by frontline contractors such as ITD

NSRY (Kar) undertook its first ever task of

Cementation Ltd, ABAN, L&T, M/s Syncrolift (a

refi tting SDB T-55 from 15 July 2006 onwards and

Rolls Royce subsidiary), Total Transfer Systems,

concluded the same on 22 September 2006—twenty

Norway, TIL and a host of other fi rms with the

days ahead of schedule. The conduct of the refi t

guidance of M/s Redecon Ltd, an Australian

was an indication of the ship-repair capabilities of

consultant of international stature. The NSRY

the Base fi nally taking a coherent shape.

was commissioned on 14 November 2005 and the

machine tools of the Yard were fi rst switched on

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Port Blair

by a team of young children from the naval base

as it happened to be the (National) Children’s Day.

Beginnings

In 1973, a BMU was set up at Port Blair with just

India’s First Ship-lift

one production fl oor shed, four offi cers and eleven A dry docking facility is an integral part of any

employees. In 1978, the BMU was upgraded to a

dockyard/ship repair facility. Since the naval base

BRO. With a progressively increasing number of

at Karwar was being constructed as a greenfi eld

ships getting positioned in the isles, a need was

Yard for ‘the future’, it was decided that it would

felt to upgrade the refi tting and support structure.

contain modern docking facilities as compared to

Consequently, in 1993, BRO was upgraded to

conventional ones. The 10,000-ton ship-lift was the

NSRY, Port Blair.

fi rst ship-lift in the country. Trials commenced in

December 2005 with the lifting of a dumb barge.

Floating Naval Dock

Subsequently, between May–June 2006, the Ex-

While a conventional graving or dry dock

Himgiri was docked on three occasions in various could have been an obvious choice, geographic

confi gurations to ascertain the functionality of the peculiarities of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands

ship-lift. All trials of the ship-lift were successful.

and Port Blair, with its deep waters, proximity to

INS Aditya, with a displacement of 10,763 tons, a very high seismic zone and availability of a semi-was docked on 27 May 2006. The ship-lift had a

protected natural harbour, made a fl oating dock

nominal rated capacity of 9966 tons. However,

the most viable and cost-effective choice. Floating

since no naval vessel of that tonnage was available,

Dock Navy-1 (FDN-1) is a one-of-a-kind facility of

INS Aditya (almost 800 tons heavier), was selected the Indian Navy that offers tremendous fl exibility

as the ‘nominal’ vessel for the test. Commissioned

to the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) to

on 8 November 2006, the lifting of the Aditya

fulfi l operational and refi t maintenance needs of

subjected all the parameters of the ship-lift and the ANC’s ships and yard craft. Originally, the dock

transfer system to its maximum capacity.

was constructed by M/s Ishikawajima Harima

The ship transfer system of the ship-lift is of

Heavy Industries (IHI), Japan, for M/s Escorts Ltd

modular construction and can be reconfigured

in 1983 and moored at the Nhava Sheva Port, off-

to suit varying hull forms of Indian Naval ships.

Mumbai harbour. However, due to reasons related

Maintenance

67

The refurbished fl oating dock at Port Blair

to commercial viability, it was offered for sale and

refurbishment of all the equipment along with trials

the Navy found it a good opportunity to fi ll the

was completed by CDL and the FDN-1 was moored

void at Port Blair. Accordingly, the GoI acquired

in its original location by July 2005.19

it, and the dock arrived at Port Blair on 16 May

In hindsight, one wonders that while the FDN

1987—to be inducted into the Indian Navy on 11

was in refi t at CDL, what would have happened to

July 1987.

the dock and its moored chain cables had she been

in its location during the tsunami of 26 December

The FDN-1 sinks

2004!

Six months prior to FDN’s fi fteenth anniversary, on

6 November 2002, during a fateful operation, the

Refi t Milestones

FDN sank at its current location. Subsequently, the

While the capacity of the Yard stood at 9MU, the

salvage was contracted to M/s Svitzer Wijsmuller

workload averaged around the 35MU mark, with

Hazira Pvt Ltd, Netherlands, in end 2002 and on 15

a peak of 49MU achieved in the year 2009–10.

February 2003, the FDN was successfully refl oated,

Assistance was also provided to visiting ships from

with an assurance of its reliability for being towed

other Commands as well as to those from friendly

to any shipyard for overhaul/repairs. In June 2004,

foreign navies. Through 2001–10, the load on the

FDN-1 was towed by Colombo Dockyard Limited

Yard increased signifi cantly and yet, it was able to (CDL) for complete refurbishment. The work of

achieve the following:

19 Post the refit, the dock has been involved in several thirtieth anniversary in 2017 and stands tall having completed operations setting quite a few milestones. It celebrated its more than 250 dockings post refi t at Colombo in 2005.

68

Blue Waters Ahoy!

cleaning of fuel and lub oil fi lters, especially

• Completion of more than 20 refits.

those of GTs and of the hydraulic system of

• A total of 30 docking/undocking

submarines.

operations including 12 unscheduled

• Overseeing maintenance of the Kursura

operations in 2000–1 itself. An

Submarine Museum, in concert with the

average of 13 docking operations were

Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority

undertaken each year.

(VUDA).

• Successful completion of routines of

• Establishing RRCs for specific equipment

MTU engines for the first time.

installed onboard submarines.

• A large number of defects were

encountered on various ships that were

Production Facilities: The SMU is an integrated deployed by other Commands for relief

work centre for the Sindhughosh-class submarines operations for tsunami and these were

and comprises various production divisions such

rectified on a war footing.

as the Engineering Shop, A/C and Refrigeration

• Normal Refits of two FACs undertaken

Shop, Machine Shop, Fabrication Shop, Shipwright

for the first time during 2005–6.

Shop, HP Air Testing and Calibration Bay and the

• Maiden MR of an FAC-class ship

Electrical Shop. In addition, over the years, the

(INS Tarasa) in the year 2009–10.

unit has developed expertise and better facilities

for enhancing productivity. These facilities have

also won various prizes

Submarine Maintenance

at Quality Control (QC) Base workshops

competitions at various are equipped with

Submarine Maintenance Unit (SMU)

levels.

various heavy

The erstwhile Navigation Repair Workshop

duty machining

(NRW)—initially conceived as a second line support

B a s e Wo r k s h o p s a t equipment such for Chakra-1—was redesignated as the Submarine INS Virbahu and INS as lathe machines, Maintenance Unit (SMU) on 1 April 1989. This

Vajrabahu

drilling and grinding

unit was placed under the command and control

Base Workshops provide machines, buffi ng

of the Commodore Commanding Submarines

immediate shore assistance

and cutting machines,

‘East’ (COMCOS [East]). Today, SMU has both

for rectifi cation of defects welding machines

Service and Civilian personnel for its functioning.

onboard submarines.

and various types

It undertakes various activities such as:

Each Base Workshop is

• Rectification of operational defects and

under the Base Engineering

of vice benches to

providing second line maintenance to all

O f f i c e r ( B E O ) w i t h ensure all requisite Sindhughosh-class submarines at the Eastern

skeleton staff of skilled machining assistance

Naval Command.

personnel from Submarine

for submarine-

• Attending to a certain part of the work

S q u a d r o n s / B a s e . I n specifi c requirements.

during Short, Normal and Medium Refi ts of

addition, personnel from

submarines.

the submarine crew are trained in-house for

• Assistance to the main (primary) centres of

effective utilization of the facilities available at the the dockyard, shore establishments of the

workshop. Both INS Virbahu and INS Vajrabahu Command, and surface ships, for ultrasonic

house a Base Workshop for shore support of

Maintenance

69

conventional submarines based in Mumbai and 1991–2000

Visakhapatnam, respectively.

The fi rst GTG overhauled at this indigenous facility Base Workshops are equipped with various

was rolled out in 1995, with the assistance of the OEM.

heavy duty machining equipment such as lathe

The establishment reincarnated itself and

machines, drilling and grinding machines, buffi ng

was commissioned as a full-fl edged Indian Naval

and cutting machines, welding machines and

Ship, Eksila, in August 2000. Additionally, the various types of vice benches to ensure all requisite unit has the unique distinction of being the only

machining assistance for submarine-specific

Naval Establishment of its kind in the region where

requirements. The workshops also house a welding

uniformed personnel undertake capital repairs of

bay used for minor welding as well as for training

the marine GTs powering their own naval ships.

purposes.

These Workshops also play a pivotal role in

2001 and Beyond

facilitating and maintaining the central repository

During the period 2001–10, INS Eksila has

of numerous shore support equipment. These

put in concerted efforts towards infrastructure

equipment such as hydraulic pressure testing kits,

augmentation, consolidation of expertise, self-

vacuum pumps, submersible pumps, chemical

reliance through indigenization and partnership

cleaning pumps, hydraulic fl ushing units, heavy-

with Indian industries

duty hot blowers, chain pulley blocks of various

i n t h e f i e l d o f G T The INS Eksila

safe working loads, etc., aid the submarine staff

maintenance. Innovative is the only naval

to handle various maintenance activities as well as

measures to keep vintage establishment of its

defect rectifi cation.

equipment operational kind in the region

a n d s u s t a i n a b l e , where uniformed

INS Eksila

judicious use of available personnel undertake

resources to maximize capital repairs of the

MGTOC

the production capacity, marine GTs powering

GTs have been exploited by the Indian Navy

sustained development their own naval

for over nearly fi fty years. The fi rst GT engines

o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r e a n d ships. As of 2010, operated by the IN were the M-2B GTs of the

management of knowledge

the INS Eksila has

Petya class of ships inducted in 1968. The idea capital have been the forte

had a cumulative

of setting up an indigenous, composite and self-

of this establishment.

contained marine gas turbine overhaul facility was

As on date, it has had a experience of

conceived by the Indian Navy in the early 1980s,

cumulative experience of overhauling more

one that was to be manned by Service personnel.

overhauling more than 70 than 70 GT engines

The facility would not only cater to contemporary

GT engines and generators.

and generators.

GTs but those to be acquired in future as well.

The ensuing years also

Thus was born the Marine Gas Turbine Overhaul

saw it being entrusted with building expertise for

Centre (MGTOC) in 1991. The Unit has had a

overhaul of gas turbine aggregates of the 1241 RElong and illustrious journey and continues to

class, P-15/P-15A-class, and Talwar/ Teg-class ships.

fulfi l the entrusted mandate to undertake capital

It has also started to undertake the intermediate

repairs/overhaul of marine GTs and GTGs of the

level maintenance of M/s General Electric-make

Indian Navy.

LM2500 GTs fi tted onboard the P-17-class ships.

70

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Over the years, the infrastructure and capability

In Conclusion

at Eksila have been built brick by brick, to keep pace with, and meet the challenges of overhauling

Maintenance—whether planned (preventive in

all variants of GT engines. Some key assets of

nature) or to rectify unexpected defects—is a

infrastructure created during the period include a

capability that is enviable amongst navies. It makes

full-fl edged Chemical Bay, Auxiliaries and Support

the difference between an ‘operational’ navy and

Services Bay, Gas Turbine Testing Bay, a modern

a ‘fl eet in-being’ that is inactive due to defi cit of Machine Shop, and non-destructive testing or

infrastructure or the acumen to maintain it.

NDT Section, a comprehensive Bearing Testing

Despite having missed the Industrial Revolution,

Lab, Standards Lab, a well-equipped Assembly Bay,

the Indian Navy has become a competent force in

customized containers and special vehicles for safe

terms of self-reliance in maintenance. There are

storage and transportation of overhauled engines.

very few other examples of navies of developing

countries that can boast of such capabilities which

provide the confidence to be able to rely on in-

house infrastructure and skills to rectify any defect to the hull, machinery or weapons of a platform.

The pace at which the naval dockyards, the naval

ship repair yards, and associated organizations

have kept themselves abreast of technology is heart-

warming. It is this property that assures the nation

of the operational reliability of its Navy.

Overview of stages of GT assembly

Maintenance

71

6

Indigenization Efforts

The March towards Self-reliance

Introduction

highlight the necessity for greater efforts towards

indigenization in the realm of defence equipment

One phenomenon that can upset a country’s march

and technology.

towards being a formidable geostrategic player is a

high, and more so ‘critical’, dependence on imports.

Early Indigenization Efforts

In matters pertaining to ‘defence’ equipment and

technology, such dependence is doubly problematic

With a view to meet naval requirements through

as it adds to the risk factor in national security

indigenous development, it became essential to plan

assurance, apart from resulting in increased costs of for import substitution for the long term. While the

hardware which is always dependent on the seller.

fi rst steps towards self-reliance in warship-building The Indian Navy has

started with the production of the Leander ( Nilgiri) Unfortunately,

come a long way towards

class at MDL in 1966, most of the specialized

for India, import

deservedly taking the fifth

equipment and weapons were imported. With

dependence continues position among the navies passage of time, however, each project at a Defence to hover around

of the world. An important

PSU saw some items being indigenously developed

70 per cent of our

part of its journey towards

for future use and for depot reserves.

defence needs even

becoming a formidable

The challenges of indigenization of equipment

today, making her

maritime entity has been its

are manifold. Each ship is a self-contained war-

the third largest

ability to design and build

fighting entity with a large number of systems

its own ships. But the battle

and equipment performing different functions.

importer of weapon

is far from over.

These range from a simple-looking (yet complex)

systems in the world.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, f o r

habitability infrastructure, to waste treatment/

India, import dependence continues to hover

disposal systems, to more technical systems that

around 70 per cent of our defence needs even today,

aid power generation, air conditioning, water

making her the third largest importer of weapon

production and distribution of all such services—

systems in the world. This statistic could alone

just as in a municipal area. It is for this reason

that a warship is sometimes called ‘a city at sea’!

purpose, its offi ces were co-located with Defence

Most importantly, a warship operates an array of

PSUs and ordnance factories.

high-end weapons and sensors for defence in all

But even though DGQA existed for the said

three dimensions, i.e., air, surface and sub-surface

purpose, in order to provide greater focus and thrust, domains. For such high-end technologies, it is not

and to lend autonomy to

just power supply but also connectivity (linkage)

its own indigenization With the aim to lend

with other systems, including air conditioning

e f f o r t s , t h e N a v y, o n greater autonomy and dehumidifi cation, that are specially integrated

31 August 2005, set up to its indigenization

within the weapons.

its own organization—

efforts, the Navy,

While the fi rst ship, Nilgiri, commissioned in t h e D i r e c t o r a t e o f on 31 August 2005, June 1972, had all its equipment imported, the

I n d i g e n i s a t i o n ( D O I ) set up its own second ship, Himgiri, commissioned two years

u n d e r t h e M a t e r i a l organization—

later, gave a great amount of satisfaction as,

B r a n c h o f I H Q M o D the Directorate apart from many small pieces of equipment, it

(N). Subsequently, two of Indigenisation

had even the gearbox indigenously manufactured

Indigenous Development (DOI).

to the design of the Swiss OEM, Maag. By the

U n i t s ( I U s ) , o n e e a c h

time the fourth ship, Dunagiri, was commissioned at Mumbai (WNC) and Visakhapatnam (ENC)

in May 1977, one saw an impressive array of

were created in March 2006. While these three

machinery including main boilers, main steam

organizations were established from within the

turbines, propulsion gear boxes, main circulators,

existing (manpower/offi ce space) resources of the

turbo alternators and diesel generators for power

Indian Navy, formal government sanction was

generation, radars, heat exchangers, etc., being

accorded to them only in March 2010.

manufactured in India. The participant companies

The DOI and its fi eld units have been taking

in this endeavour were HAL, BHEL, Bharat

up developmental cases for major equipment and

Electronics Ltd (BEL), and many industries in

systems, components and spares, which have been the private sector, all adding a new bar to the

successfully developed and inducted in Service.

self-reliance drive of the Navy. Despite rapid

Whilst the DOI has focussed on shaping policy

acquisition of platforms from the erstwhile

and projects for developing major equipment

Soviet Union in the 1970s, the thrust towards

and systems, the IUs have focussed more on the

indigenization never sagged, even if there was

assemblies/sub-assemblies and spare parts. A large

assured stream of spares from the Soviet depots.

number of industries have also come forward

to support equipment and systems required on

The DOI: A Dedicated Indigenization

board naval platforms, either through in-house

Set-up

development or by acquiring technologies from

abroad. The DRDO too has played a signifi cant

At the national (defence) level, a central

role in indigenous development of equipment

organization—the Directorate General of Quality

and systems.

Assurance (DGQA)—had existed for over a century.

It oversaw indigenous defence production for the

Overall Development

three forces. Primarily meant for quality assurance

certifi cation, it also catered to the Navy’s needs of Initial efforts were directed at developing some

indigenization of equipment and systems. For this

spares of Russian equipment and a few sub-

Indigenization Efforts

73

assemblies. These were successfully manufactured equipment. However, it has also been important to

in India. Today, the indigenization effort of

preserve and keep legacy platforms/systems going,

the Indian Navy has matured to indigenous

considering that in many instances, their OEMs

manufacture of small equipment to our own

abroad have closed down production. Therefore,

specifications. Indigenization of some major

indigenization of spares, for such (unsupportable)

equipment like main diesels (main engines) has

systems that are at the An important

also been pursued under the ‘licensed production’

end of their service life,

model. Finally, development and production

is an important activity activity that has been

of advanced shipbuilding materials has been

that has been pursued pursued by the DOI

successfully achieved in the short period that this

by the DOI. Some of the is the indigenization

organization has been in existence.

major development cases of spares for

Rapid expansion and the immediate need to

steered by the DOI over unsupportable

indigenize a large number of items/equipment/

the last few years include systems that are

systems on a variety of ships and submarines

development of four major

at the end of their

required persistent and focussed efforts. The

systems, namely stabilizer service life.

magnitude of the effort was large enough to involve

complex of the Godavari-

a large pool of officers with domain expertise

class frigates, Digital Control System for GTGs

covering a wide range of systems. This would

of the Rajput-class destroyers, and the stabilizer neither have been possible nor practical with in-systems and main batteries for submarines.

Service resources alone. Since indigenization of

Aside from the above-mentioned, many

all the equipment and systems could not have

other items have and are being developed in

been taken up simultaneously by DOI and the

the Indian market.

IUs alone, these (developmental) activities have

been simultaneously undertaken by other agencies

Anchor Type ‘Halls’ (2,500kg) for Talwar-class like Professional Directorates at IHQ MoD (N),

ships

the Weapons and Electronic Systems Engineering

Each Talwar-class ship has been fi tted with two Establishment (WESEE)1, COINCOMs2, repair

‘Hall’ anchors weighing 2,500kg each, originally

agencies and fi eld units.

supplied by Russia along with the ships, but

By 2010, the indigenization levels in ‘Float’

without spare stocks. These were therefore

and ‘Move’ category systems had reached about

developed indigenously through M/s Goverdhan

90 per cent and 60 per cent respectively, while

Das PA, Kolkata.

those in the ‘Fight’ category were at 40 per cent.3

The primary focus of indigenization has been

Burnshield Blankets

directed at development of complete systems or

Burnshield blankets are used for self-rescue and

1 The WESEE is an R&D organization established within the act as Member Secretaries of respective COINCOMs.

Navy.

3 The ‘Float’ category includes hull, auxiliaries, salvage 2 The two Commands have a Command Indigenisation

systems; ‘Move’ mainly includes the propulsion aggregate Committee (COINCOM) headed by the Chief Staff Offi cer and associated systems, and ‘Fight’ includes all weapons and (Technical). Its charter includes shortlisting and prioritization sensors. As per our Builder’s Navy objectives, the only items of indigenization tasks, and monitors progress of indigenization that currently hold complete self-reliance are the propulsion activities in the Command. The Offi cers-in-Charge of the IUs systems and most weapons/sensors.

74

Blue Waters Ahoy!

escape from burning areas, thereby providing originally supplied with the Talwar-class ships was physical protection against fire. The item was

found inadequate for all three ships. Developed by

developed through M/s Modern Apparels, Mumbai.

M/s L&T, the two loaders then were indigenously

produced and supplied to the Navy in March 2010.

Main LO Coolers and Drain Coolers for INS Viraat

The lubrication oil (LO) coolers and drain coolers

Hermetic Jackets for Missiles

fitted onboard Viraat were declared ‘Beyond

The order for the development of hermetic jackets

Economical Repairs’ (BER) due to frequent

was placed with a firm in Maharashtra and

leakage in tubes and non-availability of spares

successfully inducted for the Navy’s surface-to-

from the OEM, M/s Serck Radiators Ltd. Efforts

surface missiles.

to indigenize LO coolers with superior material

specifi cations conforming to naval standards had

Stabilizer Systems for the Godavari- and Rajput-

been unsuccessful on two previous occasions.

class Ships

Therefore, it was decided to develop identical

Order for the indigenous development of stabilizer

LO coolers as per existing items fitted onboard

systems for the Godavari-class ships was placed on Viraat. Indian coolers were then developed through M/s Veljan Hydrair, Hyderabad. This was one of

M/s Brazewell Engineers, Pune, and successfully

the major systems developed by the private sector

installed on Viraat.

industry with the help of academia, i.e., IIT Madras.

The system was subjected to extensive quality checks

EOT/POT System for Godavari-class Ships and trials on the shop fl oor and successfully installed The engine order telegraphs and propulsion order

on INS Ganga in September 2011.

telegraphs (EOT/POT) fi tted on the Nilgiri- and The Rajput-class stabilizer system was

Godavari- class ships were originally sourced from developed by L&T Ltd, Mumbai, in November

M/s Evershed Vignoles, UK—the company which

2009. The complete system, including the

had shut its business down by 2006. Absence of

mechanical hardware and its associated digital

spare parts led to sub-optimal performance of the

control system, was indigenously designed and

originally fi tted systems. It was thus decided that the manufactured by the fi rm, maintaining the ‘form,

systems be originated through indigenous sources.

fi t and function’ of this fairly complicated system.

The items were eventually developed by M/s Micro

In proving its effi cacy, IIT Kharagpur was asked

Engineering, New Delhi, and fi tted onboard INS

to conduct simulation studies which demonstrated

Godavari.

success of the indigenous module. As a design, the

Rajput-class stabilizer was much more challenging EOT/POT for INS Viraat

than the Godavari-class stabilizer due to the sheer The order for development of EOT/POT for INS

size of the fi n stock assembly and its ‘retractable’

Viraat was placed on M/s MEANS, Mumbai, in

nature (as against the fi xed external fi n design of May 2007 and the system successfully installed

the latter).

onboard the ship in June 2009.

Rajput-class GTG Control System

Klub Missile Loader

The order for the indigenous development of a

The single Russian-origin loading mechanism

VME4-based digital ‘SNF GTG Control System’ was

4 ‘VME’ refers to a software under the OEM’s categorization: Versa Model Europa.

Indigenization Efforts

75

placed on M/s BEL, Ghaziabad, on 12 December procurement from respective OEMs. The challenge

2008. It was successfully installed on the Rajput-

was underscored by the lack of specifi cations and

class destroyers.

drawings. Their effort has not only led to successful import substitution and helped in accruing valuable

Type-I5 Battery for Submarines

savings to the exchequer, but has also promoted

Prior to taking up this project, only one developed

local industry, particularly the Micro, Small and

source existed for the supply of Type-I Battery5

Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which have gained

for EKM submarines, namely, M/s Exide India. In

the confi dence and maturity to meet the requisite

order to eliminate a monopoly situation, a second

standards of the defence industry and, particularly,

source for Type-I Battery was planned. An order

the rather tough NES. The success of IU (E) in this

to develop four prototypes was thus placed on

regard has meant developing 406 items during the

M/s Hyderabad Batteries Ltd (HBL), on 22 March

period 2006 to 2010.7 The equipment includes

2007. The battery was successfully developed and

complete steering gear systems, valves, coolers,

the firm, becoming a second source of supply,

air treatment units (ATUs) and pumps for the

succeeded in not only eliminating monopoly but

Sindhughosh-class submarines and the Rajput-class creating competition and even reducing the ultimate

destroyers, apart from hundreds of types of smaller

price of the item.6

sub-components and general category spares.

LST(M) Capstan for Anchor

The Future

This seemingly simple, but technically challenging

piece of equipment with constraints of size, was

Plans are underway to create a much larger

successfully developed by M/s Geeta Engineering

indigenization organization aside from the DOI and

Works Pvt Ltd, Thane. It was delivered to the its two fi eld units. The aim is to take the business of Navy’s depot for spare stocks, relieving the Service

self-reliance to a ‘priority’ threshold. The proposal of import dependence.

for setting up a larger indigenization organization

on land offered by the Government of Karnataka

Cable Trunk for Torpedo

on lease, at Devanahalli village, on the outskirts

This is a critical item for the torpedoes and is a

of Bengaluru, was initially pursued. However,

consumable (during each fi ring). It was successfully consequent to introduction of new schemes like

developed by M/s Aero Marine, Mumbai.

the Technology Development Fund (TDF) and the

‘Make’ scheme under the ‘Make in India’ initiative

Products Developed by IUs

of the Government of India, a new blueprint has

IU(E) and IU(W) have both done commendable

been prepared. This demands a more regular and

development work, especially for Soviet era/

dynamic interaction between the Indian Navy’s

Russian-origin equipment/spares that were either

indigenization agencies and other stakeholders, like

out of production or required long lead times for

DRDO, MoD, DDP, etc. This plan calls for setting

5 Type I batteries are used on the Sindhughosh-class (Kilo) of supply, so as to retain competitiveness in cost and quality, submarines.

as also to ensure a steady fl ow of supply.

6 Usually, for critical items that may be required frequently or 7 By 2016 (a full decade since the establishment of DOI and in large numbers, the aim is to develop (at least) two sources IUs), this fi gure had reached 3,944 items.

76

Blue Waters Ahoy!

up a ‘Centre for Indigenization and Self-Reliance’

Army and Indian Air Force as well, on a regular

at New Delhi.

basis. Further, a tri-Services vendor base is also

Additionally, the huge dividend achieved in our

being updated in consultation with industry

self-reliance initiatives in submarine construction

bodies like the Federation of Indian Chambers of

activities is also being tapped. Offi cers of the DOI are Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and CII.

also associated with various organizations engaged

Self-reliance and indigenization of critical

in submarine construction/development, in order

‘defence’ equipment and technology is not only

to obtain the benefi ts of new items that could have

desirable, but essential for India to maintain

common usage in the existing and new platforms.

strategic autonomy and meet its security and

Over the last couple of years, the DOI has

developmental needs. Dedicated efforts, motivated

interacted with a large cross-section of units in

by a prescient vision towards the same, have

India’s industrial establishment and has developed

steadily been made in the previous decade and will

a vendor base (of over 106 industries till December

continue to be made in the years to come.

2010). This list is being shared with the Indian

Indigenization Efforts

77

78

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Prologue

During the decade 2001–10, India saw its Navy

Indian Navy ships and aircraft providing mitigation

being actively deployed in various roles—military,

and relief material not only on Indian shores but

constabulary, diplomatic and benign. This section

also to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives.

chronicles the various operations the Indian Navy

Similarly, Non-combatant Evacuation Operations

undertook during the aforementioned decade. At

(NEOs) such as the audacious evacuation of

the turn of the century, and hot on the heels of

Indians from war-torn Beirut (Lebanon) under

combat deployment during Operation Vijay, the

Operation Sukoon during the deadly conflict

Indian Navy once again found itself deployed on a

between Israel and Hezbollah in July 2006, won

war footing during Operation Parakram in 2002.

the Navy accolades from all quarters. The Navy has

This was a fallout of India’s response in the wake

also been on a continuous and effective anti-piracy

of the attack on India’s Parliament in December

patrol since September 2008 off the Somali coast

2001. The section also covers combing operations

and particularly in the Gulf of Aden.

by naval commandoes during the 26/11 attack

Navies are known to be effective when they

launched by Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai.

are capable of performing any task, anytime,

In December 2004, the Navy carried out its

anywhere. That capability requires experience and largest Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster

development of operational skills. The Indian Navy

Relief (HADR) operation in the aftermath of the

can easily be counted amongst the most ‘effective’

devastating tsunami. The relief operations saw

maritime forces in this respect.

80

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

Operations Sagittarius and

Parakram

Protecting Vital Assets and Exercising Sea Control

I. Operation Sagittarius

Background

twenty-fi rst century. The United States decided to

invade Afghanistan only after they realized they were The 11 September 2001 attack on the World

not going to get Bin Laden on mutually agreeable

Trade Towers, USA, for which the Osama bin

terms. Afghanistan eventually had to face the wrath

Laden-led Al-Qaeda had owned responsibility,

of the combined forces of over 40 countries.

sent shockwaves not just through the affected

country but the entire world. The audacity and

The Indian Angle

brutality of the attacks were clear indicators that

subversive elements and non-state actors were

Though the American forces brought overwhelming

capable of attacks well beyond the defi nition of a

fi repower upon Afghanistan, the ‘War on Terror’

localized skirmish.

was also a coalition-based campaign that involved

men and material from various countries. The

A Landmark Response

initial American request to India for providing

troops was not heeded since India saw this as a

In response, US President George H.W. Bush

matter that did not involve her directly.

announced Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)1 in

The next part of the American request3 was

October 2001. The ensuing 13 year-long operation2

to allow use of Indian territory for launching

(with continued after-ops) has shaped the political

operations against Afghanistan. Coordinating

(and, some might argue, social) landscape of the

operations in Afghanistan, either from land, air or

majority of the world for the first decade of the

sea, was challenging because of the great distance

1 Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) is the offi cial name used 2 On 28 December 2014, the Obama administration announced by the US Government for its global war on terror . The war the end of OEF-A. A much reduced military presence now on Afghanistan was, technically, thus OEF-A, although it was operates in Afghanistan under Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

OEF’s fi rst campaign.

3 These requests even involved visits of special envoys to India.

involved between the belligerents. Having India as Lending a Hand

a base would substantially reduce the logistics load.

Acceding to such a request, however, was fraught

Accordingly, IHQ MoD (N) conveyed the readiness

with several diplomatic pitfalls as India was a part

of the Indian Navy to undertake Operation

of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM),4 and valued

Sagittarius with the terms as mentioned below:

political independence.

Seeking Alternatives

Indian Naval ships will operate

•

independently under the command

of Indian Navy.

Op Enduring Freedom was, notwithstanding

The US Navy will indicate the merchant

India’s apprehensions, serving fruitful ends. The

•

ship to be escorted and time and place

US Navy requested the Indian Navy to escort its

of rendezvous (R/V).5

high-value shipping through the Malacca Strait

One Indian Naval ship will be

and beyond, for three to six months. The issue was

•

operationally deployed for the task

also discussed during the meeting of the Indo–US

for a 30-day (or as required) cycle.

Defence Policy Group held in New Delhi from

The Indian Naval ship will initially

3–4 December 2001.

•

replenish fuel and stores at Port Blair,

The IHQ MoD (N)’s proposal of joint patrolling

prior to the deployment, with

to support the US-led operation was found to give the subsequent OTRs at Kelang/Penang

Indian Navy a fair number of advantages such as:

(in Malaysia), and Singapore as

• Practical opportunities for operational

necessary.

experience in escorting high-value targets in

a realistic scenario.

• Extend our areas of operation into the

Malacca Strait and beyond.

Op Sagittarius was small in size and short in

• Extend operational deployment of Indian

duration, but lasting in terms of implications. The

Naval ships with Operational Turn Around

nation handled the whole situation very well, both

(OTR) as necessary.

diplomatically as well as militarily. The Indian

• Keep the eastern and western approach to

Navy, on its part, had once again acted in support

Malacca Strait under continuous surveillance.

of good order at sea and on land.

4 Two key requirements of the NAM in this respect are or political independence of any country.

abstention from intervention or interference in the internal 5 R/V is short for ‘Rendezvous’—the naval parlance for meeting affairs of another country, and refraining from acts or threats of ships at sea at a pre-determined place and time.

of aggression or the use of force against the territorial integrity 82

Blue Waters Ahoy!

II. Operation Parakram (December 2001–October 2002) Backdrop

Naval Deployments

On 13 December 2001, terrorists from the Lashkar-

Op Parakram saw the Indian Navy mobilize in

e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad groups, aided and

vast numbers in a compressed time frame. The

abetted by Pakistan, launched a dastardly attack on

naval fl eet was heavily deployed across the North

the Indian Parliament. The fi ve terrorists managed

Arabian Sea, establishing sea control in the region

to kill seven people before they were shot down by

of immediate interest for the better part of the year.

Indian security personnel.

All this was done with full war complement by

a force raring to go with its integral helicopters.

Mass Mobilization

The Eastern Fleet crossed coast to enhance the

punch on the Western seaboard while hard-talking

As a retaliatory fallout, Op Parakram was initiated

dominated the diplomatic circles. The aircraft

on 25 December 2001. On receiving approval from

carrier, INS Viraat, was also deployed with full air the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), a full-complement of fi ghter aircraft as the Indian Navy

scale mobilization of Armed Forces was undertaken

effectively controlled the waters adjacent to its

for the fi rst time since the 1971 Indo–Pak war. By

erring neighbour.

January 2002, troop and platform deployments had

been effected across the three domains, viz. air, land An Apt Show of Strength

and sea. The military stand-off on the International

Border (IB) between India and Pakistan resulted in

Op Parakram demonstrated the Indian Navy’s

amassing of troops on either side, along the Line of

capability of executing an aggressive foreign

Control (LOC) and the IB.

policy through calibrated presence and tactical

manoeuvring of the Fleet. It also signified the

De-escalation

ability of the Western Fleet to remain poised ‘in

station’ for an extended period of time, sending a

The Armed Forces were on high alert for almost

strong message globally. In fact, the return of the

10 months till 16 October 2002. Thereafter,

Fleet to Mumbai harbour was covered extensively

the units were strategically relocated, although

by the media, highlighting its role as a stabilizing

a constant vigil was maintained. Tensions de-

force in the region. In fact, Pakistan’s subsequent

escalated following diplomatic mediation which

willingness to come to the negotiating table and

resulted in both sides mutually agreeing to reduce

temper its rhetoric was largely due to the resolve

their forces in the general area and Pakistan

shown by the nation through such posturing.

committing to not let any part of their territory be used by terrorists.

Operations Sagittarius and Parakram

83

2

Indian Navy’s Response

to the 2004 Tsunami

Setting a New Precedent

Tsu-nami1, Japanese for ‘harbour waves’, caught ever observed, between 8 to 10 minutes, the

the coastal populace of the Andaman & Nicobar

earthquake caused the entire planet to vibrate

Islands (ANI), the Southern States (particularly

as much as 1cm (0.4 inches) and triggered other

Tamil Nadu), and South-east Asia completely

earthquakes as far away as Alaska.4 While the

unaware, when it struck at 0759 hrs2 on the fateful

earthquake occurred at approximately 0620 hrs

morning of 26 December 2004. It was triggered by

IST, the tsunami travelled fast and furiously, taking an earthquake whose epicentre was off the west

between 15 minutes and 7 hours, to strike the ill-

coast of northern Sumatra (approximately 03°42’

fated coastlines of 14 countries, claiming the lives

North, 95° East, i.e., approximately 200nm south-

of over 2 lakh people. Indonesia was the hardest-

southeast of Indira Point) and was later recorded

hit, followed by Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives and

as the third largest earthquake ever, hitting a

Thailand. The worst-affected places in India were

violent mark of 9.0 on the Richter3 Scale. A repeat

the ANI, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

occurrence was reported at 0953 hrs in location

The retreating waves not only carried entire

6.9 °N 92° 56’ E, i.e., 53nm south-southwest of

villages into the sea, but also claimed the lives

Indira Point. With the longest duration of faulting

of innumerable people who ventured seaward

1 Tsunami or harbour waves are high-frequency low-amplitude waves 2 See www.britanicca.com/event/Indian-Ocean-tsunami-generated by seismic activity on the ocean fl oor, vertically displacing of-2004, accessed on 22 July 2018.

the overlaying water in the ocean. The fi rst recorded tsunami in India 3See https://sos.noaa.gov/datasets

was on New Year’s Eve in 1881. This was caused by an earthquake earthquakes-2001-2015/, accessed on 12 September

that measured 7.5 on the Richter Scale, with its epicentre believed to 2018.

have been above the sea and just off the shoreline of Car Nicobar. The last recorded tsunami in India had occurred on 26 June 1941, caused 4 As per NASA imagery and model calculations,

by an earthquake that exceeded 8.5 on the Richter Scale. It extensively the tsunami should have, mathematically speaking,

damaged the Andaman Islands. Though not documented, folklore in decreased the length of the day by 2.68 microseconds

Car Nicobar has it that a tsunami had also occurred 99 years ago i.e., ( s e e h t t p s : / / w w w. j p l . n a s a . g o v / n e w s / n e w s .

at the very beginning of the twentieth century (perhaps in 1905).

php?feature=716, accessed on 12 September 2018).

unassumingly, having never seen the waters retreat

Major cracks, over a length of about 100m, were

this much.

reported on the Port Blair runaway. The remaining

Va r i o u s l y n a m e d a s t h e ‘ S o u t h A s i a n length of the runway was cleared for operation of

Tsunami’, ‘Indonesian Tsunami’, ‘Christmas

Dornier, AN 32, IL 76 and Boeing 737 aircraft. All

Tsunami’ and the ‘Boxing Day Tsunami’, in India, it

Naval and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships were

affected more than 2,250km of coastline, causing an

safe, but MV Teal and MV Kalapani had capsized/

overall mortality count of 12,405 and displacement

sunk at Port Blair. Amongst all the islands in the

of 6,47,599 in the ANI, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra

ANI, and in terms of ‘military strategic assets’,

Pradesh and Puducherry. Due to its proximity to the

probably the worst destruction was suffered by

epicentre, the otherwise tranquil and picturesque

the Car Nicobar Island—753 personnel lost their

Andamans archipelago, with its chain of 572 islands,

lives, 264 people were injured and 370 went

particularly bore the brunt of the tsunami. The

missing as the monstrous waves ravaged the

islands lost 3,513 lives even as the entire island chain island. All Service personnel and their families at

tipped approximately between 1 and 1.5m.5

Port Blair and surrounding areas were safe. At Air

Force Station Carnic, however, 65 IAF personnel Affected Areas

and families were lost to the carnage. Damage

at Car Nicobar was assessed at `150 crore of

Indonesia. Close as it was to the epicentre of the Government property and `15 crore of private

earthquake, Indonesia was the worst affected

property.6

by the tsunami. The initial input revealed that

approximately 30,000 people had lost their lives.

Sri Lanka. Flooding was reported by Sri Lanka

However, such was the enormity of the catastrophe,

in Colombo, Galle, Trincomalee and Jaffna. The

that it soon engulfed neighbouring countries.

naval base at Galle suffered one of the worst hits.

Naval jetties at Kankesanturai and Trincomalee

ANI. Port facilities of civil commercial/passenger were also damaged. About 2,000 people were

terminals were devastated. Damage to buildings

feared to have lost their lives in Sri Lanka. With

was reported at Port Blair and Campbell Bay.

a number of Sri Lankan military units and bases

along the coast adversely affected, it was appreciated that it would not be possible for the Sri Lankan

Armed Forces alone to manage the disaster/relief

operations. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka declared

a national emergency and requested the Indian High

Commissioner for assistance from India.

The Maldives. Initially, no contact could be

established with the Indian High Commission,

and it was appreciated that large parts of the

capital, Male, and all its facilities were inundated

MV Teal capsized within the dry dock at Port Blair with the waves.

5 Report by Directorate of Naval Operations, IHQ MoD (N) 6 Air Cmde Nitin Sathe, A Few Good Men & The Angry Sea: Tsunami 2004, The IAF Story, Vitasta Publications, 2015, p. 91.

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

85

Coast of Mainland India. Considerable loss of life immediate fi rst aid, provision of food, water

and damage were reported along the Andhra Pradesh,

and clothing, disposal of dead bodies and

Tamil Nadu and (some parts of) Kerala coastline.

evacuation of people to safety.

• Phase II. This focussed on supply of provisions

Indian Navy to the Rescue

for the various relief camps, prevention

of outbreak of epidemics, rehabilitation

The deadly trail that the killer waves left behind had of displaced personnel, salvage and debris

no precedence in the recorded history of natural

clearance, hydrographic surveys to reopen

disasters. The Indian Navy promptly deployed its

ports and harbours, medical aid, drinking water

ships for concurrent search and rescue and immediate

facilities with portable RO plants, provision of

relief including medical aid and rehabilitation

generators and restoration of infrastructure.

programs, not only along the affected Indian

• Phase III. This phase was intended to enable

coastline, but foreign lands as well. In all, 32 ships, sustainment of operations after the initial

eight aircraft, 21 helicopters and over 5,500 personnel effort. Since a large amount of material and

were mobilized by the Navy, for its biggest peacetime stores had to be supplied, in addition to INS

mission ever. On the whole, HQIDS coordinated the

Jyoti, two ships taken up from trade (STUFT)

disaster relief by all Armed Forces. Relief operations were mobilized for conveying additional stores

by the Navy were coordinated from the War Room at

and petroleum oils and lubricants (POL)

IHQ MoD (N). The Duty Commander, War Room,

to Port Blair and Car Nicobar. Supply of

was the single point of contact for all stakeholders

additional stores, medical support and allied

and relief agencies. Humanitarian Assistance and

equipment was to be based on inputs from

Disaster Relief (HADR) operations were planned in

ships already deployed in various areas.

three parts.

• Operations Rainbow West and East were

Command and Control

planned for the west and east coasts of Sri

Lanka by the Southern Naval Command

Both the operational Commands, viz. the ENC and

(SNC) and Eastern Naval Command (ENC),

the WNC were charged with the responsibility of

respectively, subsequently supported by

undertaking immediate and effective rescue and

Western Naval Command (WNC).

relief operations. The ENC was tasked to handle

• Operation Madad was to be executed by ENC

operations on the entire east coast of India, affected for relief operations for the east coast of India

areas of Sri Lanka and Indonesia, and provide

and the ANI.

resources in terms of platforms and relief material

• Operation Castor was to be executed by

to the Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC), as

WNC, for relief operations for the Maldives.

well as the mounting base7 at Chennai. In similar

fashion, various units were mobilized from WNC

Operations were divided into three phases.

as well, to render assistance on the west coast of Sri

• Phase I. This phase primarily focussed on

Lanka in addition to rescue and salvage efforts in the locating survivors, assessing damage, delivering

Maldives, Indonesia and the Andamans.

7 Chennai Port is the primary port for cargo, logistics and even voluminous equipment, it is Chennai which is nominated as personnel/families moving to Port Blair. In the event of any the mounting base for such operational logistics to be conveyed contingency requiring movement of Armed Forces/heavy and by naval or leased merchant vessels.

86

Blue Waters Ahoy!

ENC. Assets of ENC were utilized for HADR on restoration. For Command and Control, an interim

both own and foreign shores. On the east coast, the

organization was established as follows:

entire affected area from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh

• Integrated Relief Command (IRC): This was

till Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu was divided into

set up immediately after the tsunami, under the

sea areas corresponding to the boundaries of

chairmanship of the Lt Governor of ANI. The

coastal districts. Naval authorities, both shore-

Commander-in-Chief Andaman & Nicobar

based and afl oat, were designated for coordination

Command (CINCAN) was its Vice Chairman,

in each area. A core-planning and execution team

operational head and spokesperson.8 Due to the

was set up and all operational authorities were

effi ciency and total control by this organization,

directed to prepare to sail out ships at short notice.

many precious lives were saved and a greater

All dockyards/repair yards changed their work

death toll averted.

regimen to war-like routine and naval aircraft

• Island Integrated Relief Organization (IIRO):

were brought to instant notice. Full mobilization of

Sub-groups formed the Island Integrated Relief

manpower was ordered. INHS Kalyani (the naval Organization (IIRO) at Little Andamans, Car

hospital at Visakhapatnam) was tasked to set up

Nicobar, Nancowry and Great Nicobar, to

medical camps with medical staff being earmarked

search for survivors by land, sea and air effort

for various geographical areas. A contingency

over a period of one month after the tsunami.

reaction cell was set up at Material Organization,

The Navy positioned at least one ship with a

Visakhapatnam (MO [V]), manned 24 hours a day

helicopter onboard, near each of the island

for the duration of the relief operations.

groups to render immediate assistance as any

need arose. A total of 11,725 people were

WNC. The scope of relief operations for the WNC

evacuated and 8,500 were given first aid in

extended from the Maldives (Op Castor), the west

the fi rst three weeks itself.9

coast of Sri Lanka (Op Rainbow [West]), ANI

(Operation Seawaves) and Indonesia (Operation

Operational Logistics

Gambhir). Though the carnage was much more

substantial on the east coast and the ANI, the WNC

Mainland. Rendering aid and relief to such a large had its hands full as it had mobilized vast resources population demanded a huge amount of prompt

for HADR on both its own and foreign shores.

support from the Logistics Department of each

The hospitals INHS Asvini and Sanjeevani played a Command. Provision of large quantities of drinking

pivotal role in medical relief in terms of both providing water, food articles, bedding material, medical

medical personnel as well as medicines. INS Nirdeshak supplies and portable generators in the initial stages, was converted into a makeshift Field Hospital Ship.

resulted in the basic necessities being met promptly

and in adequate quantities. This was followed by

ANC. Being the worst affected, the ANC also

building material, which took the relief operations

suffered from a serious void in assets and logistical to the next logical step of rehabilitation support.

support. Therefore, a majority of the assistance in

The logistics support organization was activated

terms of platforms, stores and mitigation efforts

immediately after the tragedy. HQENC, the

had to be mobilized from the ENC and from

Base Victualling Yard (BVY) and the Material

the Indian Air Force to provide SAR, relief and

Organization (MO) at Visakhapatnam formed the

8 Sathe, A Few Good Men & The Angry Sea, p. 91.

9 Ibid.

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

87

primary network of logistics support on the eastern Public Works Department (APWD) and Army’s

front while HQWNC, BVY (Mumbai) and MO

engineer teams. Similarly, beaching sites were created, (Mumbai) fulfi lled the logistical requirements on

proved and effi ciently utilized at Tarasa Island.

the west coast. Logistics Support Cells were also

An inventory management system was set up

established at both Commands. Each Cell comprised

at Haddo Wharf, Port Blair, through the collective

two to three officers with at least one officer

efforts of civil and military offi cials. Logistics chains manning it round the clock, to enable uninterrupted

at INS Utkrosh, Air Force Station Car Nicobar and coordination with the Maritime Operations Centre

various other locations in the ANI were upgraded

(MOC) for prompt provisioning, receipt and loading

to ensure optimization and proper distribution

of relief material on board ships for dispatch to

of supplies. Critical material for the intermediate

various nodes. Since everything was not available

shelters was airlifted from various destinations in

(in the desired quantities) at the depots/store houses, the country by the heavy lift IL-76 aircraft to the

provisions had to be gathered from various markets

Islands. Similarly, other items were transported

and contractors at short notice.

from Visakhapatnam, Chennai and Kolkata by

Numerous shops and water-bottling plants

naval ships.

had to be opened in the middle of the night while

several ration items had to be sourced from

HADR Operations on Own Shores

Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore,

Bangalore, Kolkata and as far as Ludhiana in

Operation Madad

Punjab. Transport operators had to be persuaded

The tsunami proved to be a litmus test for the ENC

to provide supplies to the coastal areas as they were in terms of the preparation and organizational

unwilling to go there.

capability over such an enormous and dispersed

area. Op Madad was initiated to provide relief and

ANI. Logistics Cells were set up with dual charter, rescue operations all along the east and west coasts

viz. to serve the integrated relief and rehabilitation of peninsular India, as well as in the ANI. Several

efforts and to project all requirements to the

ships and aircraft were deployed for assistance along Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Incoming

the Indian coastline. All aircraft available at INS

material was stocked at Naval Air Station (NAS),

Dega and Rajali and NAS Ramanathapuram (NAS

INS Utkrosh, at Port Blair, Air Force Station at Car Ramnad) were made ready. Ships’ boats and Geminis Nicobar, INS Kardip, at Kamorta Island, and, at the were utilized to reach creeks and also to provide

Coast Guard District Headquarters at Campbell

diving assistance/transfer of stores ashore. Apart from Bay. Since big ships could only dock at Port Blair

their own boats, the ships also carried medical stores and only limited number of ships were available

ex-INHS Kalyani, divers and additional Geminis ex-for inter-island movement, commodities had to be

CCDT(V) and MARCOS ex-INS Kalinga.

broken up into smaller parcels for moving to each

Most of the ships were provided with OTR

island by various means of water/air transport.

at Chennai. During OTR, disaster relief material

Ship-to-shore movement remained the most

was also loaded. After providing the initial relief

challenging task for trans-shipment of supplies,

operation, ships were ordered to proceed to the ANI.

vehicles and equipment. A marine hard (a generic

Aircraft from INS Dega and Rajali and NAS

term used to denote a cemented or concrete patch

Ramnad were made ready. Kamov helicopters

for miscellaneous purposes) was constructed at

undertook aerial recce in the coastal areas. Chetaks

Campbell Bay with participation of the Andamans

were ferried to various districts in Andhra Pradesh

88

Blue Waters Ahoy!

in consonance with the requirements of the State Nagapattinam. The ship’s team operationalized

administration authorities. A Chetak was ferried

the communication sets at Naval Detachment

to Suryalanka for aerial survey of Nellore district.

(NAVDET) Nagapattinam and established

Another Chetak carried out photo reconnaissance

communication with Khanjar. A mobile medical

off Visakhapatnam and Kakinada fi shing harbours.

team carried out medical assistance at Sri Perumal

Chetaks also carried out aerial reconnaissance

and Neeladhati temples, Velanganni Church and

of Krishna, Prakasam and Srikakulam districts.

Nagore Mosque. The ship also set up a medical Islander aircraft were used for aerial survey

camp at Nagapattinam and the camp was shifted

along the coastline and to ferry aircrew to Rajali to Nagore later. Chetak-414 ex-NAS Ramnad was and Adyar. TU 142 aircraft were used for aerial positioned at the police grounds for mobilization

reconnaissance of the ANI.

of relief efforts and air reconnaissance.

INS

Ranjit, along with SDB 57, thereafter Relief Operations in Tamil Nadu. Initially, INS

augmented the relief operations. The ships set up

Khanjar, SDB 57 and SDB 58 were the fi rst to be medical camps and provided sorties for ferrying

deployed for the relief operations. Khanjar—sailing personnel. Approximately 3,100 patients were

with a medical team, medical stores, fi ve divers,

treated at Nagapattinam. INS Khukri and INS

one Gemini and four MARCOS embarked—was

Sukanya were already in Chennai harbour on 26

the fi rst ship to reach the worst-affected area off

December 2004 for a planned day-at-sea, for cadets

Asset-deployment in the ANI

Ships: On an average, in the fi rst six weeks, 14 to 16 warships were deployed at any given time. They transported construction material from the mainland as well as between the islands.

Further, heavy engineering equipment, including 57 special vehicles, were transported by Indian Naval ships in a total of 109 voyages.

Air Traffi c: There was an exponential increase in air traffi c with a record 94 planes landing or taking off from Port Blair Airport on 31 December 2004, compared to a maximum of 10–12

fl ights a day. Between 27 and 31 December 2004 and during the month of January 2005, 30 to 80

sorties were handled each day at INS Utkrosh, Port Blair. By 30 April 2005, a total of 1,477 air sorties had been undertaken in the Islands, wherein 1,860 tons of stores were airlifted—a record in itself—whether in disaster relief operations, or any other contingency, in India.

Stores: The quantum of stores procured, transported and distributed during this HADR operation was massive. Based on the requirements projected by HQ ANC, 25 tons of packaged water and 29 portable generator sets (gensets) were procured at Visakhapatnam on the night of 26–27

December 2004. A total of approximately 150 tons of potable water was distributed during the operation and 2,800 tons of essential supplies, 5,700 personnel, 57 vehicles, engineering and plant equipment were moved and trans-shipped, to or from, the Southern Group of Islands.

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

89

of the Offi cers Training Academy (OTA), Chennai.

and Kodikarai were provided with material and

Khukri sailed on 26 December, with relief supplies manpower support, including electrical and

embarked, and arrived off Cuddalore the next

mechanical expertise to improve habitability.

day. A helicopter was provided to the ship, in the

They were also provided with drinking water,

afternoon of 27 December. INS Ranjit and Khukri clothes, cleaning gear, bleaching powder, portable

subsequently carried out relief operations along

generators for providing electricity and portable

the Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Puducherry

pumps to remove salt water from the wells.

coasts. Searches were carried out off Cuddalore, as

The NOIC (Tuticorin) coordinated relief efforts

requested by the district administration, and a few

in south Tamil Nadu, liaising with MOC Chennai

missing boats were located. Subsequently, Khukri

and MOC Kochi. A 22-member naval team,

was ordered to proceed to Chennai for OTR, prior

including a medical group and ambulance were

to its detachment for Op Gambhir in Indonesia.

dispatched, by road, to Kanyakumari, for SAR and

Islander aircraft were utilized to ferry medical

medical aid in Kottilpadu, Colachel, Muttom and

supplies to NAS Ramnad as well as to Chennai

Azhikal villages of Kanyakumari district. INFAC

for onward transfer by ships to Indonesia. Chetak

T-84 was deployed for SAR along the coastline off sorties were undertaken to replenish medical stocks

Kanyakumari, Tuticorin and Colachel. Over 700

on ships and aerial reconnaissance for the press

families were evacuated and housed at Tuticorin

teams. Chetak-414 ferried fi re offi cers and helped

Port Trust Building, to be then looked after by

control a major fi re at Akkirapattai, Tamil Nadu.

NOIC (Tuticorin).

INS Ranjit was stationed as helicopter control A diving team carried out the removal of

ship (HCS) off Nagapattinam and controlled all

fi shing nets that had fouled bridge support pillars

fl ying that was being undertaken in the area. The

in Vettar River (near Velankanni). Gemini was

Nagapattinam Police Parade Ground was converted

made available to the local police authorities for

into a makeshift helipad for support operations.

reaching the inaccessible areas to remove dead

INS

Ranvijay, with a Chetak embarked, operated

bodies in Vellar River and off Nagapattinam.

off Ramayapatnam. The ship set up a medical

Extensive diving operations were undertaken

camp initially at Pallepalyam village and thereafter

by two teams in Chennai, Nagapattinam, Vellar

shifted the camp to Krishnapatnam followed by

River, Kollam, and Visakhapatnam, for underwater

an additional one at Durgarajpatnam. On 29

videography, salvage/clearance of underwater

December 2004, Ranvijay shifted the medical camp obstructions including ropes, anchors and chain

to Tuplipaliyam. A medical camp was also set up

cables, assessment of underwater damage to jetty

at Gangapatinam. INS Sharabh rendered disaster piers, and for assistance in immediate repairs to

relief operations off Maipadu, Muthukur and

a fl oating crane. In Kollam, 19 dead bodies were

Midrevur near the Krishnapatnam port.

recovered in response to an urgent request received

NOIC (TN) deployed all available ships of his

from the State Government.

fl otilla off the Tamil Nadu coast. SDBs operated off N i n e m e d i c a l c a m p s w e r e s e t u p i n Pulicat and Nagapattinam. Boats of the NAVDET

Nagapattinam, Kanyakumari and Kollam

carried out SAR operations in the Palk Bay and off

districts where, approximately 6,800 people were

Pulicat Light.

treated. Over 45 tons of relief supplies, including

The NAVDETS at Nagapattinam, Thopputhurai

provisions, blankets, tents, sheets, gensets, clothing 90

Blue Waters Ahoy!

and medicines were provided.10 Medical camps set Sorties by Kamov helicopters along the coast

up along the coast treated more than a thousand

from Machlipatnam to Visakhapatnam through

people, every day. While INS Magar and Jyoti Sacramento, Antravedi, Goguleru Creek, Kakinada

provided logistical support to ships deployed in

and Pudimadaka revealed intense water logging

relief ops, Darshak, Sandhayak and Nirupak not and a large number of fishing craft were swept

only contributed directly in the initial disaster relief up to 1km inland. Upon completion, Ranjit

operations, but also served as hospital ships and

proceeded to Nizampatnam to rendezvous (R/V)

carried out survey of various channels, ports and

Kirch. On 28 December 2004, a medical camp was coastlines in the affected areas.

established in the fi shing harbour at Nizampatnam

Islander aircraft were utilized to ferry medical

Bay and 700 patients were treated. Kamov sorties

supplies from NAS Ramnad to Chennai, for

were undertaken in adjoining areas in search of

onward transfer by ships, to Indonesia.

marooned fi shermen and their trawlers. The Kamov

Sorties by Chetak, Kamov 25 and Kamov 28

of Ranjit was disembarked to INS Dega on 28

helicopters were carried out to various districts of

December and a Chetak helicopter was provided

Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Naval aircraft

to the ship, in lieu. Thereafter, Ranjit proceeded to were also positioned at INS Rajali and INS Dega, Nagapattinam and Kirch was detached to Chennai as necessary, to meet the civil administration’s

for Operational Turn Around (OTR). Food and

requirements. Helicopters were used to drop food

medical facilities were provided at the relief camps

packets in addition to the SAR missions. Chetaks

set up in Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and

were also utilized for replenishing stocks of

Nellore districts.

medicines on ships and at various camps, as the

On 28 December, Ranvijay set up a medical

consumption rate at the camps set up by the ships

camp at Nellore at the request of the District

was very high.

Collector and Kirch set up a medical camp at the Nizampatnam fi shing harbour. INS Sharabh, on Relief Operations in Andhra Pradesh. INS Ranjit,

return passage to Visakhapatnam on completion of

Ranvijay, Kirch, Khukri and Sharabh, as well Defence of Gujarat Exercise (DGX), was diverted

as naval helicopters, were deployed along the

to proceed for relief operations off Nellore. INS

Andhra coast. The ships carried medical supplies

Rajput sailed for relief operations off the Andhra and diving teams. Their boats and Geminis

Coast and was later diverted to Port Blair.

were utilized to reach creeks and provide diving

assistance/transfer of stores ashore. Over 1,000

Operation Madad/Operation Seawaves:

people were provided with medical assistance

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

in various camps set up in the Andhra Pradesh

And thus, concurrent with Op Madad, Op

(AP) region. Diving assistance was provided to

Seawaves was also launched, aimed at focussed

Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) for searching

relief operations in the distressed ANI. Sixteen

and marking of two sunken boats, which had

ships, nine helicopters and two aircraft were

capsized and blocked the channel.

deployed exclusively for carrying out HADR

INS Ranjit was positioned off Antervedi on the operations in the ANI. Over 234 tons of relief

morning of 27 December 2004 and commenced

supplies, including provisions, blankets, medicines,

relief operations off east Godavari district.

packaged water, gensets, portable RO plants and

10 Quoted from the presentation by Air Commodore Nitin Sathe at DSSC Wellington.

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

91

clothing were supplied. Fourteen relief camps were landed 102 troops of 18 MLI to re-establish road

set up at Nancowry and Great Nicobar Islands with

link from Mus harbour to Carnic air field and

a strength of 9,385 people. Over 3,000 people were

delivered packed food, provisions, medicines and

evacuated from various islands by naval ships and

stores to Air Force station Carnic on 27 December

aircraft. In addition, the Air Force evacuated a

2004 by LCAs. On 28 December, extensive LCA

total of 6,573 people to Port Blair and 1,218 were

operations were undertaken to disembark the men

transported to the mainland.11

and stores from the ships to Mus harbour. A total

On 26 December, INS Gharial was on transit

of 37 Army troops, 175 blankets, 13 tents, 3 tons

from Tuticorin to Port Blair for de -induction of

of victualling stores from INS Kumbhir; and 133

troops of the 18 Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) of

IRB personnel, 40 packets of medicine, 8 tons of

the Indian Army along with their vehicles, when

dry provisions, 200kg clothing from INS Cheetah

it was diverted to Car Nicobar. Gharial was the and six evacuees from MV Nicotrade and MV

fi rst naval ship to arrive for relief operations at Car Bay Island were also transferred to Mus harbour.

Nicobar. Sharabh, which was on return passage Air Force launched parallel HADR operations

to Visakhapatnam on completion of Defence of

involving both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

Gujarat Exercise (DGX 2004), provided relief at

Over 300 tons of rations were transferred by 352

Nellore before carrying out OTR Visakhapatnam.

MI-8 sorties and 160 MI-17 sorties. A total of 920

It embarked 193 tons of relief stores provided by

passengers were evacuated in 331 hours of fl ying.

the Government of Karnataka for the Andaman &

Fixed-wing aircraft of the IAF (IL 76 and AN 32)

Nicobar Administration, and 65 cartons of medical

evacuated 9,000 people and transferred 680 tons

supplies for INHS Dhanvantri at Port Blair. The of material in 300 sorties. Heavy-weight machines

ship was eventually directed to disembark all the

such as JCBs, vehicles and bulldozers were also

relief stores at Kamorta Island.

transported to the island.

INS

Magar with a Seaking 42C was deployed

Upon completion of its tasking, whilst

to the ANI on 27 December. On arrival the next

proceeding to Port Blair, Gharial was diverted to day, the ship launched the helicopter for aerial

Hut Bay for evacuation of personnel. Along with

reconnaissance and airdropped food, water and

Rajput and other ANC ships, she arrived at Hut relief material. The ship’s LCAs transferred more

Bay on 29 December. After initial reconnaissance,

than 14 tons of relief material to Katchall Island. It a suitable landing site was established close to the

also acted as a 120-bed, fl oating, mobile hospital

old broken jetty. Rajput evacuated 300 people during the relief operations. The ship carried out

from Hut Bay. Extensive LCA operations were

extensive relief operations at Chowra, Tarassa,

carried out by Gharial despite adverse weather Nancowry and Trinkat Islands, utilizing its LCAs

conditions, and 645 people were evacuated. One

and Seaking helicopter. It evacuated a total of

pregnant woman, amongst the three advanced-

1,283 survivors from Chowra Island to the Tarasa

pregnancy cases, evacuated from Hut Bay, delivered

Island Relief Camp. It also disembarked 6.4 tons her baby on board, making INS Gharial the fi rst of provisions, 300ltrs of water, 472 blankets, 433

IN ship to have conducted an emergency delivery

durries and 836 bed sheets at the Tarasa Relief

onboard a warship. The ship entered Port Blair for

Camp.

OTR on 30 December and after loading 60 tons

INS

Gharial anchored off Mus harbour and

of relief stores there, proceeded to Campbell Bay

11 Sathe’s presentation at DSSC, Wellington.

92

Blue Waters Ahoy!

to continue relief operations. The Seaking that items, and 500 composite bags from NGOs to depart

Magar was carrying, was transferred to Gharial.

for Port Blair on 4 January 2005. It also carried 18

Enroute to Campbell Bay, Gharial launched this tons of bottled mineral water. The forward and aft

Seaking off the Butler Bay to airdrop relief stores.

ballast tanks were cleaned and topped up with 40

Extensive helicopter operations were undertaken

tons fresh water. Approximately, 2,000 jerry cans

by Gharial’s Seaking on 2 January 2005, to were fi lled with fresh water during the ship’s passage.

airdrop stores at Nancowry group of islands

First-hand information on the nature of relief

and to evacuate stranded personnel from Gandhi

required and such related

Nagar (Great Nicobar Islands) to Campbell Bay.

information were obtained

INS Gharial , the fi rst

The following day, Gharial and Rajput evacuated from naval ships deployed naval ship to arrive

people from Gandhi Nagar. The Seaking helicopter

off Great Nicobar and for relief operations

and LCAs of Gharial and the Chetak helicopter Katchall. The relief stores at Car Nicobar, was

of Rajput were used extensively for evacuation of were landed at Gandhi also the fi rst IN ship

people and unloading of stores. Approximately

Nagar and Shastri Nagar, to have conducted an

250 people were evacuated from Gandhi Nagar to

near Indira Point. The ship

emergency delivery

the Campbell Bay helipad and 160 evacuees from

anchored off Campbell onboard a warship.

Rajput were shifted from anchorage to Campbell Bay on 7 January 2005

Bay jetty. On the same day, INS Cheetah transferred and commenced disembarkation of stores using

90 CRPF personnel, 18.5 tons of provisions and

helicopters, since no boats were available. Two

15 tarpaulins to Campbell Bay along with 8 tons

medical camps were set up in a Government Higher

of relief material, six IRS personnel with rations,

Secondary School and 822 patients were treated for

luggage and stores.

malaria, open wounds, blunt injuries and minor

On 4 January 2005, a total of 143 people were

ailments. Over 100 schoolchildren were vaccinated

evacuated from Gandhi Nagar to the Campbell Bay

against typhoid. The ship was also deployed east of

jetty, by Seaking. Two scientists from Campbell Bay

Campbell Bay for seaward security during the PM’s

were landed at Gandhi Nagar. Gharial thereafter visit on 8 January 2005.

arrived off Nancowry harbour PM 4 January 2005

The

Brahmaputra departed Campbell Bay on 13

and carried out LCA and helicopter operations

January 2005 and anchored in Nancowry harbour.

for disembarkation of stores. Seaking was also

Reconnaissance sorties were launched over Katchall

utilized for CASEVAC of a civilian in addition

Island and disembarkation of stores commenced

to evacuation and transfer of stores. The ship

by boat to Kamorta Islands. A relief medical camp

disembarked 28 tons of rice, 3 tons of sugar,

was set up in a building of the local church and it

320kg biscuits, 22 tarpaulins, 20 gas cylinders

dispensed assistance including medical aid, till 15

at Kardip and 1.5 tons of stores at Tarasa and

January 2005. A total of 243 patients were treated

thereafter departed for Visakhapatnam.

and 88 children were vaccinated against typhoid.

The WNC, on its part, dispatched INS

All water sources were chlorinated and the left-over

Brahmaputra (with two Chetak helicopters) from medicines were handed over to the representatives

Mumbai on 31 December 2004 for deployment in

of primary health centres at Campbell Bay and

the southern group of the ANI with a medical team,

Katchall Island.

relief material, Geminis and portable generators. The INS

Jyoti ferried 145 paramilitary personnel

ship arrived at Chennai on 3 January 2005 for OTR

for relief operations off Kamorta after which it

and embarked tinned provisions, refi ned oil, clothing sailed on 12 January 2005, for Port Blair with 113

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

93

paramilitary personnel. Being a fl eet tanker, Jyoti 65-member IN DART team consisted of mechanical

also provided logistical support to all the ships

and electrical technicians, carpentry and plumbing

operating at sea.

experts, telecommunication specialists, medical

INS

Darshak, Sandhayak (on completion of

personnel, hygienists and others. Extensive diving

Op Rainbow [East]) and Nirupak (on completion operations were undertaken for salvage, debris

of Op Gambhir) operated in the ANI, providing

clearance and underwater damage assessment at

survey effort, relief operations as well as medical

Galle and Trincomalee. The fi rst Naval Medical

aid through camps.

Team (that arrived in the Dornier mentioned

earlier) was deployed to Hambantota. The team

HADR Across the Seas

assisted the Sri Lankan Army in the safe disposal of

as many as 5,500 bodies. Thereafter, approximately

In addition to addressing issues on our own

34,000 people were treated by four Naval Medical

shores, the Indian Navy also promptly stepped

Teams at Galle, Trincomalee, Colombo, Batticalao

out to extend its support to other tsunami-

and Ampara. Over 435 tons of relief supplies

affected countries in the Indian Ocean Region

including 5.3 tons of medicines were handed over

by launching HADR operations across the seas.

to Sri Lanka by Indian Navy ships.

These consisted of Op Rainbow in Sri Lanka,

Op Castor in the Maldives and Op Gambhir in

Op Rainbow (East). On 26 December 2004,

Indonesia.

INS Sandhayak, which had been progressing

hydrographic task off Palk Bay, was recalled and

Operation Rainbow, Sri Lanka

diverted to Trincomalee for immediate disaster relief Sri Lanka bore, much like other coastal countries in

assistance. Meanwhile, INS Sukanya, along with INS

the region, the full fury of the tsunami. The speed of Khukri (both of which had entered Chennai with initial response by the Indian Navy was particularly

OTA cadets), were prepared for relief ops. Sukanya, noteworthy. By 1755 hrs on the day of the disaster

with a Chetak embarked, was loaded with relief

itself, IHQ MoD (N) had initiated Op Rainbow

material and sailed to Trincomalee. Sandhayak was (East) and Op Rainbow (West) (along with Op

the first ship to reach Sri Lanka when it entered

Madad and Castor). At 1926 hrs, the same day,

Trincomalee at 1430 hrs on 27 December 2004. By

the fi rst naval Dornier aircraft arrived at Sri Lankan the end of the day, it was joined by Sukanya.

Air Force Station Ratmalana with a relief team and On 27 December, Sukanya disembarked relief

750kg of medical relief supplies. This was the fi rst material in Trincomalee harbour and carried out

relief assistance of any type from any country to

survey of the harbour to confi rm clearance for safe

arrive in Sri Lanka.12 With the arrival of this relief navigation/normal harbour operations. The ship’s

material, an Indian Armed Forces Disaster Relief

survey motor boat, through extensive search, was

Co-ordination Center was established at the DA’s

able to successfully locate the harbour entrance

offi ce and functioned from 26 December 2004–31

boom nets and other uprooted harbour barriers.

January 2005.

Navigational hazards, including two shoals near

Two specialized Disaster Relief Teams

the Sri Lanka Navy Dockyard, were delineated/

(DART)—one each from the Indian Navy and the

marked on charts, and all navigational buoys that

Indian Army—were deployed in Sri Lanka. The

had got dislocated/adrift due to the tsunami were

12 As reported by Captain (now Rear Admiral) Suraj Berry, then Defence Adviser at the High Commission of India, Colombo.

94

Blue Waters Ahoy!

refi xed and redefi ned on navigational charts. These had sustained 80 per cent damage.

fi rst two respondents were subsequently relieved by

T h e r e l i e f t e a m w a s s u b d i v i d e d i n t o : INS Kirch and INS Ghorpad, which had carried rehabilitation and general repair group, medical

additional relief material.

group, technical support group, and logistics and

On 29 December 2004, Kirch, on disaster relief administration group. The ship’s crew assisted

operations off Nizampatnam, was dispatched

the villagers of Gopalpuram, Kaachuni, Vellore,

to Sri Lanka after a quick OTR and loading

Salli and Sambaltivu in clearing of debris and

of relief material at Chennai. It carried gensets, rehabilitation, provided necessary medical

electric cables, water cans, bed sheets and medical

assistance to the tsunami relief camps located in

supplies. On 1 January 2005, the ship’s medical

Nilaveli area and also technical support to SLNS

team proceeded to the Muttur medical camp

Vijayaba and the adjoining village in reconstruction and treated 300 patients. Over the next 10 days,

and restoration of the electric power supply. The

the medical team was deployed in Gopalpuram,

technical support team performed essential tasks

Nilaveli, Adampodai, China Bay, Sambaltheevu

like restoration of electrical supplies, repair of basic and Vellore refugee camps. This medical team

electrical equipment, OBMs and boat engines, and

attended to over 1,000 patients in six camps. The

minor repairs to woodwork.

complete responsibility of the three medical camps

The medical team set up mobile clinics in

at Gopalpuram, Adampodai and Periyakulam

the refugee camps at Muttur, Adampodai,

covering approximately 750 families was handed

Perinyakulam, Sambaltivu, Salli Kovil, Vellur,

over to Indian Navy medical teams by the district

Irakkandy, Gopalapuram and Gandhinagar

health authorities.

situated in the Nilaweli area and treated 2,308

The ship also formed two core relief teams each

patients. Measures were taken in the relief camps,

comprising of three offi cers and 25 sailors. Every

to prevent outbreak of epidemics. In addition, a

day, they visited the Sri Lankan Naval base SLNS

School Health Program was conducted in three

Vijayaba at Nilaveli from where they were deployed schools in Nilaweli area during which general

for relief operations. Another team of three offi cers medical examination was carried out and patients

and 10 sailors were sent to Kinniya Government

treated. The team also operationalized the sick bay

Hospital for restoration work where they helped

of SLNS Vijayaba.

with relocation of hospital facilities to an alternate On handing over of the fi rst relief load, Ghorpad site. The areas covered by the relief team included

was ordered to return to Chennai for embarking

Gopalpuram and Vellore. Over a period of 10 days,

further relief material. The ship entered Chennai on 3

the relief teams pumped out 27 wells, 4 bunkers and

January 2005 and embarked approximately 90 tons

cleared debris from over 30 houses.

of relief material including a consignment donated

Ghorpad sailed from Visakhapatnam on 30

by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), for

December 2004 with approximately 80 tons of relief

Point Pedro. The ship sailed out on 6 January 2005,

material and a team of seven offi cers and 58 sailors arriving in Trincomalee the following day.

from the Command along with a technical support

While the Indian ships’ crews were engaged

team and equipment from FMU (V) for setting up

in relief/restoration activity on a 24/7 basis, the

of an Indian Navy Relief Camp at Trincomalee. Like

Sri Lankan Navy’s FACs and IPCs continuously

Kirch, it too was tasked to assist the Sri Lankan patrolled the Trincomalee harbour. Two boats

Navy in rehabilitation and reconstruction of SLNS

armed with 12.7mm HMGs and 7.62mm MMGs

Vijayaba, located 18km north of Trincomalee which patrolled the vicinity of the ships throughout the

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

95

night. The Sri Lankan Navy provided waterfront

Sutlej and Sarvekshak operated two medical security. Five to six armed sentries and two provost

camps in Galle and treated about 9,000 patients.

sailors were always on guard on the jetty.

Several naval helicopters were deployed to ferry

relief teams. These teams assisted in restoring the

Op Rainbow (West). This operation was primarily District Hospital to near normalcy, in coordination

conducted by assets from the Navy’s west coast

with the District Medical Offi cer.

and, as the name suggests, maximized its efforts

INS

Aditya entered Colombo on 31 December

on the west coast of Sri Lanka. As Sandhayak and 2004. Approximately 16.8 tons of relief material

Sukanya reached Trincomalee, Sharda and Sutlej consisting of victuals, tentages and water was

made their way to Galle.

handed over to the local authorities. In addition,

The south-western port of Galle was particularly

a medical team comprising of seven doctors and

ravaged by the disaster. Due to the tsunami, there

12 paramedics with medical stores landed ashore.

was a defi nite topographical change in the seabed.

Thereafter, Aditya proceeded to Male for Op

Additionally, all naval and fi sheries assets as well Castor.

as channel marks (navigational buoys, etc.) had got

INS

Nirdeshak was nominated as a Hospital

displaced/damaged/sunk. What also offered itself

Ship and converted for the role in less than 72

as a horrifi c sight was that Sri Lankan Naval Ship

hours. The ship embarked a Technical Support

SLNS Parakrambahu had heeled over 60 degrees

Platoon from INHS Asvini, a Chetak helicopter to starboard and was resting on the bottom, while

and sailed for Chennai on 1 January 2005. After

alongside a jetty. The scale of the disaster meant

rendering assistance at Chennai and Meulaboh,

that the port of Galle had become non-navigable

Indonesia, it reached Colombo on 13 January

and was temporarily declared closed with effect

2005. Here it unloaded 40 tons of relief material

from 26 December 2004.

consisting of generators, blankets, meals-ready-to-

Four Gemini craft with two officers and

eat (MRE), tarpaulins, mineral water and other

10 divers, and diesel-driven (DD) pumps were

pressed into service for clearance of the harbour.

Simultaneously, a SMB of Sutlej commenced the task of conducting a detailed hydrographic survey

of the harbour. The ship’s efforts were subsequently

supplemented by Sarvekshak and Jamuna. The entire survey and diving effort was accomplished

in the midst of heavy weather. It was due to the

tireless efforts of the Indian Navy’s ships whose

specialists worked in trying conditions, including

abnormal weather, that the port was opened as

early as 4 January 2005. The opening was marked

by the berthing of Sarvekshak alongside the New North Jetty, and Sutlej alongside Closenberg Jetty.

A full-sized dredger lands neatly on the Jetty13

13 Photo courtesy Cmde Manohar Nambiar.

96

Blue Waters Ahoy!

eatables, etc. It also handed over 350 packages of the Indian naval team set up nine relief camps at

medicines and hygiene chemicals to the Ministry of

Rejipura and Televatha. Between 19 and 29 January

Health, Sri Lanka Government.

2005, the ship’s team constructed cook houses

INS

Khanjar, carrying medical stores from INHS

and toilets at Kahawe and at Televatha campsite,

Kalyani, arrived AM 9 January 2005. A total of treated 390 patients at Dudanduva, cleaned wells

115 tons of relief material, medical stores and 103

at Seenigama, provided welding assistance to an

multi-utility personnel of the Army Composite

American sailing vessel at Galle, pitched 58 tents at Team were embarked at Chennai. The Army

Kahawe, and constructed a sanitary system and a

Reconstruction Team consisting of fi ve offi cers and sewage pit. In addition, the naval team refurbished

98 other ranks drawn from the Corps of Engineers,

the Sudarma School and carried out major overhaul

Signals and the 311 and 411 Field Ambulance Units

of engines of fishing trawlers. The diving team

of the (Indian) Army Medical Corps arrived from

carried out underwater inspection of bridges for

Ahmedabad and embarked the ship. The ship

railways. The IN team also undertook works in the

departed Chennai on 9 January 2005 for Meulaboh

Lacington relief site, repair and operationalization

(Indonesia) to relieve INS Khukri and coordinate of the water pipeline from Wellvetta to Seenigama,

relief operations ashore. Enroute to Meulaboh on

and clearing of seven wells in the Hikkaduwa

11 January, the ship was rerouted to Colombo,

region.

where she reached on 13 January. Seventy tons of

With the initial restoration having gained

dry rations were handed over to DA, Colombo, for

ground, the Indian Armed Forces placed Indian

distribution in the Ampara district. The ship sailed

military assets at the disposal of Sri Lankan

for Kochi on 16 January for disembarkation of the

authorities. Indian military personnel engaged in

Army Composite team and the Surgical Team from

relief operations worked alongside the Sri Lankan

Asvini.

military personnel and lived in close proximity

INS Taragiri sailed from Mumbai on 11 January to the Sri Lankan military dwellings, unlike relief

to Sri Lanka with a diving team, a medical team,

teams from other countries who stayed in hotels.

blankets, medicines, provisions, water and a

The only military delegation that was given

Chetak embarked. The ship made a brief stop-

special audience by the Sri Lankan President at the

over at Kochi for OTR and entered Galle harbour

Presidential Palace was the Indian team.

on 17 January. The helicopter was utilized for

aerial survey and ferrying of special teams. The

Operation Castor, the Maldives

ship undertook extensive operations concerned

Although the Maldives did not suffer as severe

chiefl y with reconstruction, civil works, underwater damage as Indonesia and Sri Lanka, it sustained

survey of bridges, repair of fi shing trawler engines, a blow nevertheless. Three ships of the Western

restoration of wells and consolidation of medical

Fleet (INS Mysore, INS Udaygiri and INS Aditya), infrastructure. On consolidation of overall plan,

four helicopters and one Coast Guard Dornier were

a team was deployed for restoration of offices

deployed at the Maldives for Op Castor.

at SLNS Dakshin (a SL Naval base). An Indian

Mysore and Udaygiri sailed from Mumbai to Naval Medical team and stores were attached to

Male on 26 December 2004. Mysore had a Mobile the Medical camp at Closenberg Hotel and treated

Surgical Technical Support Platoon (MSTSP),

234 patients. A total of 13 open wells were cleaned

operation theatre (OT) kit, diving team tents,

and tested for chlorination.

packaged water, rations and medicines embarked

Coordinating with the Indian Army team,

for the relief operations. While both ships were

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

97

carrying a Chetak helicopter each, Mysore The predominant disposition of the inhabited

embarked an additional Seaking 42C helicopter

islands, on the eastern margin of each atoll,

off Kochi. Aditya sailed from Mumbai a day later, necessitated operation on their weather (eastern)

on 27 December and functioned as a depot ship

side and therefore, the bad weather that was

with additional relief material to be off-loaded

prevailing prevented any Gemini operation.

to the already deployed Indian naval ships. The

Hence, complete reliance was placed on helicopter

ship had a full-fledged shipwright workshop

operations for ship-to-shore transfer. Dextrous

onboard for carrying out first line maintenance

ship-handling in uncharted coral waters, too

of fleet units. It was also prepared to function

close to the islets, effective use of helicopters for as a hospital ship with an eight-bed sickbay

personnel transfer and the simultaneous transfer

with seven Medical Officers and 12 Medical

of stores using hired local boats called dhonis,

Assistants. Mysore was the first ship to reach refl ected the ingenuity and determination of the

Male at 0800 hrs on 28 December.

naval crew.

The Western Fleet ships undertook relief

operations from 29 December 2004 to 2 January

Operation Gambhir, Indonesia

2005 in Mulaku, north and south Nilandhe,

Op Gambhir, launched by the Indian Navy to

Kolhumadulu, Hadhdhunmathi and Huvadhoo

provide relief to Indonesia, saw two ships being

atolls. The relief operations spanned across 53

dispatched on 31 December 2004—INS Nirupak

islands, over a distance of 598nm. All operations

(a survey ship converted into a hospital ship and

were preceded by aerial recce/on-spot survey and

carrying a Chetak helicopter) and INS Khukri—to liaison with the Atoll Chiefs.

help the grief-stricken nation. Carrying 50 tons of

A (joint) Maritime Coordination Committee was

relief supplies, including food provisions, medicines, formed, comprising the Indian Navy and the Maldives

packaged water and clothing, the ships anchored

Coast Guard personnel. Two Pakistan Navy (PN)

off Meulaboh on 5 January 2005. Meulaboh is

ships were also present on a goodwill visit to the

a small town located on the southern coast of

Maldives at the time. Active coordination ensured

Aceh Province, only 40nm from the epicentre

no mutual interference in relief operations between

of the earthquake and had therefore suffered

IN and PN ships, by allocating separate sectors of

unprecedented devastation. More than half the

operations: Sector ‘North’ for PN ships and Sector

population of this low-lying town succumbed to

‘South’ for IN ships.14 Medical supplies and treatment the tsunami as the waves lashed up to a depth of

were provided to outlying islands; community

3km inland.

kitchens set up; and chlorination of water and debris An OT along with various wards was set up on

clearance were undertaken to prevent incidence of

Nirupak while on passage from Visakhapatnam

epidemic. Approximately 30 tons of relief supplies

to Indonesia. Khukri sailed with 20.5 tons of including provisions, medicines and packaged water,

relief material comprising rations, MRE, blankets,

etc., and 160 tons of supplies were distributed by

bedding and medicines. Nirupak affected R/V

ships, aircraft and helicopters operating from Male,

with Jyoti and Khukri on 4 January 2005. A Mk-II to outlying islands of the country.

airborne stretcher was airlifted from Khukri to Jyoti 14 In accordance with the directives of the IN team, the responsibilities for IN and PN for relief operations to avoid Maritime Coordination Centre established the sectors of mutual interference.

98

Blue Waters Ahoy!

while the tanker replenished it. Initially, Nirupak medical stores for operations at the government

was detached to proceed off the Great Nicobar hospital. The Indian mission was augmented by

Island. The ship transited south of Indira Point and

the placement of a fi eld anesthesia machine in the

arrived east of Great Nicobar Island on 4 January

dressing room, thus creating a minor OT facility.

2005 when the change of deployment area to

A sanitary landfi ll and a blood transfusion (BT)

Meulaboh was intimated. It arrived off Meulaboh

facility were also set up on 12 January 2005 and

port on 5 January 2005. Nirupak anchored close to the BT technician provided cover there. The same

Meulaboh Light in the morning, disembarked relief

day, Khukri sailed for Visakhapatnam.

material and medical team for dispensing relief in a

On 13 January 2005, the requirements and

camp set up by it.

shortfalls of all agencies were addressed and catered The civil administration had completely

for, in the presence of the UN Coordinator (in

collapsed and the Indonesian Army and Navy

charge of coordinating all medical relief operations

had been trying to coordinate all operations. The

in the Aceh Province), Dr Shannon Doocy. The main

Indonesian Navy provided an LCVP and two fi shing

aim of the relief organizations was changed from

craft, intermittently, to disembark 3.2 tons of the

providing emergency healthcare to establishing safe

fresh material from Indian Navy ships. This was due

and habitable conditions that would encourage the

to the unsuitability of Rigid Infl atable Boats (RIBs) earliest possible return of displaced people to their and survey boats held by Khukri and Nirupak homes and work.

respectively. Two fi shing boats and an LCVP from

On 14 January 2005, the Indonesian Centre for

the Singapore Naval Ship RSS Endurance too, were Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted

requisitioned and dry provisions were disembarked

an immunization campaign, including an outlet on

on 9 January 2005. The helicopter was refuelled

the Indian medical mission premises. A registry was

onboard Khukri in order to conserve the aviation created for orphaned and homeless children. A report

fuel (AVCAT) onboard Nirupak.

on the daily incidence of communicable and notifi able The Executive Offi cers of both the ships and the

diseases was transmitted by the Indian Naval Team

Oi/C Medical Team were joined by the DA, Jakarta,

to their Indonesian counterparts. On completion of

and together they went for initial reconnaissance

the relief mission, Nirupak departed Meulaboh on 17

of the area. A medical camp was set up at Masjid

January 2005 at 1600 hrs and proceeded to ANI for

Agung on 6 January, in tents. Basic treatment was augmentation of relief effort there.

provided ashore and only emergency cases that

A total of 1,710 patients were seen in the medical

required surgery were brought onboard. The

camp with a daily average OPD load of 160 cases.

camp was de-inducted on 7 January after which it

A sizeable population, displaced by the disaster, that operated from a nearby house.

had been shifted inland, availed medical facilities

O n 8 J a n u a r y 2 0 0 5 , t h e m e d i c a l t e a m provided at this camp. Serious cases were brought

participated in the briefing at the government

onboard Nirupak for critical care, including hospital, attended by representative members from

surgeries. The camp also provided medicines and

all missions in the area; the Indonesian Health

dressing material to the Meulaboh General Hospital

Services, TNI (Tentara Nasional Indonesia, the

and the Singapore Medical Mission. The Indian

Armed Forces of Indonesia) , SAF (Singapore Armed medical team also set up a facility for screening, blood Forces), the Japanese Red Cross, the Korean Red

grouping and providing X-ray at the clinic ashore.

Cross and the MSF or Medecins Sans Frontières.

The Indonesian health authorities and the Indian

On 9 January 2005, Nirupak replenished

doctors worked in unison for better coordination

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

99

and resource management towards synergized relief another asset to relief operations and the Navy.

efforts. A total of 30 sorties spanning 2220 hrs were LPDs also carry multiple LCAs or air cushion

fl own by the ships’ helicopters during Op Gambhir.

vessels (hovercrafts) which can be landed

A point to note here was, that a total of 90 landings ashore with huge quantities of material as well

at the campsite and 100 deck landings were carried

as men, without the need of jetties.

out for transfer of men and material.

• It takes extensive effort and time to restore

a paralysed communication system in the

Lessons Learnt

aftermath of a disaster. There is, therefore, a

necessity to establish an interim communication

After the immediate HADR activity, the ENC and

system in the form of a containerized

WNC submitted reports summarizing the challenges

communication node for effective relief

and infrastructural constraints they faced whilst

operations. For instance, INMARSAT mobile

carrying out the relief operations. Accordingly, they terminals/mobile phones may be made available

made certain recommendations that could help

for prolonged aircraft/relief detachments

overcome these challenges in the future.

especially in foreign countries.

• Earthquakes and tsunamis strike without

• The Indian Navy’s rations are issued in bulk.

warning. Hence a Tsunami Warning System

Breaking them into smaller packets requires

and broadcast measures were required to avert

time, effort and packing material. What is

damage to life and property.

needed, therefore, is MRE, or heat-and-eat

• A well-defined disaster management plan

food in packets as also water in PET bottles/

aimed at smoothening joint operations

sachets, composite food, toilet rolls and towels,

undertaken by the civil and military agencies

and polythene sheets/bags.

as well as NGOs was prepared. Emphasis

• The relief stores need to also cater to temporary

was laid on constructing buildings in seismic

shelter and damage control items. More

sensitive areas as per the architectural/design

importantly, the items, of proper quality, need to

requirements in those regions.

be procured and stocked for ready use at MOs.

• Survey ships are able to sustain at sea for

The stores should also be packed in such a way

prolonged periods. Moreover, because a

as to enable easy transportation, embarkation/

tragedy involving damage to the ports/

disembarkation and should have adequate

shoreline/seabed requires the quickest response,

storage life. Composite relief package should

it can be provided by specialized personnel and

consist of daily-need items like buckets, mugs,

equipment on a survey vessel. Hence, survey

toothpaste/brushes, daily clothing, etc., and

ships were found to be suitable platforms for

adequate, easy-to-instal, lightweight tentage.

relief operations. Further, availability of survey

• It was found that the relief stores with which

facilities like specialized tentage, boats and,

the ships departed base ports were medical

most importantly, their designed capability to

war stores, which were of limited use in a

be converted to Hospital Ships make them even

tsunami-hit area. The medical stores should

more ideal. A Landing Platform Dock (LPD)

thus be customized to meet disaster-relief

with a large helicopter deck and crane facilities,

requirements. The standard disaster medical

medium and heavy lift–capable helicopters,

‘bricks’ (pre-packed/predetermined packets)

massive hangarage for stocking vehicles and

are of 600kg. However, medicines need to

food/rations, medicines, bedding, tents, etc., is

be packed in such a manner that they are

100

Blue Waters Ahoy!

available every day in smaller quantities.

its trademark alacrity for providing HADR to

Medical bricks must also include medicines

the tsunami-affected areas. The lessons learnt

to treat patients with chronic illness such as

during these operations continue to mould the

diabetes, hypertension, IHD, epilepsy, etc.

Indian Navy’s response mechanism so as to be the

most effi cient provider of succour, not just in the

The Andamans after the Tragedy

IOR, but even beyond the region. The speed of

execution and the professionalism displayed by

The ANI were the most severely affected in terms

the Indian Navy instilled confi dence not only at

of loss of life and infrastructure. Due to the mass

home but across the world. It was gratifying to

exodus of labour after the tsunami, coupled with

see it receiving accolades for its effective response the scarcity of building material for restoration

to a natural disaster of such unprecedented

and repairs, serious obstacles were encountered in

proportions as the 2004 tsunami. In the words of

the process of mitigation efforts. Yet, Naval and

the former US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice:

Coast Guard jetties, and airfields at Port Blair,

Car Nicobar and Diglipur were put into operation

There are countries like India that have

in the quickest time possible after the tsunami.

emerged in recent years as major factors in

Multipronged initiatives were launched to rebuild

the international economy, in international

damaged assets and upgrade the existing infrastructure politics, taking on more and more global

during the rebuilding phase that followed.

responsibilities. I was really quite interested

The MILAN series of exercises, hosted biennially

in the fact that when we had the tsunami

by the Indian Navy at Port Blair, was originally

cooperation, which was a kind of ad-hoc

scheduled for February 2005, just over a month

arrangement for a while, to respond to the

after the tragedy. In order to give enough time for

immediate needs of tsunami, India was able,

restoration, it was postponed to 2007. But, given

I’m told, to mobilize its ships and go to sea in

the fast pace of rehabilitation, a bold decision

about 48 hours or so. That’s extraordinary, and

was taken to advance the MILAN to January

that shows that India’s potential is very great to

2006 and showcase the return to normalcy in the

help resolve humanitarian and other needs for

Islands in such a short time. With participation by

the world, and so, we will continue to talk with

eight countries including Australia, Bangladesh,

people about Security Council reform, reform

Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Sri

of the UN, but clearly we also note that there

Lanka and Thailand, MILAN 2006 was conducted

have been great changes in the world and that

from 9 to 14 January 2006. It involved participation

international institutions are going to have to

by eight ships, 20 offi cers, 802 sailors and 21 civilian start to accommodate them in some way.15

personnel. This was the largest ever congregation of

navies, for the MILAN series, up until that time.

The qualities of mobility, perseverance and

fl exibility, characteristic of any Navy, eventually

Indian Navy: The First and Largest

held the Indian Navy in good stead. Its sea legs

Responder

and the acumen to be the first and dependable

responders amidst the tragic consequences of the

The Indian Navy mobilized its resources with

2004 tsunami, enabled mitigation and much relief.

15 See US Dept of State Archive, https://2001-2009.state.gov/secretary/rm/2005/43490.htm, accessed on 10 September 2018.

Indian Navy’s Response to the 2004 Tsunami

101

3

Operation Sukoon

Evacuation of Indians from a War Zone

An International Crisis

In June–July 2006, four ships of the Western Fleet,

viz. the destroyer Mumbai, frigates Brahmaputra and Betwa and the fl eet tanker Shakti, constituting Task Group (TG) 54.1, were on an overseas

deployment (OSD) to the Mediterranean, with the

Flag Offi cer Commanding Western Fleet (hereafter

referred to as the Fleet Commander), Rear Adm

Anup Singh (later Vice Adm and C-in-C) embarked

on the Flagship, Mumbai.

Having completed visits and interaction with

the host navies in Haifa (Israel), Izmir (Turkey)

The map showing the blockade area as well as the route and Athens (Greece), TG 54.1 was homebound (in

transit through the Suez Canal), when IHQ MoD

the Hezbollah and populations in south Lebanon

(N) passed a directive to the Fleet Commander to

had no warning time at all. The initial attacks

return to the Mediterranean and prepare to evacuate

were conducted by the Israeli Air Force targeting

the thousands of Indians stranded in Lebanon, in the

the Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The sudden

wake of the war waged by Israel on Hezbollah.

assault, and the unprecedented pace of escalation

The reason for the sudden assault by Israel on

in the confl ict, necessitated the evacuation of Indian Hezbollah hideouts was the kidnapping of two

nationals from Lebanon.

Israeli soldiers by the latter on 12 July 2006.

The mission launched for the evacuation of

The situation deteriorated rapidly and resulted

Indians from Beirut (Lebanon) to Larnaca (Cyprus)

in military retaliation by Israel, launching wave

from where the national carrier (Air India) was to

after wave of air attacks to target the Hezbollah in

fl y them back home was called Operation Sukoon

southern Lebanon. The assault was so sudden that

(Hindi for ‘succour’).

Transit through the Suez

transit through the Suez was coming to an end,

the port of embarkation was revised by IHQ to

The IHQ MoD (N)’s call to the TG 54.1 to return

the capital port city of Beirut even though the

to the Mediterranean for effecting the evacuation

fi ghting was closest to that port and the entire

was received while the ships were southbound

city seemed to have been abandoned by the locals.

through the Suez Canal. Booking transit through

This change was necessitated due to the fact that

the Suez Canal is a process that requires not just

it would be closest to the stranded Indians and

heavy payment, but also sufficient notice to the

also to the Indian diplomatic mission based in

Suez Canal Authority. For warships, there is also

the same city.

a requirement of special (diplomatic) clearances.

Realizing that the evacuation was to take

Therefore, trying to invoke the urgency clause for

place from an active combat zone, with no clear

the Suez does not work as easily as entering/leaving

perspective of the actual situation, the Fleet

any foreign port. This meant hectic parlaying at the

Commander directed his force to the highest state

politico-diplomatic level which succeeded, and all

of combat readiness. Op Sukoon was eventually four ships of TG 54.1 were accommodated in the

launched on 19 July 2006. The second directive

northbound convoy the very next morning.

passed by the Fleet Commander related to enhanced

Force Protection Measures (against terrorist acts as

Port of Embarkation

well as an attack under mistaken identity). Rules

of Engagement and Weapon Policy for actual battle

Initially, the IHQ directive asked the Fleet

were also promulgated.

Commander to take the TG to Tarablus (also

The next set of orders by him related to

known as Tripoli) in north Lebanon, farthest from

logistics—as important as combat-related

the scene of fi ghting. As the reverse (northbound)

instructions. Stocking up with victuals and fresh

Preparing to replenish enroute Beirut

Operation Sukoon

103

provisions was the most urgent requirement as activity to further enforce deterrence. Even helicopters the duration of involvement in the war zone was

of the IDF were seen on offensive patrol. The IDF

unknown. Therefore, an unusual method was

had warned all nations that any vessel, commercial

adopted. All four ships were replenished with

or naval, attempting to breach the blockade without

fresh and dry provisions whilst underway through

permission from them would be subjected to attack by

the Suez. Each ship embarked nearly 2 tons of

their Navy and Air Force. A gate was promulgated on

provisions from a boat tied up alongside, but

the western extremity of this blockade for warships of propelling on it own as the ship moved through

friendly countries to enter after obtaining clearances the canal. Rarely has any ship carried out such

from the IDF. This blockade was guarded by Israeli

an unlisted and indeed risky operation within the

Navy ships at the gate and along the periphery. It

Suez Canal.

was found to be total and one of the most effective

blockades seen during recent wars.

Communication with the Missions

Entry into Beirut

The movement of the convoy en route to

Tripoli (which was later changed to Beirut) was

The fact that the Indian Task Group got clearances

communicated to the Indian Missions at Beirut

easily after identifi cation must be seen through the (Lebanon), Tel Aviv (Israel), Larnaca (Cyprus) and

prism of India’s healthy diplomacy strings. Not

Cairo (Egypt). Following the declaration of war

only was naval diplomacy at work (the TG had just

by Israel on 13 July 2006,1 necessary clearances

completed a four-day OSD and interaction with

were obtained from the Israeli Defence Forces

the Israeli Navy in June 2006, in Haifa), but more

(IDF) through the Defence Attaché at Tel Aviv for

importantly, India’s relations with Israel have been

executing the passage towards Beirut.

those of two friends who trust each other and have

had growing interactions in all fi elds, civil as well Blockade by Israel

as military. Similarly, India has maintained healthy

diplomatic relations with Lebanon which came in

As in most wars between maritime States, Israel

handy when India needed Lebanese approval for

had declared a blockade around Beirut. The

TG 54.1 to use Beirut harbour for the evacuation.

totality of Israel’s blockade was only matched by its By 0220 hrs on 20 July, while still at a distance

relentlessness. The area was a rectangular box that

from the blockade, TG 54.1 started communicating

extended 70nm west and 58nm south of Beirut. The

with the IDF for entry through the gate. The Indian

seriousness of the blockade can also be gauged from

Navy’s TG intended to make a quick ingress into

the fact that apart from the Israeli naval vessels, the Beirut via a north-western corridor. However, the

Israeli Air force had F-16s maintaining intense air

gate set up by the Israelis lay on an east-west axis

1 Israeli warships blocked Lebanese ports, and the international responsible for the capture of Israeli soldiers—something it airport in Lebanon was closed after it was bombed. An Israeli viewed as an ‘act of war’, the Lebanese maintained that the military spokesperson said Israeli naval ships had entered Israeli response was disproportionate. See ‘Israel Attacks Beirut Lebanese waters to block the transfer of ‘terrorists and Airport and Sets Up Naval Blockade’, The New York Times, weapons to the terror organizations operating in Lebanon’.

13 July 2006, https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/13/world/

While Israel’s stand was that it was responding to ‘an middleeast/13cnd-mideast.html, accessed on 20 October 2018.

unprovoked act of aggression’ by Lebanon as it held Lebanon 104

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Ambassador’s house. The port was actually closed

down except for vessels involved in evacuation.

The Fleet Commander had decided that only

one ship would be positioned in Beirut harbour

at any time. This was keeping the safety of the

ships in mind. As per plan, INS Mumbai entered the harbour on 20 July. On arrival, the ship’s

crew cordoned off the embarkation area and

an evacuation liaison and coordination team

INS Mumbai entering Beirut port for the fi rst time (ELCT) set up desks on the jetty in order to scan,

register and check documents of all evacuees.

and was fl anked by two/three Israeli warships for

Embarkation completed, Mumbai headed at best identification/reporting. Having communicated

speed to arrive at Larnaca, in Cyprus, before

with the Israeli Navy, the TG entered the blockade

dawn of 21 July. This was being done because

from due north at 0415 hrs on 20 July and arrived

the Navy and MEA in Delhi had decided to

at the blockade gate at 0500 hrs, thereafter

move all evacuees to India by two Boeing-747

proceeding along the corridor on an easterly

(Jumbos), each evacuation day from Larnaca to

heading into Beirut. Needless to say, throughout

Mumbai/Chennai.

the passage and even beyond the blockade, all ships

were at Action Stations, with weapons at the ready,

in combat mode. This was essential for self-defence

against an attack under mistaken identity.

Beirut: The Port City

Media reports and the Indian Embassy at Beirut

had indicated heavy bombing in southern Lebanon,

with the situation worsening by the day. It was

Serpentine queue in Beirut harbour

imperative to tread with extreme caution and it

was, therefore, decided that regardless of the

Evacuation Shuttles

number of evacuees waiting at Beirut, only INS

Mumbai (the Flagship and the most heavily armed Four sets of evacuations were undertaken by the ships ship of the TG) would enter the harbour fi rst. Only

over a period of 11 days. The evacuees embarked

after the Fleet Commander had himself assessed the

Indian Naval ships from Beirut from where they were

on-ground situation would the go ahead be given

ferried to Larnaca. The evacuees were thereafter taken for a large-scale evacuation.

to India in chartered Air India fl ights.

The port gave the appearance of a ghost town

• First Evacuation (20–21 July). The first with not a soul in it but the Lebanese Army (military evacuation was done by Mumbai. This set

wing of the Lebanese Intelligence Arm) patrolling

consisted of 608 evacuees, including six

the waterfront. Power supply in the city had been

Nepalese, two American (PIOs), one Sri

cut since the beginning of the war. This applied to

Lankan and three Lebanese nationals.

the various diplomatic missions and even the Indian

• Second Evacuation (22–24 July). Except the

Operation Sukoon

105

to safety,’ stated the Fleet Commander. The operation saw the evacuation of 2,280

Terminated on

stranded people (including

several foreign nationals) 1 August 2006,

from Beirut to Larnaca.

Op Sukoon saw the

evacuation of 2,280

Sounds of War

stranded people

(including Indian, Sri

During the periods when Lankan and Nepalese

Indian Navy ships were in nationals, apart from Beirut harbour, sporadic some others) from

Lending a helping hand

bombing was observed Beirut to Larnaca.

over south Beirut city,

fl eet tanker Shakti, all other ships, viz. Mumbai particularly on 23 July 2006. One raid made

(445), Brahmaputra (188) and Betwa (254) a deafening sound in the harbour and intense

were involved in the second evacuation which

brought out 887 evacuees from Lebanon. These

included 57 Sri Lankan, 41 Nepalese and fi ve

Lebanese nationals. Of these, 34 Sri Lankans

could not be fl own out of Larnaca, as the Air

India chartered flight was filled to capacity.

These foreign nationals were retained onboard

Shakti for two days before being fl own out by the next chartered fl ight.

• Third Evacuation (26–27 July). Although the Indian Ambassador in Beirut had indicated the

presence of a large number of evacuees, only

Dinner time for ladies in the messes

374 people came forward for the embarkation

on Mumbai for the third evacuation. This

reverberations were felt on the Brahmaputra which included 54 Sri Lankans (all female) and 16

was at that instance departing Beirut harbour with

Nepalese nationals.

evacuees. The bombing raids by Israeli F-16s were

• Fourth Evacuation (29–30 July). Betwa

also tracked over Tripoli and Beirut. During the

carried out the fourth and fi nal evacuation as

period 22–24 July, three Indian Naval ships were Mumbai (with Fleet Commander embarked),

kept in a waiting area outside the harbour while

Brahmaputra and Shakti set sail for Port Said.

one ship proceeded inside.

Betwa evacuated 411 primarily non-Indian

nationals (324 Sri Lankans and fi ve Nepalese).

Hospitality for Evacuees

The Betwa made one last trip, carrying 65 tons of Adequate messes were earmarked as resting

relief material from Larnaca to Beirut and Op Sukoon

areas catering for accommodation of women

was terminated on 1 August 2006. ‘Every evacuee

and children, the old and the infi rm, all the while

who voluntarily wanted to come out was evacuated

keeping the issue of balancing out security, safety

106

Blue Waters Ahoy!

and logistics in mind. The ships’ staff doubled

and tripled up2 in the available space to ensure

that the evacuees were comfortable and felt at

home. Preparations were made for checking of

documentation, validation of identity, screening of

baggage and luggage management.

The logistics arrangements needed special

attention as the ship’s galley had to cook for more

than double the number of people that it normally

catered for. There was also the issue of segregating

toilets for women.

The young and healthy ones on the helicopter deck

Arrangements at Larnaca Airport

Cyprus, he promptly arrived at Larnaca before the

TG brought the fi rst batch of evacuees, and assisted The departure area of the Larnaca airport had a

the Indian Mission in liaison thereafter.

capacity of no more than 2,500–3,000 people.

Indian media personnel from Star News, NDTV,

However, during the first two evacuations by

Aaj Tak/Headline Today, CNN-IBN and other

the Indian Navy on 21 and 24 July, as many as

international/local media extensively covered the

10,000 to 12,000 people of various nationalities

disembarkation of evacuees. Six Indian media

were packed inside the departure area. Therefore,

personnel were also embarked on Mumbai for

it was found very useful that TG 54.1 had already

onward passage to Beirut to cover the war on land/

earmarked an Airport Coordination Team in naval

subsequent evacuations.

uniforms, to segregate and assist all evacuees,

whether Indian, Sri Lankan or Nepalese.

Earning Our Spurs

Diplomatic Support and Media Coverage

Op Sukoon was probably the fi rst operation of its

kind carried out by the Indian Navy in an active

The Indian Ambassador in Lebanon, Mrs Nengcha

war zone, 4,000nm away from home. Undoubtedly,

Lhouvum and the High Commissioner of India

quick and orderly planning and smart execution

to Cyprus, Mrs Neelam D. Sabherwal were

by all four ships had ensured fl awless execution of

providing hands-on support at Beirut and Larnaca

this operation.

respectively. In addition, Col Ajay Talwar, DA,

Although the Indian Navy was the prime force

Turkey (accredited to Lebanon), had urgently

in this mission, mention must also be made of

routed himself from Ankara via Damascus and

the effective coordination amongst the Indian

reached Beirut just in time for coordination with

diplomatic missions in Lebanon and Cyprus, and

the TG. Similarly, the efforts of Col Rajiv Anand,

Air India. In both Lebanon and Cyprus, India’s

DA, Cairo, were most appreciated in his liaison

diplomatic missions could also be credited with

work with the Suez Canal Authority as well as the

having maintained very healthy relations with

Egyptian Ministry of Defence. Being accredited to

the immigration authorities, ports and other

2 On ships and submarines, when there is a paucity of space, personnel who are off-watch and need to rest, occupy the the crew does something called hot bunking. In such situations, bunks of personnel who are at that time on watch.

Operation Sukoon

107

direct attacks were launched at Hezbollah hideouts

close to the Beirut harbour while the Indian Naval

ships were present.

India’s relations with Cyprus and, in particular, the Indian High Commissioner’s personal rapport with

the immigration and airport authorities, provided

uninterrupted and priority To a great extent,

clearance for all evacuees

carried by TG 54.1.

it was owing to

Op Sukoon was unique

the good bilateral

because the Indian Fleet, relations shared by

Final assistance at Larnaca airport

t h o u g h n o t i n v o l v e d India with Lebanon i n h o s t i l i t i e s , h a d t o and Cyprus, that government agencies which contributed immensely

be fully combat-ready effective coordination

to the fast track on which the mission was executed.

and take all defensive during the evacuation

One of the most critical requirements in such

measures against possible process was

operations is to obtain diplomatic clearances for

attacks. The ships took possible. Be it in

ships to transit in blockade areas, enter port and

the evacuees to Cyprus obtaining diplomatic

to ensure that no accidental attack is faced by the

from where chartered Air clearances for ships

participating platforms. All these factors were

India flights formed the to transit through the

catered for, through continuous dialogue between

second part of the air–sea blockade, entering

the Fleet Commander, IHQ MoD (N), MEA, and

bridge to fly them back port or ensuring

India’s diplomatic missions in the countries involved to India. The operation no accidental

(Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus and Egypt). Further, it is

w a s t e r m e d b y t h e attack was faced to the credit of India’s very warm relations with

international media as ‘the

Egypt that special arrangements were made at

biggest evacuation after by the participating

extremely short notice on 17 July for the TG to

Dunkirk’.3 It showcased platforms. On the

return with the next morning’s convoy in order to

t h a t t h e I n d i a n N a v y contrary, any void in re-enter the Mediterranean.

had the ability to operate rapport or dialogue

The fact that the ships transited safely into and

4000nm away from home with those countries

out of Beirut was because the Indian government

in hostile conditions, for would have seriously

(MEA/India’s envoys in respective countries) was

the evacuation of Indian undermined these

in constant touch with the governments of the two

and foreign nationals. operations.

warring nations—Israel and Lebanon—to ensure a

Also, being the only Asian

window of safety for the duration of the presence of

nation to do so, it brought laurels to the country in the Indian Naval ships and their transit in the Beirut general, and the Indian Navy, in particular.

area. In particular, the IDF ensured that no raids or 3 Referencing to Operation Dynamo, the stunning evacuation men. See ‘Indian Navy: Like a Brigde on Troubled Waters…Op by Britain of its troops from across the channel in France, when Sukoon’, http://www.sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2006/

they were surrounded (and largely thought doomed) by Hitler’s sep16-06/h5.htm, accessed 26 October 2018.

108

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4

IN’s Anti-piracy Deployment

A Major Step against Transnational Crime

Background

payoffs, however, these hijackings turned into

a lucrative business.

Pirates, back in the days of marine infancy, were the The state of Somali pirates can be attributed to a

quintessential ‘bad boys’ of the seas, stealing from

number of socio-economic factors. There was extreme

the mercantile vessels. The legends of Blackbeard

poverty, aggravated by Illegal, Unregulated and

and the Jolly Roger, however, glossed over a

Unreported (IUU) fi shing in Somali waters and also

gruesome truth: a career of violent skullduggery

the lack of a credible law enforcement mechanism

derived from a low-life existence.

both on land as well as off-shore. Compounding these

circumstances was the easy availability of arms in

Piracy in the Gulf of Aden

Somalia, thanks to the rise of Al Shabab, the infamous terrorist organization.

The modern-day scourge of piracy in the Gulf of

Aden (GoA), helmed primarily by some actors

MT Stolt Valor Triggers India’s Involvement from Somalia, finds its roots at the turn of the

century. The initial Somali pirates were merely

On 15 September 2008, MT Stolt Valor, a

small groups of armed fishermen who ‘took

Hong Kong-flagged tanker, was hijacked by

on’ the merchant vessels as retaliation to what

Somali pirates. Of the 22 members onboard,

they perceived as dumping of illegal waste by

18 were Indians, including the skipper of the

international ships in their waters. According

ship, Captain Prabhat Goyal. After two months

to them, dumping of waste adversely affected

of intense negotiations, the crew was finally

the catch in their waters. Fuelled by large

released upon paying a ransom.1 The incident

1 Abdul Gani, the General Secretary of the National Union the danger zone.’ Quoted from ‘Hijacked ship MT Stolt Valor of Seafarers of India (NUSI), led the negotiations. He would released’, Zee News, http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/

later remark: ‘We appreciate the efforts of the Indian Navy.

hijacked-ship-mt-stolt-valor-released_483870.html, accessed Defi nitely it [ Stolt Valor] would be escorted out safely from on 8 July 2018.

brought the issue of piracy into sharp focus in

the Indian establishment.

With incidents of piracy in the GoA now on an

alarming rise, the Indian Navy involved itself in

anti-piracy patrols commencing 23 October 2008.

The first Indian warship to be deployed was

INS Godavari. Since that deployment, the Navy has been on station without a gap and has been

escorting not only Indian fl agged vessels but also

international shipping.

The IRTC route in the Gulf of Aden

Internationally Recommended Transit

Corridor (IRTC)

provisions of international law. The resolution was

renewed vide UNSCR 1846 (2008) in December

On 1 February 2009, the IRTC was amended to

2008 and UNSCR 1897 (2009) in November 2009,

refl ect revised analysis of GoA pirate activity. The each time for a further period of 12 months.

IRTC is a 490nm corridor with separate westbound

By the end of the decade, Indian Navy ships

and eastbound legs, each 5nm wide and separated

had escorted 1,452 ships in the GoA. During

by a 2nm buffer zone.2 The IRTC facilitates safe

anti-piracy deployments in the GoA and the

navigation and the conduct of dissuasive and

Arabian Sea, IN and ICG ships were able to

deterrent operations. Indian Naval ships have been

thwart 26 piracy attempts on merchant vessels.

escorting merchant vessels along the IRTC.

International Efforts

United Nations Security Council

Resolutions

Prior to and following India’s entry into the GoA

anti-piracy effort in October 2008, many other

On 2 June 2008, the United Nations Security

countries had deployed their warships in the area

Council (UNSC) adopted UN Security Council

for the same purpose. These included China, Japan

Resolution (UNSCR) 1816 (2008). Acting under

and the Republic of Korea. In addition, some

the United Nations Charter, the UNSC authorized,

multinational task forces—such as the Combined

for a period of six months, States and regional

Task Force 151 (CTF 151),3 the EU Naval Force

organizations cooperating with the Somali

(EUNAVFOR) also known as CTF 465, and the

Transitional Federal Government (TFG), to enter

NATO Counter Piracy Task Force, CTF 508—

Somalia’s territorial waters and to use all necessary have also been on patrol. But as the number of

means to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery

participating navies grew between 2008–9, a need

at sea off the Somali coast, consistent with relevant was felt to put in place cooperative mechanisms, in

2 The EU NAVFOR advisory clarifies: ‘The corridor is not to the Transit Corridor and Group Transit guidelines.’ See marked or defined by visual navigational means, nor is http://www.intertanko.com/upload/IRTC%20%20GT%20

it intended to be a dedicated traffic separation scheme Explanation%20-%20March%202009%20(2).pdf; accessed

(TSS) but, to make warship patrols more effective, vessels on 22 July 2018.

transiting the GOA are strongly recommended to adhere 3 A Combined Maritime Force (CMF) of 30 nations.

110

Blue Waters Ahoy!

order to prevent duplication of patrol effort.

build a shared awareness in the piracy area, as

• Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of

also to discourage overlaps/duplication of effort

Somalia (CGPCS). The CGPCS was created

in deployment of surface and air assets by the

in January 2009 pursuant to UNSCR 1851. It

international forces. The Indian Navy is also a

is not part of the UN-system, but is a multi-

member of the ‘Mercury Net’.4

stakeholder community open to any country

• R e g i o n a l C o o p e r a t i o n A g r e e m e n t o n or organization that contributes to anti-piracy

Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery

efforts or is directly affected by it, including

against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP). The ReCAAP

NGOs and the private sector. The mission of

Agreement was launched in November 2006.

the CGPCS is to bring together all stakeholders

Its 10 founding members included seven

affected by Somali piracy and to foster close

South-east Asian nations, India, Japan and

international cooperation to address the

Korea.5 It is a government-to-government

scourge of piracy off the coast of Somalia.

agreement, which was established as a

India is a founding member of CGPCS

mechanism to enhance cooperation amongst

and has since been attending all half-yearly

member countries, against piracy and armed

meetings which have provided the Indian Navy

robbery. The ReCAAP Information Sharing

the opportunity to present India’s point of

Centre (ISC) was established at Singapore,

view on piracy-related issues. There were, as

on 29 November 2006. The Centre primarily

of 2010, three Working Groups in the CGPCS.

serves as a platform for information exchange

(i) Capacity Building: Ensuring effective naval between ReCAAP focal points and facilitation

operational coordination and supporting

of capacity-building efforts. The Maritime

the building of the judicial, penal and

Rescue Coordinating Centre, Mumbai

maritime capacity of Regional States.

(MRCC [Mumbai]) is one of the focal points

(ii) Maritime Counter-piracy and Mitigation

for ReCAAP.

Operations: Naval, shipping industry and

• Information Fusion Centre (IFC), Singapore.

seafarers in one Working Group.

IFC is a multinational maritime security centre,

(iii) Disrupting Pirate Networks Ashore:

with special focus on South-east Asia, and is

Tracing the fi nancial networks of pirates

based at the Changi Naval Base, Singapore.

and working towards the prosecution of

The Indian Navy has been associated with

piracy leaders (kingpins).

the IFC since its inception. The Republic

• Counter-piracy Shared Awareness and

of Singapore Navy (RSN) inaugurated the

Deconfliction (SHADE). This initiative was

Centre on 27 April 2009. The objective

undertaken by the Combined Maritime

behind the creation of the IFC was to achieve

Forces (CMF), to bring together naval forces

early warning on maritime security threats

operating in support of anti-piracy operations

through information-sharing with maritime

in the GoA. Their primary objective was to

stakeholders, and consequently be able to cue

4 An Internet-based communications channel enabling all 5 It has 20 Contracting Parties today, including Europe countries contributing to counter-piracy efforts to exchange (Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and the United Kingdom), immediate operational information.

Australia and the United States.

IN’s Anti-piracy Deployment

111

regional responses against those threats. The 10 Deg South and 78 Deg East. While to

stakeholders include navies, coast guards,

date attacks have not been reported to

marine police forces, etc.

the extreme east of this area, they have

The Centre monitors maritime security

taken place almost 70 Deg East. There

challenges under fi ve categories, namely: Theft,

remains the possibility that piracy attacks

Robbery and Piracy at Sea and Maritime

will take place even further to the east of

Terrorism; Maritime Incidents; Contraband

the HRA. Attacks have occurred to the

& Weapon trafficking; IUU Fishing; and

extreme south of the HRA.

Irregular Human Migration (IHM). The IFC

also generates a common maritime situation

In essence, BMP 3 extended the piracy HRA

picture collated from various information

to the west coast of India. This resulted in

sources, both through its partners, as well as

increased shipping traffi c along the west coast of

through technologies such as the satellite-based

India, higher costs to

Automatic Identification System (AIS) and

the shipping industry India did not have

the Long-range Identification and Tracking

on account of higher a separate domestic

system (LRIT). Currently, the Indian Navy and

speeds, high premium legislation on piracy

the IFC are linked through an International

and employment of at sea until January

Liaison Officer (ILO) posted at IFC since

guards. Further, it 2010, when a

25 November 2009.

also had the effect of decision was taken

increased presence of that the Ministry

The Pirates’ Expanding Footprint

unregulated private of External Affairs

guards in the Indian would steer the

• Best Management Practices (BMP)—Piracy

maritime zones,6 as legislation in support

High Risk Area (HRA). BMPs are guidance

also the presence of of such a proposal.

documents that are developed for the shipping

floating armouries

industry. They prescribe several precautionary

in the vicinity of the Subsequently,

and self-protective measures in order to avoid

Indian coast.

in May 2010,

a pirate attack. The document, ‘Advice to

• Piracy and Coastal a draft legislation Masters’ is generally considered a prelude to

Security. By the end was circulated for

BMP. In August 2009, BMP 2 was published.

of the first decade inter-ministerial

The biggest change, however, was observed

of the twenty-first consultations.

when BMP 3 was published as in it, HRA was

century, there was This continued till

defi ned as:

a sharp decline in the end of the year.

piracy in the GoA

The HRA for piracy attacks defi nes itself

and Somali extensions. However, incidents

by where the piracy attacks have taken

of piracy started extending to new areas in

place. For the purpose of BMP, this is an

the East Arabian Sea. In order to counter this

area bounded by Suez to the North,

6 Things came to a boil in February 2012, when two Marines Indian west coast . The Marines had mistakenly assumed the onboard the Italian oil tanker Enrica Lexie shot dead two fi shermen were pirates.

fishermen aboard the fishing vessel St Antony close to the 112

Blue Waters Ahoy!

trend, Operation Island Watch was initiated.

the same. In January 2010, a decision was taken

Today, the Indian Navy maintains one ship on

that the Ministry of External Affairs would steer

anti-piracy patrol at all times in the GoA. The

the proposed legislation. Subsequently, in May

sustained anti-piracy operations by the Navy

2010, a draft legislation was circulated for inter-

and Coast Guard significantly contributed

ministerial consultations. This continued till the

to reduction in piracy and improved safety

end of the year.

and security of mercantile shipping in piracy-

infested areas.

In Conclusion

The way the menace of piracy has unfolded in the

decade following 2001 has only confi rmed two

factors that affl ict the Indian Ocean’s geographical construct. Firstly, transnational crime poses a

much greater challenge to maritime security

efforts than traditional threats; and secondly,

choke points are natural staging grounds for acts

such as piracy and must, therefore, be guarded by

cooperative security mechanisms agreed upon by

maritime States in the Indian Ocean. The success

Nowhere to go—interdicting suspicious elements

of the ongoing anti-piracy deployments by various

navies in the GoA goes to prove that cooperation

Since India did not have a separate domestic

amongst maritime forces is the only answer to all

legislation on piracy at sea, there was a need for

ills in the ocean domain.

Recalls Admiral Sureesh Mehta, then CNS,

‘The trigger for sending our ships for deployment in the Gulf of Aden was the MT Stolt Valor incident. The coalition forces and some other navies were already patrolling the area and some coordination was at work. So, a dialogue was started with the other navies for a convoy system. This would ensure that the naval forces on patrol were not being wasted nor was any effort duplicated. That worked well even when India was not part of the coalition forces as there was mutual understanding and synergy of effort within the IRTC.’

IN’s Anti-piracy Deployment

113

5

The Mumbai Terror

Attacks (26/11)

The Role of the IN as First Responders

In what could be called the worst-ever terrorist

terrorists were simultaneously carrying out assaults.

attack in independent India’s history, members of

The attacks had commenced at about 2130 hrs and

the Pakistan-based terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba

by the time the State administration and the police

(LET), terrorized the city of Mumbai for three days,

got into action, more than an hour had passed.

targeting some of its best-known locations and

At about 2245 hrs, the Western Naval Command

killing a large number of innocent people.

(WNC) received a request from the Maharashtra

Starting 26 November 2008, 10 members

Government, seeking assistance to neutralize/

of the LET carried out pre-meditated shooting

arrest the terrorists. Immediately upon receipt

and bombing attacks.1 The evidently coordinated

of this request, the WNC’s Marine Commandos

attacks lasted till 29 November by when all but one

(MARCOS) were mobilized for action at the Taj

terrorist had been neutralized and one captured

and the Oberoi–Trident hotels. Simultaneously,

alive. During the assault, the terrorists killed 166

the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal

people and wounded 308.2

(EOD) Team, along with the Dog Squad, was also

mobilized. These teams were divided into two

Navy’s Assistance (as ‘First Responders’)

groups with one each heading for the Taj and the

Oberoi–Trident, respectively.

While the attacks were being launched at three

prominent locations, i.e., the Chhatrapati Shivaji

The Naval Team at the Taj

Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), the Taj

Mahal Palace Hotel (the Taj) and the Oberoi

On arrival at the Taj around midnight, the naval

Trident Hotel, there were other locations, namely

team was met by three policemen and four members

Café Leopold and Cama Hospital, where the

of the hotel staff in the reception lobby. They

1 ‘What happened on 26/11? 10 key points’, https://

2 Ibid.

timesofi ndia.indiatimes.com/what-happened-on-26/11-10-key-points/listshow/55631763.cms, accessed on 21 October 2018.

Hotel Taj under attack

briefed the team that three or four terrorists had

exits. For almost two hours thereafter, there was

infi ltrated the hotel at about 2130 hrs and had since neither gunfire nor any trace of the terrorists

been shooting down the guests. After formulating

who seemed to have realized the presence of

a quick action plan, the naval team leader sought

commandos. Fresh gunfire was then heard at

access to the hotel’s CCTV Control Room. On

about 0330 hrs (27 November) from the adjacent

the way, they came under heavy gunfi re as well as

(new Taj) building. The team traced its way to the

grenade attacks. Unfortunately, the CCTV Control

origin of the gunshots and found that the source

Room was also on fire and engulfed in smoke,

was the Chamber Hall, at the new Taj, which was

making it impossible for anyone to enter or retrieve

completely dark. As the team entered the Hall, it

intelligence from there. At that very moment, the

came under heavy gunfi re from terrorists. In the

team heard gunshots emanating from the kitchen

exchange, two MARCOS were wounded but were

lobby indicating the presence of terrorists in the

quickly pulled out to safety. The remaining team

kitchen. The team rapidly proceeded to the kitchen,

shifted to block the entry/exit points of an adjacent to engage the terrorists. During this transit too, it room, which was fi lled with the hotel’s guests, in

came under gunfire. Throughout, the team was

order to protect them. Having assessed that the

restrained and did not return fi re to avoid casualty terrorists were now cornered, the MARCOS

to innocent civilians (guests). As the naval team

positioned themselves between the guests and the

succeeded in entering the kitchen, the terrorists

hideout (room) of the terrorists. MARCOS snipers

managed to escape through the kitchen’s numerous

were simultaneously positioned at all vantage

The Mumbai Terror Attacks (26/11)

115

points including the Gateway of India, in order to

cut off the escape routes from the Chamber Hall.

At about 0600 hrs, the team re-entered the Hall but

the terrorists were nowhere to be found. They had

got away through steps in the rear of the Hall (of

which the MARCOS were unaware, due to absence

of maps). While fl eeing, the terrorists left behind

a rucksack full of AK magazines, grenades, other

ammunition and even ID cards which were taken

over by the MARCOS, for handing over to the

Police/NSG later. Immediately thereafter, the team

created a protected egress route and evacuated 150

civilians (guests) in quick time, to safety. Around

50 more guests, found huddled in various other

rooms, were also escorted to safety. Additionally,

40 members of the hotel staff were evacuated. At

0930 hrs on 27 November, the team handed over

Mumbai map indicating sites where attacks took place

the counterterrorist operation to the NSG who had

just arrived from New Delhi. The latter, thereafter

CCTV footage of the terrorists entering the hotel.

conducted Operation Black Tornado that ended on

The hotel had more than 500 rooms and its two

29 November.

buildings were interconnected by alleyways at the

By their actions at the Taj, the MARCOS,

ground as well as the third fl oor. The fi rst impression despite having no knowledge of the hotel’s layout

was a site in complete disarray with bloodstains,

or intelligence about the terrorist-formation,

broken windowpanes and empty 7.62mm cartridges

successfully disrupted the plan and intended

strewn all around. The hotel had been cordoned off

timeline of the terrorist operation. It is safe to

by policemen on-site.

assume that the terrorists did not anticipate a

At about 0245 hrs, as the team was trying to

commando counteraction this early, and the fi refi ght localize the position of the terrorists, sounds of

with the MARCOS unnerved them (as evidenced by

grenade blasts and gunfire were heard from the

their carelessness in leaving an arsenal and identity hotel’s third fl oor. The team rapidly accessed the

clues behind, while fl eeing the Chamber Hall). The

third fl oor, but the terrorists had stopped fi ring and team successfully saved and evacuated nearly 250

shifted their position. At about 0300 hrs, while

civilians, even as two MARCOS were wounded.

the team was relocating itself from the Trident

to the Oberoi, one terrorist was sighted between

The Oberoi–Trident Team

the ninth and tenth floors. As the team moved

towards the ninth fl oor, it was apparently spotted

The MARCOS and the EOD Team entered the Oberoi

by the terrorists who opened fi re. An exchange of

Hotel at about 0200 hrs on 27 November 2008.

fi re took place and the terrorists lobbed grenades,

The Hotel’s Chief Security Officer informed the

disrupting further advance by the team. However,

team that two or three terrorists had entered the

the MARCOS kept up their efforts. By 0515 hrs, the

Trident, shooting at anyone in sight. He gave a

team was able to secure a vantage position which

brief description/layout of the hotel and showed

forced the terrorists to withdraw and hide in a room.

116

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The team embarked on a systematic door-to-door released just like the Kandahar hijacking episode

search to fl ush out the terrorists. At 0830 hrs on

(if the terrorists had survived, that is). However,

27 November, the NSG team arrived from Delhi and

the strength of the Indian State’s organs—be it the

the operation was handed over to them.

Navy’s MARCOS, the Mumbai Police, or the NSG

At the request of the NSG, however, the MARCOS

(which fi nally rounded up the entire operation with

were again deployed at the Oberoi at 1400 hrs, to

support from the Army, Navy and Air Force)—not

assist them in fl ushing out operations. At 1700 hrs, only ensured that no bargaining chips were left but

during room intervention on the nineteenth fl oor,

also captured one terrorist (Ajmal Kasab) alive.

a burst of bullets was fi red from inside a room. At

That was a precious catch as all the pieces of the

this moment, a buddy pair of the MARCOS was

plan and execution of the strike were laid bare by

deployed to cover the escape route. The firefight

him, during interrogation. Ajmal Kasab disclosed5

continued till 2010 hrs. Soon thereafter, the NSG

that the attackers were members of the LET. On

took over mopping up operations and the MARCOS

7 January 2009, Pakistan confirmed the sole

withdrew from the site.

surviving perpetrator of the attacks was a Pakistani

By their actions at the Oberoi–Trident, the

citizen.6

MARCOS were able to keep the pressure on the

terrorists by their ‘probe and seek’ tactic, thereby

Retracing the Path7

denying freedom of action to the terrorists till the

NSG’s arrival.

The terrorists arrived in Mumbai on the night of

India has seen a number of terrorist attacks

26 November, after travelling from Karachi by sea.

since Independence. But the 26/11 has been the

Investigations revealed th at that the Lashkar men

worst so far. It was different in the sense that for

had boarded an Indian fi shing trawler, MV Kuber, the first time, terrorists trained in Pakistan, used

which had been hijacked for this purpose, just

the sea route to enter India.3 It was clear that the

before entering Indian territorial waters.8 As per

terrorists who participated in the 26/11 assault

sources, a mother ship (Pakistani vessel Al Hussaini) were specially trained and had been groomed in

halted off the coast of Porbandar, Gujarat, and

multiple skills over a substantial period of time.4 In transferred the terrorists in small boats into the

all probability, their objective was to create terror, Kuber, for further transit to Mumbai, in a manner maximize casualties amongst innocent civilians—

that would go unnoticed.9 Once they reached close

both Indian and foreign—and get some key terrorists

to the alighting point off Mumbai, they lowered

3 Federation of American Scientist (FAS) Report : ‘Mumbai 6 Omar Waraich, ‘Pakistan Continues to Resist India Pressure Terror Attacks (26–29 Dec . , 2008), pp. 1–2 (See https://fas.

on Mumbai’, Time dated 7 January 2009, http://content.time.

org/irp/eprint/mumbai.pdf).

com/time/world/article/0,8599,1870267,00.html, accessed on 21 October 2018.

4 Ibid.

7 With excerpts from ‘The Lone Ranger’ Blog,

5 Sagnik Chowdhury, ‘Ajmal Kasab statements reveal Zaki-13 December 2008, http://kumar-theloneranger.blogspot.

ur-Rehman Lakhvi’s crucial role in 26/11 Mumbai terror in/2008/12/mumbai-2611.html, accessed on 17 September attacks’, The Indian Express dated 19 December 2014, https://

2017.

indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/kasab-statements-reveal-lakhvis-crucial-role-in-mumbai-terror-attacks/, accessed 8 Federation of American Scientist (FAS) Report, p. 3.

on 21 October 2018.

9 Ibid., p.4.

The Mumbai Terror Attacks (26/11)

117

themselves into an inflatable rubber dinghy in the city had been carried out much before 26/11,

(brought along by them and carried onboard the

and perhaps there were more actors involved than

Kuber)10, and then the boat headed for Machhimar the 10 terrorists who were accounted for.

Nagar adjoining Cuffe Parade, South Mumbai, for

executing the attacks. The Kuber was later found Maritime Security Measures Post 26/11

abandoned approximately 5nm off the Mumbai

coast.

The 26/11 attacks led to a major revamp of the

The assault on Mumbai was no ordinary terror

coastal security construct. It brought into sharp

strike. It was unique in that multiple locations,

focus the need to raise a specialized Marine Police

carefully chosen, were targeted to cause maximum

wing; strengthen the ICG; form fi shermen ‘watch

damage as well as impact. Instead of one or more

groups’; upgrade traffic monitoring systems in

bombings at distinct sites, the attackers struck

ports; instal gapless AIS coverage of the coast; set

throughout the city, using tactics not envisaged before.

up Joint Operation Centres (JOCs); and establish

Secondly, the choice of targets was also exclusive; all an apex body for the management of maritime

located in up-market South Mumbai (the fi ve-star

affairs.

hotels like Oberoi–Trident or Taj or the Leopold Café, Immediately after the attacks, the following

a watering hole frequented by foreigners). The choice measures were approved to strengthen maritime

of the CST Railway Station was to cause fear and

security with special focus on coastal security:

panic among the local populace and publicity for the

• The Indian Navy was designated as the

jihadis in Pakistan. Nariman House (Chabad House)

authority responsible for overall maritime

at Colaba was targeted primarily because it housed

security, including coastal security and

Jewish/Israeli families.

offshore security with the assistance of the

The targets were selected for their visibility

ICG, State Marine Police (SMP) and the

( w i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n o f N a r i m a n H o u s e ) , Indian Customs.

impact, lax security, easy accessibility, ease of

• JOCs at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi and

hostage-taking, and availability of convenient

Port Blair were set up under the respective

f o r t i f i c a t i o n s t o c o u n t e r p o l i c e a c t i o n .

Commanders-in-Chief, jointly manned by the

The choice of the terrorists’ targets, particularly

India Navy and ICG personnel.

Nariman House, gave an indication of the extent

• The Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB), comprising

of planning that went into the execution of the

1,000 personnel was set up and 80 Fast

multi-pronged terror strike. It must be remembered

Interceptor Craft (FIC) were inducted.

that though the Jews and, in particular, Israelis,

• A National Committee for Strengthening

are vulnerable to violent attacks the world over,

Maritime and Coastal Security (NCSMCS),

little did anyone realize that Nariman House

headed by the Cabinet Secretary, was

would be a terror target! The fact that even the

established in August 2009, with a view to

local population was not aware of the existence of

ensure timely implementation of important

a Jewish Centre till 26/11 only goes to prove the

decisions taken by the GoI in respect of

depth of the terrorists’ survey and assault plan. It is maritime and coastal security.

clear that detailed reconnaissance of all the targets 10 Ibid., p.5.

118

Blue Waters Ahoy!

6

Other HADR Operations

(2001–10)

Apart from the 2004 tsunami which became a

provide mitigation in the face of certain natural/

full scope HADR operation, there were instances

man-made disasters within and outside the country.

when the Indian Navy stepped up to offer relief and

I. Operation Denim (May 2003): Sri Lanka Floods

Backdrop

Operation Denim in Action

In May 2003, Sri Lanka was ravaged by a severe

INS Sharda set up four camps at Ratnapura, Galle, cyclonic storm which produced torrential rains

Matara and Kaluthra in the southern districts of Sri

across south-west Sri Lanka. The cyclone caused

Lanka. Each camp was headed by an offi cer and

widespread destruction, killing or displacing

comprised of 10 divers with two Gemini craft and

countless numbers of hapless citizens.

a Medical Assistant. The relief operation continued

for five days during which 5,000 food packets,

A Call for Help

2,500 blankets and medical cover were provided

to more than 1,000 patients.

The Indian Navy initiated Operation Denim (on

Effective command and control ensured smooth

orders from GoI) following the Government of Sri

and effi cient progress of the relief operation. The

Lanka’s request for humanitarian assistance and

Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Shri

medical relief for more than 15,000 fl ood victims

Nirupam Sen, along with the ship’s Commanding

in southern Sri Lanka. INS Sharda was selected for Officer conducted an on-site evaluation of the

the operation. Prior to sailing, the ship embarked

situation and provided relief measures to the

medical teams, divers, Gemini craft, communication

local Sri Lankan populace in these districts. The

equipment and a night-capable helicopter. It sailed

operation garnered appreciation from all corners.

for Port Galle from Kochi on 18 May 2003.

II. Operations Rahat and Madad (25–30 July 2005): Mumbai and Coastal Maharashtra Deluge

Operation Rahat

Rescuing a Vessel at Sea

On 26 July 2005, incessant heavy downpour

On 27 July 2005, Indian Navy rescued MV Vysota, coupled with strong onshore south-easterly gales

a fi shing trawler in distress, 150nm south-west of

off the Mumbai coast, created havoc by causing

Mumbai. The vessel was located and repaired.

a deluge in Mumbai and the coastal districts of

Thereafter, rations were transferred by a naval

Maharashtra. To address the calamity, the Indian

helicopter to the vessel at sea and towed back to

Navy initiated Operation Rahat on the night of

Mumbai.

26–27 July 2005. The rescue and relief operations were jointly undertaken by the Naval Seaking helicopters,

The Bombay High Catastrophe and

Naval and Coast Guard Chetak helicopters and

Operation Madad

helicopters from the Indian Air Force. The air effort was coordinated by Commander, Operations, of NAS

Even as the fl ooding in Mumbai continued unabated

Kunjali.1 These helicopters evacuated stricken local and relief efforts were being provided relentlessly,

personnel in distress and airdropped essential supplies.

another catastrophe was to add to the pandemonium.

On 27 July 2005, the multipurpose support vessel

A s I nu nd at ion C ont i nue s, Re sc ue MSV Samudra Suraksha collided with an ONGC

Operations Enhanced

processing platform, ‘BHN’ in the Bombay High

oil field, 86nm west of Mumbai. This led to an

As the flood situation worsened and the civil

explosion followed by rupturing of a gas pipeline.

administration broke down, the joint military–civil

Subsequently, a major fi re broke out on the platform.

air effort from ashore was joined by the Indian Navy

ships with integral helicopters, Coast Guard ships

The Navy Swings into Action Again

and naval divers with infl atable Gemini craft. These units reached out to the marooned and desolate

Immediately, five Indian Naval ships and two

districts of Ratnagiri, Raigarh, Mahad, Mangaon,

Coast Guard ships, earlier involved in Op Rahat

Chiplun, Jite, Kalyan, Kurla, Dabhol, Thane,

in various parts of Maharashtra, were redeployed

Bapgaon, Pishe, Sawad, Devrang, Belgaum, Sangli

for the rescue of the strategic oil platform and the

and Kolhapur to provide relief supplies and medical

recovery of its crew that had fallen overboard. In

aid in addition to recovering the stranded. Around

Op Madad, 361 survivors battling for their lives in

14,000 people were rescued from these districts by

the vicinity of the platform and the mercy of the

the Indian Navy during the relief operations.

1 NAS Kunjali II was a helicopter base that provided helicopter of INS Shikra, possessing squadrons of Seaking, Kamov 31 and support for ships of the Western Fleet. The Air Station has Chetak helicopters.

since become a commissioned unit and today goes by the name 120

Blue Waters Ahoy!

turbulent monsoon seas, were rescued by the Indian their efforts till the last man was picked up.

Navy, ICG, OSVs and MSVs of ONGC.

These twin operations, Op Rahat and Op

Searching for missing personnel in the choppy

Madad were undertaken concurrently under the

seas, incessant rains and near-zero visibility

most trying weather conditions and refl ect the high

conditions is a daunting task. Notwithstanding,

spirit of the Indian Navy. Despite the gargantuan

the naval ships lowered their lifeboats with divers

nature of both operations, the Indian Navy, along

to search for survivors. Undeterred by the hostile

with other national rescue teams who made it to

weather conditions, compounded by the presence

the sites, met the challenge head on and came out

of unlit oil platforms and fl oating debris from the

with fl ying colours.

damaged rig, the brave men of the Navy continued

III. Operation Sahayata (May 2008): Relief Ops for

Cyclone Nargis

Background

harbour on 7 May 2008. The ships provided

logistics support in the form of clothing, utensils,

Cyclone Nargis was initially centered 390 miles

portable generators and water tanks. Doctors from

east of Chennai. However, it missed Orissa (now

the Indian Navy also provided medical aid to the

Odisha) and Bangladesh and battered Myanmar

survivors in Myanmar.

on 2–3 May 2008. Approximately 10,000 people

By the time the first United States’ aircraft

lost their lives and around 1,00,000 were rendered

with relief material landed on 12 May 2008 in

homeless. A state of emergency was declared in

Myanmar, the Indian Navy had already attended

the cyclone-ravaged area and international aid was

to a majority of the disaster-affected problem areas.

sought by Myanmar from all quarters. The Indian

The Myanmar Government expressed its gratitude

Navy was the fi rst to launch Operation Sahayata to

to India for its timely assistance and the Indian

provide assistance to the cyclone victims.

Navy’s efforts were greatly appreciated by the

international media.

The First Responders

In sum, as on many previous occasions, the

Indian Navy was the fi rst maritime force on scene,

INS Rana and Kirpan of the Eastern Fleet sailed for assisting a neighbour in distress. The Indian

from Visakhapatnam for Myanmar after Nargis

Ocean in general, and the Bay of Bengal in particular, wreaked havoc on its coastal provinces and ports.

is notorious for the frequency and intensity of

The ships embarked relief and rehabilitation

natural disasters, especially cyclones. Therefore, it is material enroute at Port Blair on 5 May 2008

common for the Navy to venture out at the fi rst sign and were the fi rst to enter the devastated Yangon

of an impending disaster in a neighbouring country.

Other Hadr Operations (2001–10)

121

Prologue

A History of Global Interaction

Literature on India’s Maritime Outreach

Despite a huge landmass with a border length of

India’s early maritime activities can be traced back

15,000km between the Arabian Sea in the west to

from the period of the Indus Valley Civilization

western Myanmar in the east, it is the peninsular

(3500–1500 BCE). The excavations at the

geography of India that has predominantly

Harappan sites revealed the maritime activities of

engaged with the world for eons. This is because

the Indus people. The Harappans had mercantile

the passes and the terrain in the north offer

contacts with other countries, such as Sumer,

limited access to the rest of the world, whereas

Egypt, and countries in Central Asia and Persia.2

the seas present no such hurdles—such as terrain

The literary works, including those in Sanskrit,

or climate—for passage of men and material.

Pali, Tamil, Bengali, Persian and other foreign

Thus, over the ages, Indians have ventured in all

languages throw light on India’s contact with

directions from the country’s peninsular shores.

other countries through the medium of the sea.

Even the deep hinterland sent its emissaries to

The Rig Veda, the first of the Vedas—written

exchange ideas and cultural thoughts to the east.

between 2000–600 BCE—talks about our boat

A prominent example was Gunavarman from the

building and maritime activities. The slokas of

Royal House of Kashmir, who travelled by sea

the Ramayana have references to China, Java

to Sumatran shores in the fi fth century CE and

and Sumatra, as likely places in which Sita was

spread Mahayana Buddhism through the Royal

held prisoner.3 The Baudhayana Dharmashastra

House of a Sumatran Queen.1

discusses ‘Samudra Samyanam’, the oceanic

1 Angus Aris Munandar, Travels Through Time: The Story of India, Publication Division, Ministry of Information and India and Indonesia, Embassy of India, Jakarta, Indonesia, Broadcasting, Government of India, 1982, p. 14.

2017, p. 7.

3 Ibid, p. 17.

2 Rear Admiral K. Sridharan, A Maritime History of 124

Blue Waters Ahoy!

voyages to foreign countries.4 The Bible describes relations grew even further during the period of

India’s trade relations with the territory of King

the Guptas. During the reign of Samudragupta,

Solomon, during the tenth century BCE.5 The

the Ceylon king sent his ambassadors to the Gupta

Supparaka Jatakas of the fi fth century BCE, talk

Court, seeking permission to build a Buddhist

about India’s trade links with Babylon during that

monastery at Bodh Gaya.12

era.6 During the pre-Mauryan period, the west

India’s maritime linkage with South-east Asia

coast of India had contacts with countries such

fl ourished around 300 CE and fl agged off an indelible as Ceylon, Suvarnabhumi, Champa, Persian Gulf,

exchange of traditions, beliefs, philosophies, religion Bahrain, Greece, Babylonia, Assyria and Egypt.7

and culture. Owing to India’s strong trade and

The Greek classics throw light on the maritime

cultural ties established through the medium of the

trade links between the Seleucid Empire and India.

seas, almost every South-east Asian country including This trade route had grown during the Mauryan

Cambodia, Laos, Java, Malaysia and Thailand, have

period. The Mauryan Empire had diplomatic relations

their own versions of the Ramayana.13 According

with the House of Seleucus.8 The Mauryan Empire

to French historian and expert on South-east Asia,

had already been maintaining diplomatic relations

Amaury de Riencourt, ‘The brightest sun shining over

with foreign countries and, in turn, Maurya’s

South-east Asia in the fi rst centuries was the Indian ambassadors were deputed to lands afar. During the

civilisation.’14 In Hindu and Buddhist mythologies,

reign of Ashoka, missionaries were sent to Ceylon,

Garuda is a large birdlike humanoid that is the mount western Asia, Egypt and eastern Europe for spreading

of the Lord Vishnu. Garuda—the Hindu name of the

Buddhism. Ashoka’s son, Mahendra, and daughter,

constellation Aquila—is depicted in the religious arts Sangamitra, sailed from Tamralipti9 to Ceylon to

and lore of India, Thailand, Mongolia and Indonesia

spread Buddhism. ‘The wise policy of international

in different styles. It is also the national symbol of comity and friendship established in the Mauryan age

Thailand and appears on the crest of the royal family.

laid the foundations for the building up of a lasting Statues and symbols of the Garuda adorn many

Indian cultural bonding—not just of trade—with

Buddhist temples around the world.15

overseas countries in the later ages.’10

During the medieval period, Mantai port was

Most significantly, during the ancient period,

a key centre for trade with the Chinese. The

Kalinga was an important trading centre, controlling

establishment of a Buddhist vihara by the Pallava

overseas trade. Pali literature talks about the Bali

king, Narasimhavarman, and of a Buddhist stupa

Yatra from the Kalinga coast to Bali, in Indonesia.

by a Sailendra king, Mara Vijayathungavarman,

The Satavahanas maintained trade links with

on the approval of Rajaraja Chola, are indicative

West Asia, Greece, Rome, Egypt and China.11 The

of cordial relations shared between the Cholas and

Kushanas (fi rst century BCE) had a fl ourishing trade South-east Asian kingdoms.

relationship with the Roman Empire. Diplomatic

History records that during the period of the Saka

4 Ibid, p. 18.

8 Sridharan, A Maritime History of

12 Sridharan, A Maritime History

India, p. 22.

of India, p. 29.

5 Ibid.

9 Currently known as Tamuluk, in

13 Maritime Heritage of India, Indian

6 Ibid, p. 19.

Midnapur district of West Bengal.

Naval Academy, 2016, p. 66.

7 L.N. Swamy, Maritime Contacts of Ancient

10 Ibid, p. 23.

14 Maritime Heritage of India, p. 68.

India, New Delhi, Harman Publishing House,

11 Swamy, Maritime Contacts

2000, p. 239.

15

of Ancient India, p. 56.

Ibid.

Prologue: Maritime Diplomacy

125

kings, Indians migrated from Gujarat to Java in the To a great extent, the essence of India’s maritime

seventh century CE. The Chalukya king Pulakesi II,

diplomacy has not involved engaging with other

had diplomatic relations with the Persian court and

lands with any ulterior motives. This perspective has Khusru, the Persian king sent an ambassador to

now been recognized as one of the most important

the Chalukya Court.16 According to L.N. Swamy,

tools of foreign policy, and of establishing and

Pulakesi sent his ambassador to the Persian court via maintaining bridges of friendship, even with distant

the sea route.17 The Arab traveller Suleiman (851

maritime neighbours. Indeed, maritime diplomacy

CE) talks about the cordial relations between the

is a form of political activity that enables nations

Arabs and the Rashtrakutas.18 Many Arab writers

like India to fulfi l their goals, be they economic in had visited the Rashtrakuta Empire during the

nature or geostrategic. It is important to understand ninth and tenth centuries CE. Few would know that

here that, for all practical (economic) purposes, India maritime contact had existed even with Australia and

considers itself as an ‘island’ nation, because 90 per New Zealand in the fi fteenth century CE. The latest

cent of its trade, by volume, with the rest of the

evidence of this fi nd was determined by the detection world takes place through the seas.

of a number of Indian items and artefacts washed

The whole purpose of the pursuit of maritime

ashore from a possible shipwreck off the coast.19

diplomacy by India, is to shape a positive maritime

environment and to ensure good order at sea.

Benign Diplomacy through the Ages

Another fact that must be highlighted about

India is that while maritime diplomacy can be used

It is evident from the historical and archival sources in all forms, from ‘sweet’ and ‘benign’ to ‘coercive’, that India shared a cordial relationship with other

India has never used the coercive form by throwing

countries since the ancient period. Most of these

the weight of its maritime forces, or its strategic heft bilateral relations were established through the

at any other nation—regardless of size or strength.

sea route. The maritime diplomacy between India

And because India does not believe in that category

and other countries benefitted them through a

of diplomacy, it fi nds it easy to make friends and

rich and vibrant exchange of sociocultural and

guarantee lasting partnerships.

religious beliefs, customs, traditions, cuisines and

Nations that have large maritime forces can

languages. The manifestations of this maritime

use them for varying purposes in times of peace.

diplomacy are evident even today. ‘Garuda’, the

India believes in using them for such functions

offi cial airline of Indonesia; the inscription of ‘Lord that serve to strengthen friendships but more

Ganesh’ on the currency of Indonesia; Angkor

importantly, to establish trust. While international

Wat in Cambodia, the largest Hindu temple in the

relations specialist Ken Booth has defi ned a trinity world; the spread of Buddhism to Sri Lanka and the

of roles of a navy to include military, diplomatic

South-east Asian countries; the similarities in art

and constabulary, the Indian Navy has added a

and dance forms and literature of India and South-

fourth side to this trinity—the ‘benign’ role which

east Asian countries; Indian traditions witnessed

mostly includes assistance in times of natural or

in several Thai ceremonies, are just a few of the

man-made disasters—particularly in peacetime.

vestiges of history that are silent testimonies to the Though this is a new-found role that has become

effectiveness of Indian maritime diplomacy.

conspicuous in the wake of the increasing frequency

16 Swamy, Maritime Contacts of Ancient

17 Ibid.

19 Maritime Heritage of India, p. 59.

India, p. 67.

18 Ibid., p. 71.

126

Blue Waters Ahoy!

and intensity of natural disasters (thanks to climate at sea, with a view to maintain peace and good order.

change), strictly speaking, it stems from within the

Only then can transnational crime be prevented and

diplomatic role. And who needs to look elsewhere

non-traditional threats pre-empted. This is a huge

for examples of this side of maritime diplomacy,

task and one cannot expect small island states to

given the experience of the devastating tsunami of

meet the challenge with their, sometimes limited,

December 2004, when India dispatched relief and

resources. Each one of them would have to build a

mitigation assistance to Indonesia, Sri Lanka and

large navy and an equally large coast guard to meet

the Maldives, through its Navy, despite having been

the requirement of surveillance of such vast areas of severely hit on its own shores?20

the ocean, were they to undertake these tasks on their own. Therefore, India has been helping them in two

Assistance to Small Island Developing States

ways: fi rstly, through capacity-building, and secondly, through capability-enhancement of their respective

As brought out above, India has historically

maritime forces. So, if India has been gifting some

been conscious and caring about its maritime

helicopters, small sized, fi xed wing naval aircraft, neighbourhood. It believes that the seas connect and

and patrol vessels to these countries over a period

are not supposed to divide. India has established

of time (in some cases since the 1970s), the aim has

a chain of coastal Automatic Identification

been ‘capacity building’ to assist them in protecting System stations in Sri Lanka and is also assisting

their own sovereignty. Similarly, when India trains

the Maldivian Coast Guard. Another example of

their naval personnel (under ITEC schemes of the

maritime diplomacy practised by India is the building MEA), it is not just leveraging its soft power tools

of trust between India and the small island developing for good relations with neighbours, but primarily

states in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). These

initiating capability-enhancement of the maritime

Island States need resources, training and assistance forces of these small states, so that with each passing for maintaining surveillance in their maritime zones

year they can become more confi dent and self-reliant up to their respective Exclusive Economic Zones

in discharging these functions. The results are there (EEZ). To put things into perspective, island states

for the world to see. The ‘lesser-haves’ in the Indian like the Maldives (land area 227 sq km, but EEZ

Ocean look up to India for assistance in the growth

859,000 sq km),21 Seychelles (land 455 sq km, but

of their maritime capabilities. India does not demand EEZ 1.37 million sq km),22 and Mauritius (land

anything in return. Once again, it is a matter of

2040 sq km, but EEZ 2.3 million sq km),23 all

historical record and the nation’s character that the have a huge responsibility to keep vast areas of the

principle of mutual cooperation and assistance has

ocean under surveillance. This surveillance is meant, reaped benefi ts of trust and effi ciency of security.

primarily, for checking illegal poaching, exploration Another form of assistance that the Navy

or exploitation of sea-based resources by others, but provides to these nations is professional training

today it is also required to keep an eye on all vessels at several levels.24 From the junior-most seamen to

20 See the chapter on tsunami in Section 2 of this book.

International Conference on Small Island Developing States, published by Republic of Mauritius.

21 Maldives Government Fifth National Report to the UN

Convention on Biological Diversity, Ministry of Environment 24 Full details of the various courses in which training is and Energy, 2015.

imparted by the Indian Navy to other countries are covered in the last chapter in this section of this book.

22 https://seymsp.com

23 National Report of the Republic of Mauritius, Third Prologue: Maritime Diplomacy

127

offi cers of all branches of many foreign countries, not only restrict the benefi t to mere ‘fl ag showing’, foreign personnel are trained by the Indian Navy.

but it also endorses friendly relations, showcases

One of the most prominent objectives of the scheme

the visitor’s defence and technology capability,

is training for developing countries for both civilian and importantly instils confi dence in the minds of

and defence sectors. This also brings with it the

the diaspora of the visiting ship’s nationality that

added benefi t of common training, interoperability,

may be resident in that country. These goodwill

mutual understanding and most importantly,

visits also help in familiarizing with the port and

synergy of action.

its administration for contingencies when assistance

may have to be rendered to the local Government

Disaster Relief

and the evacuation process to be carried out.

One example representative of the situation was

Apart from the actual operations that are launched

Operation Sukoon (Lebanon) in July 2006.

across the Indian Ocean in the eventuality of a

The Indian Navy has not just kept this practice of

natural or man-made disaster, India takes the lead

goodwill missions alive, but has also stepped up the

in carrying out training in Humanitarian Assistance

fl ag-showing missions, thus expanding its footprint

and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations for all those

through the pursuance of vibrant naval diplomacy.

countries which prefer to imbibe doctrines and

This was done with the aim of consolidating the

hone their navies’ skills in this fi eld.

country’s goodwill across the oceans. All in all, 80

The Indo-Pacific Region is now the worst

Indian warships visited 155 foreign ports between

affected by natural disasters as 80 per cent of

2001 and 2010.

all global disasters strike this region. The Indian

Navy carries out table-top exercises with various

Hydrographic Cooperation

countries, followed by live drills by loading relief

material and demonstrating activities at sea and

Not every maritime state has the capacity to procure, ashore. Such activities, in different locales, help all train and maintain platforms and manpower for

participating navies to imbibe procedures, and even

hydrography which enables cartography for new

more importantly, to learn from the lessons and

navigational charts, survey of those areas which may

suggestions of all. It helps even the larger navies

have never been surveyed, and creation of large-scale when they receive valuable suggestions from the

charts where only the small-scale ones exist.

smaller ones. All this is what adds up to ‘partnering Since the Indian Navy has had a dedicated Naval

for peace’ and confi dence-building.

Hydrographic Branch and a number of survey ships,

it has traditionally been offering its services to other Visits by Warships

nations within the IOR (and in some cases, even

beyond). The fi rst such cooperation was extended to

Oliver Cromwell, the famed seventeenth-century

Oman in 1993. Even before that date, a number of

philosopher, had once declared, ‘a man-o-war is

trainees from many countries used to be trained at

the best ambassador’. This was true in his time,

the Naval Hydrographic School—a practice which

before him, and is much more relevant in today’s

continues to witness deep interest and growing

turbulent times. The age-old practice of sending

requests from many maritime States.

warships on ‘goodwill missions’ has continued with

As a matter of routine, India has been providing

renewed vigour and is now accepted as a means to

hydrographic assistance to a large number of countries harness invaluable diplomatic dividends. It does

including Mauritius, Seychelles, the Maldives and

128

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Sri Lanka. In some cases, the surveys have involved Bilateral and Multilateral Exercises

large areas of the recipient countries’ EEZs, which is a time-consuming and expensive process.

The best way to ensure interoperability and synergy

between diverse forces and their nations is through

Information Sharing Arrangement for exercises in the maritime domain. Today, the Maritime Domain Awareness

maritime environment witnesses a large number

of bilateral and multilateral exercises on a regular

Asymmetric warfare has now taken the place of

and recurring basis. Examples include the India–

traditional warfare in some regions. The most

US, ‘MALABAR’; India–UK, ‘KONKAN’; India–

common and devastating instrument of such non-

France, ‘VARUNA’; India–Russia, ‘INDRA’; India–

traditional warfare is maritime terrorism, notable

Singapore, ‘SIMBEX’, India-Oman, ‘NASEEM

victims of which have included India (26/11), Sri

AL BAHR’; India–Sri Lanka, ‘SLINEX’; India–

Lanka, Indonesia, Philippines and others. There is,

Brazil–South Africa ‘IBSAMAR’; India–Japan,

therefore, an urgently-felt need for cooperation to

‘JIMEX’ series of exercises; and the Port Blair-based improve our Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

‘MILAN’ series of biennials that have attracted a lot India has, accordingly, sought a White Shipping

of attention not only from the IOR but increasingly

Agreement from many friendly countries to share

from other regions as well.

information on shipping traffic along respective

In addition to these exercises, the Indian ports

coasts so that ‘wheat could be separated from the

of Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam

chaff’ at the Operation Centres of each country .

and Port Blair were also witness to a large number

Such an arrangement is being channelled through

of warships from foreign countries. This was not

the naval diplomacy route and is certain to deliver

only because of the recognition of India’s strategic

additional benefi ts to all.

location but also due to a growing acceptance of

India being the pre-eminent player in these waters.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

Two hundred and forty-six warships from 33

countries visited our shores during the decade.

A diplomatic initiative of purely maritime nature—

the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)—was

Other Foreign Cooperation Initiatives

conceptualized and launched by India in 2008.

Somewhat similar in its charter as that of the Western Capacity Building

Pacifi c Naval Symposium (WPNS), the IONS had

Naval Ships. Indian Navy has identified Fast

the specific purpose of creating a mechanism for

Interceptor Boats/Craft (FIB/FIC) for harbour

the IOR navies to get to know each other better,

defence; Fast Attack Craft (FAC) for patrolling

for their Chiefs to meet biennially and to address

of Territorial Waters; and larger Offshore Patrol

issues of common concern. India’s idea was to fi nd

Vessels (OPV) for EEZ surveillance for provisioning

the means to address regional vulnerabilities through to friendly foreign navies. A large number of Island

the avenue of maritime diplomacy. Today, the results

nations as well as coastal states have shown interest are there for everyone to see. The platform of IONS

in procuring these ships from India. In 1993, the

is already helping achieve its intended goals—all of

Indian Navy provided Seaward Defence Boat

them resulting in the recognition of the benefi ts of SDB-T61 to Mauritius, renamed Guardian by constructive engagement between nations through

the Mauritian Coast Guard, and has continued to

the maritime medium.

support them since. India had transferred an OPV

Prologue: Maritime Diplomacy

129

named INS Saryu to the Sri Lanka Navy (renamed Indian dockyards. Towards this, in addition to the

SLNS Sayura) in 2000, INS Tarmugli (renamed previous repairs that the Indian Navy had undertaken, Topaz) to the Seychelles Coast Guard in 2005, it completed the refi t of the Maldives ship Huravee at and INS Tillanchang to the Maldives (renamed

ND (V) in 2010.

Huravee) in April 2006.

Training. The Navy’s capability-enhancement

Naval Aircraft. Helicopters and Maritime Patrol initiatives include the training of over 900 naval

Aircraft (MPA) are essential assets for any maritime

personnel from friendly foreign countries (FFCs)

nation. Recognizing the need of friendly foreign

in various training institutes in India, as well as

navies, the Indian Navy has provided Islander Aircraft deputing Mobile Training Teams (MTTs), whenever

as well as the more capable and modern Dornier

requested, to engage a larger number of train ees in

Maritime Patrol Aircraft to a few friendly navies, like the host country. In our efforts towards capability-Mauritius, Seychelles and the Maldives. In order to

enhancement of FFCs, we have been leveraging India’s

ensure continued operational availability and incident-

‘soft power’ potential by providing quality training to free service, the Indian Navy has also provided

the FFCs through the medium of structured training

technical experts and assistance in institutionalizing mechanisms. In addition, niche training in the fi eld best practices through various Standard Operating

of submarine, aviation and asymmetric warfare has

Procedures (SOPs).

also been provided to certain FFCs like Vietnam,

Bangladesh, Myanmar and Maldives. The Navy

Coastal Surveillance Radar System and AIS System.

also taken the initiative to institutionalize practical The Navy is cooperating with various friendly navies

training for naval personnel from IOR littoral nations, to install and commission Coastal Surveillance

with the regular embarkation of sea-riders for the 1st Radar System (CSRS) that combines radar, electro-Training Squadron (1TS) during the latter’s Overseas

optics and AIS data as well as the stand-alone

Deployments (OSDs), and continued invitation

AIS in various island nations in the IOR. Bharat

of ‘International Observers’ for the Indian Navy

Electronics Limited (BEL) has the ability to provide

coordinated ‘Tri-Service HADR Exercise’, and many

a turn key solution in installing CSRS as well as the other events.

AIS chain. The recipient nations include Mauritius,

Seychelles, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The idea

In Conclusion

is to assist smaller nations in obtaining greater

maritime domain transparency within their waters

Because of its peninsular geography and its

and ultimately in the entire region.

geostrategic location at the head of the Indian

Ocean, India finds it imperative to encourage

Capability Enhancement

cooperative trends towards the task of mutual

Sustenance of Naval Hardware. The Navy’s

understanding and cooperation so that the larger

commitment is not limited to provisioning of

aim of good order and maritime security are

naval hardware but it also includes providing

accomplished with ease. These aims are achieved

lifetime support in terms of technical assistance by

through maritime diplomacy which ensures

positioning Indian technical experts to meet day-to-

confidence-building amongst maritime states of

day maintenance requirements, ensuring availability

not only the Indian Ocean, but also beyond.

of spares as well as undertaking major repairs in

130

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

The International Fleet

Review (IFR 2001)

Background

host a multinational assemblage coincident with

a defence exhibition-cum-conference. The aim

The idea of a Fleet Review was originally conceived

of a Fleet Review is to display a nation’s might,

as a show of naval might or an inspection to check

both to its own citizens and to others. Each ship

readiness for battle. In the British Navy, the Fleet

is manned by her ship’s company, dressed in

Review has been a tradition involving assembling

ceremonial uniforms. As the reviewing dignitary

the fleet before the monarch. Britain dates her

crosses the ship, in a moment that stands still in

first Review to 1415 CE (largely acknowledged

time, caps are doffed in unison, generally with a

as the fi rst Fleet Review on record) when Henry V

slogan in a grand salutation.

inspected his fl eet before embarking for a war with

France. The review inspired the men to avow their

History of Fleet Reviews in India

allegiance to their country and fi ght to preserve its sovereignty. In the late nineteenth and twentieth

Award of the President’s Colour

centuries, Fleet Reviews became a tradition adopted

When India became a Republic on 26 January

by large navies as a celebratory demonstration

1950, the prefix ‘Royal’ was dropped1 and the

for victories in battle, for a coronation or on the

Service came to be known as the ‘Indian Navy’.

occasion of the visit of royal guests.

The ‘White Ensign’ was also replaced with the

More recently, the practice has also involved

‘Indian Naval Ensign’. Changes were reflected

inviting ships from other navies to what are

in the Naval crest as well as the motto. On

then called ‘International Fleet Reviews’ (IFR).

27 February 1951, the Commander-in-Chief of

These Reviews are held to celebrate signifi cant

the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Sir Edward Parry,

national events like centenaries, jubilees, or to

wrote to the Defence Minister,

1 One day earlier, on 25 January, all 33 of the King’s colours Dehradun. See Brig. M.P. Singh, History of the Indian Military that had been presented to the Royal Indian Navy, Army Academy, Unistar, Chandigarh, 2007, p. 164.

and the Air Force were laid at the Indian Military Academy,

As you know, before India became a Republic the President—as the Supreme Commander of the Armed

Naval custom was to parade the King’s Colours

Forces—to review the fl eet once during his tenure in ashore on special ceremonial occasions. On and

what is known as the President’s Fleet Review (PFR).

after January 26th, 1950, however, this practice

After reviewing a Guard of Honour and receiving a

ceased and the ordinary Indian Naval ensign has

ceremonial (21-gun) salute, the President embarks

been paraded instead. It would be a privilege

the Presidential Yacht, distinguishable by the Ashoka of which the Service would be extremely proud

emblem on her sides, and reviews all the ships by

if the President would honour the Indian Navy

cruising past them. The ceremonially dressed offi cers by presenting to it a special flag which would

and sailors of each ship give three cheers for the

be paraded on important occasions in the same

President (the inspecting dignitary) as he goes past

manner as the King’s Colours used to be.2

each of the columns of warships anchored in a neat

and impressive formation.

And so, on 27 May 1951, the President,

Dr Rajendra Prasad, presented the President’s

Past Fleet Reviews

Colour to the Navy, making the Indian Navy the

Prior to IFR 2001, India had witnessed eight Fleet

fi rst Service to receive the Colour from the Supreme Reviews, with the first one having been held on

Commander of the Armed Forces.

10 October 1953 and the last in March 1997.

Since Independence, Indian Naval ships have also

The President’s Fleet Review

attended IFRs abroad, in countries like Malaysia,

In India, it has generally been the practice for the

Indonesia, South Korea, Australia, UK and the USA.

Review Date

Reviewed by

Highlights

10 October 1953

Dr Rajendra Prasad,

• 25 warships

President

• 7 yard craft

• 1 merchant ship

20 April 1964

Shri Y.B. Chavan,

• 31 warships

Defence Minister

• 9 merchant ships

• 12 yard craft

10 February 1966

Dr S. Radhakrishnan,

First display of aircraft carrier INS Vikrant

President

28 December 1969

Dr V.V. Giri,

• 45 warships

President

• 5 merchant ships

• First display of submarine

11 January 1976

Shri Fakhruddin Ali

• 48 warships

Ahmed, President

• 5 merchant ships

• First Indian-built frigates ( Nilgiri class) on display 12 February 1984

Giani Zail Singh,

• Rajput and Godavari class

President

• Sea Harrier (VSTOL) aircraft on display

Contd. to p. 133...

2 Vice Admiral G.M. Hiranandani (Retd), Transition to Triumph, Lancer Publishers, New Delhi, 2000, p. 383.

132

Blue Waters Ahoy!

...Contd. from p. 132

15 February 1989

Shri R. Venkataraman,

• 86 warships

President

• 2 aircraft carriers

• 1 nuclear submarine

• Fly-past by 39 aircraft

9 March 1997

Shri Shankar Dayal

Award of President’s Colour to the Western Fleet

Sharma, President

The First IFR in India

Shipping directed the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT)

and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT)—two

Conception

major shipping ports in Mumbai—to treat IFR

Upon assuming command as the Chief of Naval

2001 as a notifi ed event.3

Staff (CNS), Admiral Sushil Kumar envisioned that

the time was right for India to showcase to the world Those in Command

that the Indian Navy had become a formidable

The CNS handed over the overall responsibility

maritime force. An IFR, instead of the regular

of conducting the event at Mumbai Harbour for

PFR, would, therefore, serve as an unequivocal

Static Review (with ships at anchorage) and Mobile

declaration of intent of a competent and confi dent

Review (ships steaming past) to Vice Admiral

Indian Navy. This thought process proved to be

Madhvendra Singh, then Flag Offi cer Commanding-

the seed of the first IFR to be staged in India.

in-Chief, Western Naval Command (FOC-in-C

Apart from showcasing India’s maritime military

West). An IFR Cell was set up under Rear Admiral

might, IFR 2001 was designed to commemorate

Ravi Kochhar, the Flag Officer Commanding,

India’s 50 years as a Republic, and simultaneously

Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA), along with

celebrate half a century of glorious service by the

Captain (later Rear Admiral) Rajender Singh as

Indian Navy to the nation.

his Review Commodore for planning, coordinating

and monitoring of all IFR activities. The important

Formidable Preparations

civil authorities that were approached included

It took the Navy almost two years of painstaking

the Government of Maharashtra, Civil Police,

planning to organize IFR 2001. Intricate planning

Doordarshan, MTNL, Pollution Control Board

aside, meticulous coordination between various

and the Railways. A vast list of duties was handed

units, private contractors, government agencies and

down to various agencies, based on their respective

foreign navies were undertaken. The Ministry of

areas of expertise, in May 2000.

Motto

In the words of Vice Admiral M.P. Awati (Retd), ‘The sea unites all those who sail it. It encourages a bond among those who use it for myriad purposes and pursuits of civilization; it bridges cultures, it promotes communion with nature. Its ‘fl ung spray and blown spume’ carries around the world a message of adventure and daring, of friendship and goodwill. Verily the sea unites.’

3 An ‘official event’—one to which particular importance government circles through notifi cations but also to the public is attached and that is given wide publicity not just within by circulars and other means.

The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

133

Organization

Charter of Duties

Admiral Superintendent Naval Dockyard (MB)

• Setting up of Hospitality Centre

• Water transport

Flag Officer Defence Advisory Group (FODAG)

• Publicity

• Stamp release

Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area

• City Parade

(FOMA)/INS Angre

• Accommodation

• Transport

Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF)

• Fleet Review

INHS Asvini

• Medical facilities

Senior Officer, Killer Squadron (K-25)

• Management of Hospitality Centre

Naval Air Station Kunjali II

• Beating Retreat

INS Kunjali

• Bands

• Parking

College of Naval Warfare (CNW, now NWC)

• International Maritime Seminar

Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai (MWC [Mbi])

• Media Management

Commodore Commanding Submarines, West

• Sightseeing for guests

(COMCOS [W])

• Visits to Agra and NDA

Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA)

• Coordination of Flypast

Naval Officer-in-Charge, Maharashtra (NOIC [M])

• Harbour security

In keeping with India’s abiding commitment to

The narration for the fi lm was done by the famous

peace and the tenets of global good order, it was

actor Shri Amitabh Bachchan and the music was

decided that IFR 2001 would be held under the

composed by the renowned composer Shri A.R.

overarching theme of ‘Bridges of Friendship’. The

Rahman. IFR 2001 was given extensive publicity

coming together of many foreign navies for this

by Doordarshan over a considerable period of time.

event symbolized the common desire for cooperative

security and confl ict prevention. The theme underlined Final Schedule

the bonds among the navies of the world through a

After much deliberation and considering various

constructive engagement with the Indian Navy.

factors, the schedule of activities was finalized

as shown in the table (on the following page).

Reaching Out

An IFR, information booklet was sent to the

Build Up to the Review

participating navies for advance preparations, prior

Preparations. The survey and fi nalization of the to the briefi ng at the Final Planning Conference. Two anchorage plans was a major task as considerable

websites were launched for publicizing the broad

dredging was essential to obtain the required

programs of IFR: www.indiannavyifr.com—on a

depths of water. This requirement also became

US based server, managed by the hosting company;

essential because, unlike previous PFRs, a larger

and www.indiannavyifr.mil.in on NIC—the Indian

number of major war vessels including many from

Server. The Indian Navy created a unique fi lm for

abroad—were to be anchored. Each ship’s anchor

television viewers, titled Jaya He, which focussed

berth was chosen based on its size and its country’s

on a modern, youthful and triumphant Indian Navy.

place in the alphabetical sequence of names. Ships

134

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Date

Event

Venue

13–15 February 2001

Foreign ships/delegations arrive at

Review anchorage opposite

Mumbai

Gateway of India

16 February 2001

International Maritime Seminar on

Hotel Taj President

‘Maritime Power: Challenges for the 21st

Century’

17 February 2001

International Fleet Review (IFR)

Mumbai Harbour

17 February 2001

Beating Retreat

Gateway of India

18 February 2001

International City Parade (ICP)

Marine Drive

from the same country were berthed together. The

rehearsal being conducted as early as 11 August

Indian ships were berthed according to their size,

2000. Thereafter, rehearsals were conducted

class and seniority of the Commanding Offi cer. The

on 9 September 2000, 6 November 2000,

anchor plan for the IFR anchorage was fi nalized

21 December 2000, 24 January 2001, 6 and 7

by August 2000.

February 2001, to work out precise timings for

the passing of the mobile column, and the fl y-past.

Rehearsals. A number of rehearsals were held to The FOC-in-C West reviewed the fi nal full dress

validate the Review Anchor Plan, with the first

rehearsal on 16 February 2001.

Review Anchorage Plan

The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

135

Arrival of IN Ships. Indian Naval ships from

It is a tribute to the city of Mumbai and its Police

the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) and the

Department, that with over 4500 foreign naval

Southern Naval Command (SNC) arrived

personnel in town for a week and with lakhs of

in Mumbai on 5 February 2001. The arrival

citizens on Marine Drive for the City Parade, no

of the ENC ships was utilized for rehearsing

untoward incident took place.

the welcome ceremony including gun salutes,

planned for visiting foreign ships.

The World Descends at Mumbai

A Staggering Attendance. IFR 2001 fostered

Arrival of Foreign Ships. Ships of foreign navies military to military cohesive exchanges with 29

arrived only shortly before the review. The berthing

friendly navies of the world. The guests included

of 69 ships in fi ve days (and only during daylight

16 CNSs/CNOs. The IFR displayed 97 ships from

hours for the foreign ships as they were unfamiliar

20 countries of which 24 were foreign warships

with the harbour), was a herculean task. Working

of 19 friendly countries and 73 were Indian

round the clock, the Navy successfully carried out

ships (61 from the Indian Navy and 12 from

the berthing of 13 to 15 ships each day.

the Indian Coast Guard [ICG]). Of the 61 naval

ships that participated, four ships formed part

‘Clean Air’ Campaign. Poor visibility, no matter of the Presidential Column, 41 were at Review

why, would have marred the various events of IFR

Anchorage, 10 were in the Mobile Column and six

2000—from the general public not being able to

of them remained on patrol. In addition, 54 IN/IAF/

see the ships and aircraft clearly, to the cancellation ICG aircraft formed part of the Fleet Review and

of the fl y-past. To ensure good visibility, the Navy 87 were part of the International City Parade (ICP).

took various initiatives to reduce air pollution by

A total of 22 IAF aircraft took part in the fl y-past involving several government and private bodies. The

during the ICP. In addition, seven IAF aircraft were

Navy appealed to all offi ces and schools in Mumbai, also used for various requirements during the event.

Thane and Uran to observe a holiday on 16 February

2001 and requested major industries to reschedule

their monthly/quarterly maintenance period from

after 17 February 2001, to reduce traffi c levels and industrial pollutants. Awareness campaigns were also organized by naval offi cers in various schools to drive home the message of the Clean Air campaign.

A two-day holiday was declared by the Maharashtra

Government to help the ‘Clean Air Campaign’ to

ensure good visibility during the IFR.

The Clean Air campaign created awareness

about pollution in the city. The restoration of

Ships from around the world anchored in neat lines

Bombay Castle and the launch of a heritage walk

through the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, were

Five foreign naval bands from Bangladesh,

welcome fi rsts for those concerned with heritage

France, Russia, Sri Lanka and the USA took part

conservation. Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh,

in the Band Concert and the Beating Retreat

FOC-in-C, would later muse:

ceremonies along with the IN band.

136

Blue Waters Ahoy!

International Maritime Seminar. The International of all bands as well. The last piece was a rendition

Maritime Seminar on ‘Maritime Power: Challenger

of the song ‘It's a Small World After All’.

in the 21st Century’ was held at Hotel Taj President

on 16 February 2001 and saw participation from

many eminent Indian and foreign delegates.

Foreign bands enthralling the audience

The Review. D-Day, viz. the Fleet Review, fi nally The International Maritime Seminar

arrived on 17 February 2001. Mumbai harbour was

the stage of the largest ever assembly of maritime

Band Concerts. Preparation of the Band for

forces in our waters, anchored in neat lines off the

IFR events was a major task as it involved the

Gateway of India. The President and the Supreme

procurement of new instruments, repair of existing

Commander of Armed Forces of India, Dr K.R.

ones to the requisite standard of appearance

Narayanan, was formally received with the blaze

and performance, preparation of scores and

of 21 guns and a Guard of Honour.

tunes, incorporation of the phrase ‘Bridges

Following the gun salute, the Presidential

of Friendship’ with music, and integration of

column—consisting of IN Ships Sukanya (with

foreign bands. Bands from Bangladesh, France,

the President embarked), Suvarna, Subhadra, and Russia, Sri Lanka and the USA participated

Pondicherry—soon set sail for the starting point in the joint band concerts during the IFR.

between the first two columns. The first line

Naval Symphonic Band Concerts were held

comprised the smaller Indian ships, while the second

at various prominent venues in Mumbai, from

had ships from Indonesia, Kenya, Oman, Malaysia

15 to 19 February 2001, and all of them were

and Poland. The column turned the corner fl anked by

well received and appreciated by viewers. The

the Iranian ship IRIS Alvand and the French nuclear Governor of Maharashtra was the chief guest for

submarine FNS Perle forming part of the submarine the concert that was held at the Jamshed Bhabha

line. The column then turned to go between a line

Theatre, Nariman Point, on 16 February 2001.

of foreign ships on one side and Indian-built ships

Two hundred and eighty of the 363 Indian Navy

on the other. The Indian Navy Line, besides the

musicians of the bands of the ENC, SNC, IN Ships

Leander-class ships had the Offshore Patrol Vessels Dronacharya, Hamla, Chilka, Shivaji, Valsura

(OPVs) of the ICG, the training ship INS Tir, the and Mandovi (all shore establishments) were in Indian Naval survey vessels and the Landing Ship

attendance. The performance of the Indian Naval

Tank (LST), INS Magar. On completion of this line, Band was followed by enthralling performances by

a mobile column of impressive missile vessels of the

the bands of the foreign navies and a combination

Killer Squadron passed by, saluting the President.

The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

137

A final turn was made for the last line which

Beating Retreat. The Beating Retreat ceremony was included INS Jyoti, INS Aditya and three Godavari-

held on the evening of 17 February 2001 at the

class destroyers, together with INS Brahmaputra.

Gateway of India. Once again, the President and

At the end of the line lay the newly commissioned

the Prime Minister were in attendance. The Indian

indigenous destroyer INS Mumbai, and eventually Naval band played the National Anthem of India

the carrier Viraat—Flagship of the CNS for the IFR.

and commenced the Retreat with fanfare. Foreign

INS Viraat carried a contingent of soldiers who had bands (from Bangladesh, France, Sri Lanka, and the

fought in the Kargil War. As the President crossed

USA) marched into the display area and performed

each ship, the crew doffed their caps simultaneously

their part of the Retreat. All the bands marched in

and hailed ‘ Rashtrapati ki Jai’ (Hail the President) towards the display area together, from all sides

in unison, three times. There was an impressive

of the gate, and played a grand fi nale. A favourite

fly-past by the Surya Kiran aircraft of the IAF

hymn of Mahatma Gandhi, ‘Abide with Me’ was

and Naval and Coast Guard aircraft as they fl ew

also played. In time, tunes played on fifes were

past in a symbolic salutation to the President. INS

added to the drums and horns, and sometimes,

Sukanya soon returned to her alongside berth and entire bands performed.

the President disembarked. The grand spectacle of

the fi rst ‘Indian’ IFR was over but the celebrations were just beginning.

Naval bands from all over the world engage the audience The audience were spellbound by a moving

The President and Prime Minister with the CNS and

flute recital by a member of the USA’s Seventh

FOC-in-C West on the Review Day

Fleet Band. The Apollo Bunder resounded to the

stirring sounds of the massed bands; it was truly

a spectacle of sound and colour. For the finale,

the bands played some delightful tunes together,

in impeccable consonance while their steps

synchronized flawlessly. At sunset, following a

fanfare of trumpets, the notes of the bugle sounded

the ‘Last Post’ as the Indian Navy’s ensign atop the

Gateway was lowered amidst pin-drop silence. It

was a solemn moment. Suddenly, the skies came

alive with a stunning fl y-past by the Indian Navy's

The Presidential Column steaming past

Chetak, Kamov and Seaking helicopters.

138

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Beating Retreat: The National Anthem on President’s arrival International City Parade. The ICP was a 3km

and colourful fl ags fl uttering on pedestals placed

route march, held on 18 February 2001 by the

along the roadsides. Flags of the participating

IFR participants along Marine Drive—the most

countries gave the occasion an international fl avour.

loved walkway of Mumbaikars. An enthusiastic

The public waited in anticipation, watching the

and wildly supportive audience of well over a

prelude—the Parade of Sails—a colourful display of

million turned up for the momentous parade at

sailing boats of the Enterprise, Cadet and Optimist the magnifi cent natural bay of ‘Queen’s Necklace’4

classes and demonstration of a variety of water

as it turned into one of the largest viewing galleries sports. Flagging off the event was a fly-past led

in the world. As the sun rose on the memorable

by Rear Admiral K. Mohanan, then FONA, in a

day, enthusiastic crowds converged towards the Chetak helicopter followed by a formation of four

beautiful site on the western foreshore of the island Chetaks, welcoming the Prime Minister as they fl ew

city. The curved bay became an amphitheatre, while

past, trailing the Tricolour and the Naval Ensign.

the balconies and terraces of the Art Deco buildings

The parade, saluting the Prime Minister,

provided the perfect space for an immense viewing

commenced at 1000 hrs and featured marching

gallery. Marine Drive was all dressed up for the contingents, tableaus, a display of the Marine

occasion with lamp posts sporting naval ensigns

Commandos, parajumping, skydiving, parasailing

4 A moniker given to Marine Drive owing to its natural curve as it fl anks the Bay Area of the Island City.

The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

139

Navies of participating countries marching along the Marine Drive during the International City Parade and an air display. The martial sounds of bugles,

energetic performance by the Russian band and the

drums and bagpipes, of trombones and cymbals,

sober slow march of the French contingent, which

demonstrated the creative talents of the navies

concluded the parade with bagpipes and drums,

of the world. The Indian Naval marching band

provided a beautiful contrast.

stirred up the patriotic emotions of the crowd

with the well-known and much-loved tunes like

Other Events. Several affiliated events were

‘Jai Bharti’, ‘Sare Jahan Se Achcha’ and ‘ Sonar organized during the week-long celebrations.

Bangla’ . The viewing galleries of Marine Drive The unveiling of a statue of the Maratha Admiral rose in unison to applaud the fl awless rendition of

Kanhoji Angre, and the inauguration of the restored the age-old favourite, ‘ Sare Jahan Se Achcha’, by Bombay Castle within the compound of the Naval the Sri Lankan Naval Band. The enthusiastic and

Dockyard were well received. The Department of

Commemorative stamps released on the occasion of IFR (2001) 140

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Posts and Telegraphs issued four commemorative impressed by their visit to the National Defence

stamps on the IFR, released by Prime Minister Atal

Academy (NDA) at Khadakvasla.

Bihari Vajpayee to commemorate the event.

In Conclusion

A Week of Interactions without Boundaries

The spirit of camaraderie prevailed even during

IFR 2001 held at Mumbai from 15 to 20 February

the periods between and after the IFR events.

2001 will long be remembered for its seminal

This expressed itself sometimes in the music

character. It was the fi rst such national event to be that emanated from many ships—the Russians

held in the new millennium that refl ected the many

playing the popular Hindi fi lm tune, ‘Mera Joota sinews of national prowess—both technological

Hai Japani’ or the Americans playing the Indian

and military. A proud moment for India, it was the

National Anthem. Over 50 street children from the

fi rst-ever international review to be conducted by

Anchorage Shelter Foundation were taken aboard

the country and a memorable way to commemorate

the HMS Cumberland as special guests. Cdr Trevor India’s fi ftieth year as a Republic. It also provided a Jones, Commanding Offi cer of the HMAS Darwin

rare opportunity to Mumbai's citizens to be part of

cheered his own cricket team at the Oval maidan

an important international event and created a new

as they played two games against the city’s young

awareness of the role of the Indian Navy.

boys and orphaned children of the NGO Sneha

The Review also became a defi ning moment in

Sadan. Captain David Cooke of the Royal Navy

the history of the nation and its navy. A momentous

expressed exultation on seeing the retired aircraft

and spectacular display of naval diplomacy and

carrier Vikrant—formerly HMS Hercules with the global maritime cooperation, it brought together

Royal Navy—still afl oat, with plans to convert her

4500 foreign personnel from 29 friendly navies to

into a maritime museum. Lt Toni-Anne Pepper

the business capital of India. Without doubt, it was

and Lt Jennifer Morgan from HMAS Darwin were

an event par excellence in terms of enormity, conduct, excited at the thought of seeing the Taj Mahal.

display and inclusiveness. Most importantly, the

Lt Peter Hoegel Jr from the USS Cowpens was

theme, ‘Bridges of Friendship’, was not only very

fascinated by the Irani restaurants in the city and

appropriately chosen, but spurred the participating

enjoyed the mawa cakes at Kyani’s.5 Many visitors navies who exuded a new-found confidence in a

took in the sights including the city’s array of

new world order guided by the spirit of cooperation

Victorian Gothic architecture. The trip to Agra was

and friendship through, and by, the monitors of the

the most sought after, but the offi cers were equally maritime environment—navies of the world.

5 Mumbai’s culinary landscape is characterized by several with the Parsi community. Kyani Bakery is the oldest such Iranian cafés, reminiscent of the city’s traditional relationship surviving café in the city.

The International Fleet Review (IFR 2001)

141

Recalls Admiral Sushil Kumar, then CNS:

‘As I took over command of the Indian Navy, it struck me that my tenure would span the Navy’ s transition into the next millennium. To match this important milestone, I toyed with the idea of conducting an International Fleet Review.

‘I had always felt that the maritime character of our country had been overshadowed by an overbearing continental mindset. The problems along the LOC and the McMohan Line had given us a landward fi xation. It was perhaps an operational imperative but in the process, it had eclipsed the maritime dimension of India; which lay at the opposite end of the subcontinent. In a manner of speaking, the Navy of India seemed out of sight and somewhere over the horizon.

‘Realizing the potential of naval diplomacy, Prime Minister Vajpayee saw in this mega maritime event a great opportunity to reach out internationally and gave a go-ahead. Ironically, on Republic Day, when the nation feasts on the display of its military might on parade, the catastrophic earthquake hit Bhuj. With more than 20,000 killed instantly and millions injured and rendered homeless, this disaster had cast a gloom over the nation. The conduct of India’ s fi rst International Fleet Review suddenly hung in the balance. There was less than a week left for the event to commence and some of the foreign warships had already arrived at Mumbai Harbour.

‘This was the dilemma that faced the Indian Navy and the Government of India. And all eyes were on Prime Minister Vajpayee. He had to take the call. He fi nally unveiled his thoughts and gave his executive decision: The tragedy that India has faced is known to the whole world; let them also know that we can face up to such a challenge. The show must go on.

‘The international fl eet of warships was reviewed by Shri K.R. Narayanan, the President of India, accompanied by Prime Minister Vajpayee— the man who took the key decision of giving the go-ahead to the event.’ 6

6 From an interview with Admiral Sushil Kumar (Retd) on 11 July 2018.

142

Blue Waters Ahoy!

2

The President’s Fleet Review

(PFR 2006)

Introduction

headquartered in Mumbai, has traditionally

occupied the pride of place for all maritime

The historical background of Fleet Reviews

activities in the public perception. ‘Maximum City’,

in general, and the reviews held in India since

as Mumbai is called, is a throbbing metropolis

Independence in particular, has already been

buoyed by its fi nancial might and bustling life, and discussed in the chapter on International Fleet

is effortlessly the centre of attraction amongst all

Review (IFR) 2001. This chapter elucidates

the metropolises and coastal cities in the country.

the conduct of President’s Fleet Review (PFR)

Therefore, all the previous Fleet Reviews—

2006 which turned out to be a historic event for

Presidential or International—were conducted off

many reasons. Amongst others, it was the first

the shores of Mumbai.

Fleet Review to be held on India’s east coast, at The initial planning process for the PFR to be

Visakhapatnam—the ‘City of Destiny’.

held in early 2006, was initiated at IHQ MoD (N)

Held on 12 February 2006, this review of the fl eet

on 2 January 2005. Of the options with regard to

highlighted the maritime resurgence of India’s Eastern where it should be held, Karwar and Mumbai were

seaboard. The occasion also marked the Eastern Fleet

deliberated upon, at the time.

earning the coveted honour of being awarded the

President’s Colour1 for its valour, dedication and

A Game-changing Proposition

unstinting service to the nation through the decades.

During the Commanders’ Conference of May

2005, the then Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Naval

Breaking the Monopoly

Command (C-in-C East) proposed shifting the IFR

to Visakhapatnam as a new venue for the review,

Half a Century on the West Coast

and supported the cause on the back of many a

The Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy,

gainful factor, including, primarily, deeper waters

1 The President’s Colour was awarded to the Eastern Naval Command in 1987 and to the Western Fleet in 1997.

inshore; a long beachfront which would enable a barely six months. The ambit of the review was

much larger public engagement; rejuvenation of the

further expanded to include an offshore Op Demo.

eastern seaboard as the cradle of India’s maritime

However, unlike Mumbai, Visakhapatnam is neither

history; a much larger open roadstead, compared

a state capital nor an industrial/business centre.

to the Mumbai harbour; and an ideal location for

This meant a host of obstacles came its way, be it

a full-scale operational demonstration (Op Demo),

regarding protocol, liaisoning with civil authorities, which would not have been possible at Mumbai

or the availability of material/fi nished products.

or Karwar. It was also brought out that a major

advantage of staging the event off Visakhapatnam

A Series of Firsts

was that the general public who had never seen

The sanction and completion of works related to

the Navy up close could also observe the events in

PFR had to be undertaken in a record time. The PFR

large numbers. Unlike Mumbai, the deep waters

would also witness two particularly special events—

close to the shore permitted even INS Viraat, the the presentation of the President’s Colour to the

navy’s carrier, to be underway and undertake fl ying

Eastern Fleet and a dived submarine sortie, with the

operations close to the shore. An Op Demo so close

President embarked. The unique nature of both these

to shore with almost a ‘free for all’ view would

events necessitated planning of a very high level.

never be feasible at Mumbai.

The Conductors

A Historic Decision

A PFR Cell was formed on 31 July 2005, under

On 9 June 2005, IHQ MoD (N) promulgated a

then Chief of Staff, ENC. The entire planning and

broad planning directive vide an IG.2 This was

coordination process was undertaken by Headquarters,

followed by an initiating directive on 16 June 2005.

Eastern Naval Command (HQENC). The Command

The tentative date promulgated was 12 February

Plans Offi cer was nominated as the nodal point for

2006 and as many as 13 events were planned for

PFR coordination. Captain J.S. Beniwal was appointed

the mega event.3

as Captain PFR in August 2005. The responsibility of

conducting various events was, thereafter, distributed The First Fleet Review on the East Coast

among suitable organizations as indicated in the table (see following page).

A Unique Challenge

While it was a matter of pride for the Eastern

Civilian–Military Cooperation

Naval Command (ENC) to be conducting its

From the very onset, it was clear that the civil

inaugural PFR, it was also a herculean task for

administration and the police would have a large

that Command as no precedents and, therefore, no

part to play in preparing the city’s infrastructure

standard operating procedures, existed. There were

for the events. On 21 June 2005, a presentation

no precedents with regard to infrastructural support

was made to the civil administration and other

too. On the other hand, the time frame available

major agencies, introducing the concept of

for the entire planning and execution process was

PFR. Once the specific areas of coordination

2 IG stands for an ‘India General’ message of the Navy. These are messages of a general 3 These underwent subsequent changes.

nature that should be known to all personnel throughout the Navy. General messages For instance, the Maritime Symposium

are also originated by a regional authority for promulgation within their own area of was cancelled. It was also decided not

administration (e.g., ‘Mumbai General’, ‘Karwar General’, etc.).

to have a theme or a logo for the PFR.

144

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Organization

Charter of Duties

INS Dega

Arrival/Departure of Dignitaries

Commodore Commanding Submarines

• Submarine Sortie

(East)

• Reception/Conduct/Farewell of Guests

• Invitation for Events

• Seating Plans

• Guest Relations

INS Satavahana

Security and Provost Arrangements

INS Circars

• Band Concert

• Presidential Banquet

• Beating Retreat/Fireworks

Naval Officer-in-Charge (Andhra Pradesh)

Static Review

Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet

• Op Demo

• Presentation of President’s Colour

• Presidential Column

INS Eksila

CNS Reception

Command Education Officer

• President’s Interaction with Children

• Release of Special Day Cover/Stamp

Command Area and Plans Officer

Nomination/Control of Liaison Officers and Ushers

Command Photo Officer

Video and Photo Coverage

Maritime Warfare Centre (V)

Release of Special Publication on ENC

were identified, it was decided that an apex

Secretary, DGP and other Secretaries to the Andhra

committee would be formed at the appropriate

Pradesh Government. ‘PFR 2006’ was adopted

(high levels), to look into the specifi cs of planning as a state event by the Andhra Pradesh Chief

and execution. This committee, headed by FOC-

Minister, which went a long way in developing the

in-C (East) himself, included the Chairman of

required infrastructure, sharing of state resources,

Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), the District

widening and resurfacing of roads and giving a

Collector, the Police Commissioner, the Municipal

facelift to the city of Visakhapatnam. This was

Commissioner, Vice-Chairman, Visakhapatnam

done in addition to the harbour- and channel-

Urban Development Authority (VUDA), CMD

specifi c requirements of traffi c control, berthing, of HSL, Divisional Tourism Manager, Andhra

dredging, etc., at the port.

Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation

(APTDC), DRM of South Eastern Railways, Area

Pollution Control Campaign

Manager, Air India, and Station Manager of AAI,

One of the major problems in Visakhapatnam is

Visakhapatnam.

pollution. The naval base, being situated in the

A presentation was made to the Chief Minister

industrial zone, compounded the problems of air

of Andhra Pradesh and the cabinet of ministers, by

and water pollution. Pollutants in the harbour

FOC-in-C (East) on 2 November 2005, soliciting

waters were reduced through concerted efforts

assistance in specific areas. This was followed up

of the ENC and the Naval Officer-in-Charge

by high-level meetings with offi cials at Hyderabad,

(Andhra Pradesh) (NOIC [AP]). The VPT also

including a visit to Visakhapatnam by the Chief

impressed upon the merchant shipping, the

The President’s Fleet Review (PFR 2006)

145

FINAL SCHEDULE

Date

Event

Venue

11 February

Band Concert

Samudrika

2006

Illumination by ships

Off R.K. Beach. President to

witness from Dolphin Hill

Command Reception and Presidential Banquet

ENC (O) Mess and Lawns

12 February

Fleet Review

Off R.K. Beach

2006

Op Demo

At R.K. Beach

Review Reception

At NOI

Private Dinner for President

Hosted by CNS at Chola Suite

13 February

Presentation of Colour to Eastern Fleet

Circars Parade Ground

2006

Submarine Sortie

Interaction with School Children

Samudrika

importance of pollution control. A dedicated

Survey of Review Anchorage Area

committee was constituted for pollution control

The inner lane had to be pushed as close to the shore under the Commanding Officer, INS Kalinga.

to avoid ships of the last lane anchoring in more than All industrial units around the naval base were

35m of water, which was the maximum that could

communicated with, to undertake measures for

be managed by ships. This area had not normally

reducing effluents released. Major awareness

been used for anchoring by ships and thus had to

drives were also undertaken which included

be surveyed thoroughly by naval hydrographers.

presentations at schools and colleges. Finally,

Further, the tsunami of 2004 could well have

a ‘Clean Beach Drive’ was conducted on 29

altered the seabed and this aspect too would have

January 2006 at R.K. Beach. A total of 750

to be intricately assessed. Therefore, a detailed

children from 11 schools and the Sea Cadet

hydrographic survey of the Review Anchorage was

Corps participated in this drive.

carried out by INS Darshak in October 2005.

Planning the Review Anchorage

Conduct of Ships to Anchorage

The ships were anchored in four review lanes,

Review Anchor Plan

on axis 060–240 for over two days. They were

PFR 2006 was, perhaps, the only Fleet Review

anchored in groups of four and were led to the

where the fl eet was anchored in unsheltered (open)

anchor berths by a survey motor boat (SMB). The

waters. Besides the uncertainties of weather, the

SMBs were equipped with hand-held Differential

data on the direction and strength of the tidal

Global Positioning Systems (DGPS) for accurate

stream and current could not be very accurately

positioning. After the arrival of outstation ships,

predicted much in advance, as no such data had

the first full rehearsal was conducted on 30

existed for the open roadstead that was to be the

January 2006. The fi nal full dress rehearsal was

venue at Visakhapatnam. A severe constraint also

reviewed by the C-in-C on 10 February 2006.

existed in terms of lanes that could be planned

as more than four lanes would have placed the

Arrivals

seaward lane in depths of more than 40m, and that

would have been diffi cult for any ship to anchor in.

The CNS, along with the VCNS, arrived on

146

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Layout of review anchorage with crests of participating units 10 February 2006. The other Service Chiefs and

departed for View Point 1 at Dolphin Hill. All the

C-in-Cs arrived AM 11 February 2006. The

ships at anchorage were illuminated from 1830

state dignitaries, along with the Defence Minister

to 2200 hrs. From a vantage point, the Supreme

and Minister of State and Defence arrived in the

Commander of the Armed Forces viewed the

afternoon of the same day. His Excellency Dr A.P.J.

spectacular sight of Indian Naval ships grandly

Abdul Kalam, the then President of India and the

lit up in ceremonial illumination. For the sake of

Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces arrived

better viewing, the high power lights of container

at 1600 hrs on 11 February 2006. He was received

berths of the Visakhapatnam port were doused for

at the airport by the Governor and Chief Minister

the duration of the President’s visit.

of Andhra Pradesh, the Defence Minister, CNS and

FOC-in-C (East).

Band Concert

The band concert was the first event of PFR

2006. It was held at the Samudrika auditorium on 11 February 2006, from 1730 to 1830 hrs. It was

performed by the Naval Symphonic Orchestra with

Captain P.G. George, the Director of Music, wielding

the baton. The concert incorporated renditions of

classic marching tunes such as ‘Light Cavalry’ as well popular songs in various languages—both Indian

Ships illuminated at anchorage

and foreign. The performance was extremely well-

received and following the concert, the President

Presidential Banquet

went on stage and interacted with the band.

A command reception followed by the Presidential

banquet was conducted at the ENC Offi cers’ Mess.

Visit to Dolphin Hill View Point

The banquet was conducted with full ceremonials,

Upon completion of the band concert, the President

with the arrival of the Supreme Commander being

The President’s Fleet Review (PFR 2006)

147

announced with fanfare by the Indian Naval Band.

The Presidential Column thereafter cast off,

It was a full course meal with a (non-alcoholic)

escorted in the van by Extra Fast Attack Craft

toast being raised to the President.

(XFACs), T-83 and T-84. The fi rst column to be reviewed consisted of Sail Training Ship Tarangini, The Big-ticket Items

the Khukri-class missile corvettes and LSTs(M).

Thereafter, the Presidential Column steamed past

The Review

the entire static column, row by row. The last ship

D-Day arrived on 12 February 2006, and with it,

to be reviewed (the last ship of the last row of the

the showpiece item of the President’s three-day

static column) was the aircraft carrier Viraat. As stay in Visakhapatnam—the Fleet Review. The

the President crossed each ship, the crew doffed

city anchorage was witness to the largest ever

their caps simultaneously hailing ‘ Rashtrapati ki assemblage of warships anchored in neat lines off

jai’ in unison, three times. On completion of this R.K. Beach. The Presidential Column consisted of

review, an impressive mobile column of missile

four OPVs. Of these, the Presidential Yacht Sukanya vessels of the Killer Squadron and ships of the

and the Press Yacht Savitri were berthed at the Patrol Squadron passed by, saluting the President.

Indian Navy jetty whilst the guest yachts Sujata and Aircraft of the Navy and Indian Coast Guard

Sharda were berthed at berths N5/N6, all awaiting (ICG) did a fly-past in ceremonial salute to the

the arrival of the President. The President arrived at President. The fly-past consisted of all types of

the Indian Navy jetty on that eventful morning and

aircraft, viz. TU 142, IL 38, Sea Harriers, Kirans,

inspected the Guard of Honour. Upon completion

Dorniers, Islanders, Seakings, Kamovs, ALH and

of the ceremonials, the President embarked his ship.

the ever-present Chetaks. The Presidential Column

President being received with full honours before the Review 148

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Ships saluting the Supreme Commander

then returned to harbour. INS Circars, the base stormed in with a high-speed manoeuvre. The

depot ship, fi red a 21-gun salute and the President’s action shifted to the skies again as the already

Standard was hauled down from Sukanya. With

captivated audience feasted on a skydiving demo.

that, the main event of PFR 2006 came to an end.

At 1630 hrs, the President was received with the

playing of the national anthem and the Navy’s

Operational Demonstration

show of strength then clicked into higher gear.

The Op Demo was held on the the evening of

The President was greeted by a fl y-past by Chetak

12 February. It displayed the prowess of the Navy

helicopters carrying the national flag and the

not just to its Supreme Commander but also to

naval ensign.

the general public who could witness the same

This was followed by five missile corvettes

from R.K. Beach. An enthusiastic crowd and

doing a steam-past, firing red and green flares

ever-willing invitees themselves had swarmed the

as they passed in front of the dais. Then came

beach well before the President’s arrival. Their

a flying demonstration by the aircraft carrier

wait was made worthwhile as the Op Demo

Viraat, in which the Sea Harriers dropped live started with a rather fancy power hang-glider

bombs in the offshore area, to the collective gasp

demonstration. Thereafter, XFACs T-83 and T-84

of the audience. The Sagar Pawan 4 squadron

4 The aerobatic demonstration team of the Indian Navy and other being the Blue Angels of the US Navy).

one of the only two naval aerobatic teams in the world (the The President’s Fleet Review (PFR 2006)

149

then swooped in from the skies and performed

an equally impressive aerobatic display, following

which the MARCOS took centre stage, simulating

a combat situation and blowing up a mock target

in the waters close to the shore.

Beating Retreat

The poignant Beating Retreat ceremony was

planned from 1738 to 1806 hrs. Although

sunset on 12 February 2006 was at 1757 hrs,

a ceremonial sunset was observed at 1808 hrs,

after the completion of beating the retreat. Sunset,

however, was not a curtain call. It was merely an

excuse for darkness to fall so that more impressive

fi repower could be showcased. Live missile- and

rocket-firing was undertaken by Indian Navy

ships, followed by Close Range Anti-air (CRAA)

fi ring.5 The National Anthem played again as the

President departed but the audience was thereafter

treated to a thirty-minute long, extraordinary

fi reworks display.

President’s Colour being presented to the Eastern Fleet Presentation of Colour to the Eastern Fleet

The last day of the three-day long PFR fete was

Other Events

one of great importance and of pride for the ENC

in general, and the Eastern Fleet in particular.

The President ‘Dives’

The presentation of the President’s Colour may

As per the wishes of the President, a three-and-a-

be considered the highest acknowledgment of a

half-hour long submarine sortie was organized. INS

unit’s service to the nation. The daily morning

Rajput acted as a target ship while INS Nireekshak ceremony of ‘Colours’6 was held at 0700 hrs on

was on standby for rescue duties. INS Sindhurakshak that eventful morning (instead of the usual 0800

dived to a depth of 30m and demonstrated the

hrs). The President arrived at 0800 hrs to witness

attack procedure to the President. The submarine

an impressive parade. In a poignant moment, he

also had the rare distinction of hosting the Supreme

awarded his Colour to the Eastern Fleet as the

Commander to lunch whilst under water!

Sagar Pawan aerobatic team fl ew past.

5

6

It needs special mention that all these activities would be A ceremony wherein the national fl ag and the naval ensign are unthinkable, nay impossible, in Mumbai.

hoisted in the morning, only to be lowered at sunset.

150

Blue Waters Ahoy!

commemorative stamp on PFR 2006 was released

by the President just before the commencement

of the Op Demo sequence at R.K. Beach. The

Navy went in for the spectacular, unveiling the

stamp on a mega screen by pressing a remote-

controlled button.

In the Midst of His Favourite Group

Dr Kalam’s love for children was well known.

On 13 February 2006, the President interacted

President Kalam, understanding the working of a dived submarine with a total of 535 children and 40 teachers

from 45 different schools of Visakhapatnam. It

Literary Events

was a 45-minute long interactive session that was

On the occasion of the PFR, a coffee-table-

initiated by the President himself. The children also book titled The Eastern Shield was compiled to enthusiastically rendered the National Anthem.

showcase the primacy of the East Coast, its rich

Following the event, the President visited the CARE

maritime heritage and the ENC. In addition, a

hospital situated in Visakhapatnam town.

Release of the Eastern Shield

The President’s Fleet Review (PFR 2006)

151

Other Visits

Commands, the Andaman & Nicobar Command

The Fleet Review completed, the President visited

(ANC) and the ICG participated in the review. A

the Ship Building Centre (SBC). In the evening,

Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) ship was also

after the Op Demo, he visited the Naval Science

included. The basic objective of holding the review

and Technological Laboratory (NSTL). Being an

at Visakhapatnam was to highlight the role of the

ace scientist himself, he was keen to see all the

ENC and the eastern seaboard of India, in keeping

new developmental projects. He reviewed various

with the nation’s own ‘Look East’ policy. The

naval weapon technologies, products and materials,

civil administration was fully and wholeheartedly

as also a demonstration of the Autonomous

involved in providing the necessary support in

Underwater Vehicle (AUV) under development.

preparing the city for the PFR. The civic authorities The President’s day was brought to a close with

succeeded in giving the town a festive look. The

a private dinner hosted by the CNS, and attended

overwhelming response of the lakhs from the

by the RRM and the Chiefs of Army and Air Staff.

local populace that congregated on the seafront

to witness the show, was unprecedented. Admiral

In Conclusion

Arun Prakash, the then CNS would go on to say,

PFR 2006 was a classic example of a germane

Having remained for long in the background of

idea that bloomed to fruition, that too with much

the country’s maritime consciousness, changing

success. The occasion was given the importance it

geographical and economic realities brought

deserved and received the desired impetus across

this vital region to the fore. The President's Fleet

agencies and the state government, once it was

Review and presentation of the President's Colour

declared a ‘notifi ed’ event. The President reviewed

to the Eastern Fleet on 13 February 2006 were

the combined fl eet of the Indian Navy on the East

fi tting recognitions of the key role and importance

Coast for the fi rst time in India’s history. A total of the Eastern Naval Command, and its sword

of 66 ships and 50 aircraft from all three Naval

arm—the Eastern Fleet.

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Blue Waters Ahoy!

3

The Indian Ocean Naval

Symposium (IONS)

Enabling Synergies amongst Maritime Forces

Introduction

IOR navies. The predominant naval forum within

the western Pacific—the Western Pacific Naval

With the end of the Cold War, and the ensuing

Symposium (WPNS)—provided a ready model

decade that brought conspicuous changes in the

for the IOR to adopt. As its name suggests, the

environment, the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

WPNS is a gathering of navies1 of the Western

became increasingly aware of the new and emerging

Pacifi c region. Conceived during deliberations at

security challenges that face all its constituent

the 9th International Sea Power Symposium, in

nation-states. While military security retained

1987, as a mechanism to increase regional naval

primacy, non-traditional threats now engaged

interaction, the WPNS has come of age as a forum

the minds of all states, particularly islandic and

that deliberates on issues related to maritime

littoral ones. The idea that oceanic expanses were

security and avenues for cooperation amongst

not ‘separators’ but rather ‘connectors’ of nation

regional navies operating in that region.

states was gaining momentum.

Through much of 2007, IHQ MoD (N)

India’s Acceptability

deliberated, in earnest, the need to address regional and sub-regional vulnerabilities of the IOR through

By the middle of the decade—which was also

the establishment of a pan-regional mechanism to

around the time when the IHQ MoD (N) was

deal with issues related to the maritime domain in

dwelling on how to meet the IOR’s susceptibility

the IOR—primary amongst them being holistic

to maritime threats and, therefore, the need for

maritime security, defi ned as freedom from threats

an initiative like IONS—the Indian Navy had

arising in, from, or through the sea. The idea was

grown to be the largest in the IOR. It had in its

to encourage constructive engagement amongst all

inventory 136 ships and submarines, and over

1 Members of WPNS include eight of the ten ASEAN States Japan, RoK, Australia and New Zealand, all adding to 18

(Laos and Myanmar are not members of WPNS) and major/

founding members. The forum has since grown and now has regional powers including the USA, Russia, China, France, India amongst its six ‘observers’.

200 aircraft at the time. That apart, the Navy had

‘conclave’, since it tended to denote a ‘private’

substantial experience in maritime issues owing

or ‘exclusive’ gathering, whereas the need was to

to its geostrategic location typified by its large

emphasize ‘inclusiveness’ The fundamental idea

peninsular configuration at the junction of the

within the IOR. These behind the creation

busy international shipping lanes that traverse the

deliberations led to the of the IONS was

Indian Ocean. Several IOR littorals, such as the

initiative being renamed providing a platform

island states of Maldives, Sri Lanka, Seychelles

the Indian Ocean Naval

to enable the islandic

and Mauritius, were already engaging India for

Symposium (IONS).

enhancing their own capacity and capability

and littoral states of

within the maritime domain so as to ensure the

Objectives

the IOR to be able

security of their own maritime-trade routes, the

to constructively

delineation of their maritime boundaries, and the

The fundamental idea engage one another

realization of jurisdictional rights within their

behind IONS was to effect

through the creation

respective maritime zones for the exploration,

a paradigm shift from and promotion of

exploitation and protection of mineral resources,

competitive security to regionally relevant

hydrocarbons, etc. In addition to capacity issues

collective security within mechanisms, events

(material resources such as ships and aircraft),

the maritime domain, and activities to

a substantial amount of assistance towards

wherein the navies of the resolve maritime

capability-enhancement was also a regular feature

IOR states could engage in

security issues.

of the Indian Navy’s engagement with these

mutually beneficial ways

states. This was particularly evident in the fi elds

to resolve maritime-security concerns.

of management/surveillance of their Exclusive

In keeping with its aim to enhance holistic

Economic Zones (EEZs), hydrography (creation

maritime security on a regional basis, IONS was

and updating of navigational charts for important

expected to do the following:

harbours and offshore areas), and on-the-job

• Provide a forum for navies (and the principal

training for personnel of local maritime forces.

maritime-security agencies in such countries as

The concept of a regional forum, therefore, had

did not possess a formally constituted navy).

tremendous potential in contributing towards

• Periodically meet and discuss a wide range

peace and stability in the region, especially as most of maritime security issues facing the littoral

countries within the region recognized India as the

states of the Indian Ocean and come up with a

natural leader in the maritime domain.

common set of regionally acceptable strategies.

• Establish and promote a variety of transnational

From Concept to Manifestation

cooperative mechanisms with the aim of

strengthening all IOR states for them to be able

After substantial debate, it was decided that this

to address present and anticipated challenges to

forum would be launched as the fi rst signifi cant

holistic maritime-security and stability.

international maritime security initiative of the

• Develop interoperability in terms of doctrines,

twenty-fi rst century within the IOR.

procedures, organizational and logistic

The initiative was originally conceived by

systems and operational processes, so as to

the Indian Navy as the ‘Indian Ocean Regional

enable regional naval capacities for speedy

Conclave of Navies’ (ICON). However, subsequent

and effective Humanitarian Assistance and

deliberations led to the removal of the word

Disaster Relief (HADR) throughout the region.

154

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Launch

maritime-security agencies of such countries as

have legitimate territory within the IOR. The

The inaugural event of IONS—the ‘IONS Seminar,

defining limits of the

2008’—was jointly conducted by the Indian Navy

Indian Ocean were drawn IONS, a voluntary

and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), at

from the International initiative that seeks

Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, on 14 and 15 February

H y d r o g r a p h i c

to enhance maritime

2008. The theme of the seminar was ‘Contemporary

O r g a n i z a t i o n ( I H O ) cooperation amongst Tr a n s n a t i o n a l C h a l l e n g e s — I n t e r n a t i o n a l special publication 23 navies of the littoral

Maritime Connectivities’. The seminar witnessed

titled ‘Limits of Oceans states of the IOR,

active participation by a galaxy of national and

and Seas’.

was launched in

international luminaries drawn from the strategic

In accordance with 2008.

community; academia; the diplomatic corps; the

the Charter of Business,2

political establishment; the bureaucracy; serving

there are two categories of membership: Members

and retired officers of the defence; paramilitary

and Observers. The categories could be defi ned as

and police forces; uniformed and civilian maritime

below:

agencies; the media; the Indian Higher-Command

Courses; and, of course, the Indian Navy’s

Member: A nation state with permanently held

own Commanders-in-Chief and appropriate

territory that abuts or lies within the Indian Ocean

representatives from the Naval Commands—all of

and which maintains a Navy or maritime agency

whom participated in the several plenary sessions.

and formally agrees to this Charter of Business,

It also generated a number of opportunities for

may become a member of IONS by making a

invitees to interact bilaterally and multi-laterally.

formal application to the chair of IONS.

Other highlights included an opportunity for

the Chiefs-of-Navy and their accompanying

Observer: A Navy or maritime agency which

delegations to witness ‘DEFEXPO-2008’, which

has been constituted by a nation state without

was simultaneously taking place at New Delhi,

permanently held territory that abuts or lies within

from 16 to 18 February 2008.

the Indian Ocean, but with significant strategic

The formal launch of IONS was effected through

interests in the region, could qualify as an observer two sessions of the ‘Conclave-of-Chiefs’—the fi rst

if it submits an application to the Chair of IONS for held in New Delhi on 15 February and the second

consideration at the next Conclave of the Chiefs,

in Goa, on 16 February 2008.

and has its application agreed through consensus

when the decision is made. Applications for both

Membership

categories are reviewed by the Conclave of Chiefs

and the nation state is admitted into the forum by

As initially conceptualized, the membership of

consensus.

IONS was to be limited to the navies/principal

In keeping with the original design, the

2 The Charter of Business governs the functioning of IONS

chairmanship, details of secretariat, types of activities and their and has been mutually agreed to and ratifi ed by the chiefs of frequency, responsibilities, fi nancing, sharing of information, the member navies. It lays down the purpose, aim, objectives, intellectual property rights, etc.

fundamental principles, types and criteria of membership, The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

155

chairmanship of IONS rotates sequentially through The second was whether the Chiefs of Navy

each of the four sub-regions. This ensures that

would attend the event. This was achieved with the

the somewhat different priorities given even to

attendance of 26 Chiefs/Heads of maritime forces.

common challenges, and, of course, such maritime

The third was whether the members would agree

security challenges as are unique to a given sub-

to the activities defi ned in the draft charter. This too region, are all given the emphasis and attention

was fulfi lled and the Chiefs agreed to abide by the

that they deserve.

draft charter even while the document was processed

There are 36 littoral states in the IOR which were

in each navy’s own governmental hierarchy. Having

geographically grouped into four sub-regions for IONS

incorporated the many suggestions made by various

as shown in the table below.

countries and our own MEA, India has reached

what can be said to be an advanced form of the

An Encouraging Start

Charter of Business.

The fourth was whether the navies would agree

The launch of such an important regional initiative

to a concrete set of confi dence-building activities

was met with wide acceptance across the reaches

over the fi rst two years. As the table titled ‘IONS

of the Indian Ocean. As many as 26 members were

Activities 2008–10’ (see on the following page)

represented at the apex level of their navies, at the shows, this MoE too, was successfully achieved

inaugural event. Some could not attend due to

between 2008 and 2010, whether it was a seminar,

confl icting schedules of important events at home,

a symposium, a workshop, or an open essay

or due to unforeseen circumstances.

competition, meant to establish a common ground

Recognizing the enormous diversities of the

and common understanding of issues.

region, the Navy had identifi ed a few ‘Measures of

The fi fth was whether after India had completed

Effectiveness’ (MoE) to gauge the nation’s success

its two-year period of chairmanship, there would

in this endeavour.

be volunteers to host future editions of IONS. In

The first was whether the Navy would enjoy

the course of the inaugural Conclave of Chiefs, it

sufficient political support. The Indian Prime

had been agreed that the chairmanship would be

Minister’s presence stood testimony to this.

rotated sequentially through each of the four sub-

SE Asian and

South Asian Littoral

West Asian Littoral

East African Littoral

Australian Littoral

Bangladesh

Bahrain

Comoros

Australia

India

Iran

Djibouti

Indonesia

Maldives

Iraq

Egypt

Malaysia

Pakistan

Kuwait

Eritrea

Myanmar

Seychelles

Oman

Le’ Reunion (France)

Singapore

Sri Lanka

Qatar

Kenya

Sudan

UK

Saudi Arabia

Madagascar

Thailand

UAE

Mauritius

Timor Leste

Yemen

Mozambique

Somalia

South Africa

Tanzania

156

Blue Waters Ahoy!

regions, so that the somewhat different priorities Today, with 24 member nations and eight

given to common challenges could all be given the

observers, IONS is being steered through the pre-

emphasis and attention that they deserve. This too

decided rotational chairmanship through each

has progressed most successfully.

of the four sub-regions, thus ensuring that the

challenges of each region receive due emphasis.

IONS Sessions

In Conclusion

During the inaugural symposium, two sessions of

the Conclave of Chiefs were held, so as to work out

That the launch of a regional initiative was able to

the modalities of conduct of events and activities

meet with such wide acceptance across the length

of IONS. The draft Charter of Business was also

and breadth of the Indian Ocean was in itself a

discussed in detail by the Chiefs of the Navies at

unique phenomenon. IONS has turned out to be

the inaugural event. The guiding factor was that

not only a successful initiative, but also one that

the charter remained a ‘guidance’ document that

has great potential to become an extremely useful

is operative on a navy-to-navy level. The inaugural

instrument for shaping the cooperative maritime

chairmanship (2008–10) was held by India. The

security environment within the IOR. It focusses

second edition of IONS was held in May 2010 at Abu

on issues related to collective and consultative

Dhabi with the chairmanship having been handed

enhancement of maritime security. With the

over to the UAE (West African Littoral Sub-Region).

increased presence of extra-regional navies in the

IONS ACTIVITIES 2008–10

Activity

Schedule

Remarks

IONS-2008 (Additionally, Conclave of

14–16 February

Conducted by Indian Navy

Chiefs and Defence Expo)

2008

IONS Open Essay Competition 2008

(Topic: ‘Sustaining the IONS Initiative:

January 2009

Conducted by Indian Navy

Practical Steps’)

Technical Workshop-9 May (Topic:

Conducted by Sri Lanka

‘Practical Cooperative Mechanisms for

21–23 May 2009

Navy

Technical Support within IOR’)

IONS Preparatory Workshop 2009 (To

1–3 October 2009

Host: Kenyan Navy

define the agenda for IONS 2010)

IONS Open Essay Competition

Conducted by South African

(Topic:‘Cooperative EEZ Surveillance:

January 2010

Navy

Options and Initiatives’)

IONS-2010 (Additionally, Conclave of

Conducted by UAE Navy;

Chiefs)

10–12 May 2010

Chairmanship taken over

Theme: ‘Together for the Reinforcement of

by UAE

Maritime Security’)

HADR Workshop

11–12 October 2010

Host: Bangladesh Navy

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)

157

IOR, in recent times, there could not be a more provided support in areas of capacity-building and

opportune time and forum to judiciously consolidate

capability-enhancement. As the construct evolves

on the positives of the IONS mechanism.

and establishes functional and organizational

The Indian Navy has continued to play a

linkages with other structures such as the WPNS,

crucial role in nurturing the IONS construct

the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the

and participant littorals, all of whom have been

Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), the numbers of

very enthusiastic and look up to India to provide

its observers and members will inevitably swell to

leadership and assistance in matters that are specifi c include several others.

to a region and culturally sensitive. India has also

Recalls Admiral Sureesh Mehta, then CNS,

‘The IONS was an idea that we got from the WPNS. Having attended one of the WPNS

meetings, I thought that we can do something similar in our own region. Also, at some stage, such a mechanism, created by us, could “shake hand” with WPNS.

‘ So when the concept was circulated on fi le we had positive indications from the Ministry of Defence and especially from the Ministry of External Affairs. The PMO also accorded its blessings and so the ball was set rolling. Finally, when IONS was inaugurated in February 2008, we had an overwhelming response with over two dozen Chiefs of Navies and heads of maritime forces attending.

‘ There was also a debate on the permanent seat of IONS and I thought it would be best to propose a rotational mechanism wherein the chair shifts, by sub-region, every two years.

The proposal was accepted by the Conclave of Chiefs as well as our own government and the event was well received.’

158

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4

Building Bridges

of Friendship

IN’s Training Interaction with FFCs

Introduction

capsules abroad. Over the past few years, there

has been a signifi cant increase in the number of

The Indian Navy, in consonance with the

requests for training slots received from foreign

government’s policy of engaging friendly nations,

navies. This owes to the high level of professional

has been at the forefront of building ‘Bridges of

expertise that exists with the Indian Navy, one

Friendship’ with friendly navies. Traditionally,

that is capable of catering to the various training

navies operate in international waters, well

needs of international students. The training

beyond the territorial limits of their nation.

offered involves customized courses ranging from

Hence friendly interaction with other navies

basic entry-level courses for sailors, to advanced

forms an integral part of the ‘diplomatic’ role of

specialization courses for offi cers.

a navy. These ties are strengthened by initiatives

Indian Navy’s personnel too avail a few select

like overseas deployments, fl ag showing missions,

training courses abroad. Such courses help the Navy

combined training, etc. In this context, training

gain insight into training techniques, doctrines and

interactions have been

procedures followed in other countries. Training

By 2010, a total

a regular feature of the

interactions largely complement fulfilment of

of 10,021 foreign

I n d i a n N a v y, w i t h a l l

national objectives of strengthening cooperation and

naval personnel from Friendly Foreign Countries friendship to promote regional and global stability.

39 countries had

( F F C s ) . T h e N a v y h a s

received training

been providing training

Funding Schemes

from the Indian

to foreign naval personnel

since Independence and,

ITEC Scheme

Navy.

by 2010, a total of 10,021

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA),

foreign naval personnel from 39 countries had

Government of India (GOI), provides assistance

received training. On many an occasion, at the

for the training of naval personnel from a large

request of the recipient country, Indian Naval

number of countries, under the Indian Technical

teams have also been deputed to conduct training

and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) scheme. Under

this scheme, the tuition fee, boarding and lodging training is accorded high priority by the Indian

are fully funded by the MEA. In addition, fi nancial

Navy, to ensure that India remains a favoured

aid for meeting living expenses during the training

training destination in the region.

in India is also provided to the trainees. There are

two variants of the scheme, viz. ITEC I and ITEC

International Cooperation

II, the only difference between the two being that in Participation by a broad range of personnel from

the latter, return airfare is funded by the respective navies across the world strives to create a healthy

FFC instead of the GoI.

military culture within respective countries.

The training programs have adapted curricula

Special Aid Program

to meet the requirements of a changing security

A Special Aid Program (SAP) has been instituted

environment. As part of its constructive maritime

for certain countries towards which India

engagement, the Indian Navy is responsible for

h a s a d d e d s o m e m o r e

training the human element of naval combat

There are various

responsibilities upon itself.

power of many FFCs in a manner that experience-

funding schemes

This scheme is similar to

sharing is enabled through regular interactions and

that help facilitate

the ITEC I scheme, but

exercises. That allows for a shared understanding

it is aimed at facilitating

training interaction

of maritime issues, enhancing interoperability and

maximum opportunities

with the FFCs. The

broader cooperation.

such that vacancies sought

ITEC scheme under

b y t h e s e c o u n t r i e s a r e

the MEA is one such

In sum, all training courses extended

generally provided by the

source that helps

to international students are aimed at

MEA.

cover a trainee’s

achieving certain aims which include:

tuition fee, boarding

Self-fi nancing Scheme

• Enhancing the naval capabilities

and lodging.

Under the Self-financing

of FFCs.

Scheme (SFS), training,

• Promoting interoperability of IN

boarding and lodging costs are borne by the

forces with those of FFCs.

trainee’s government.1

• Building positive defence relationships

and developing mutual respect at both

Perspectives and Training

professional and personal levels.

International training is an integral element of

the Indian Navy’s philosophy, drawing reference

Security through Training

from ‘Application of Maritime Power’ as stated in

Given the common security challenges being faced

the Indian Maritime Doctrine (INBR 8). Training

by countries across the world, cooperation in

of foreign naval personnel serves to further the

training, by means of exchange programs, joint

nation’s ‘soft power’ in keeping with our foreign

courses, cross-training visits, etc., is becoming

policy objectives. It also reaps the benefits of

more important than ever before. The Indian

cross-fl ow of knowledge with FFCs. International

Navy clearly recognizes that, as is evident from

1 Details of countries covered under this scheme are available on the MEA website: www.mea.gov.in.

160

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the fact that its training organization has helped for Operational Sea Training (OST) of their

friendly navies around the world to enhance their

ships. In addition, during various port visits and

defence capabilities to better address their national overseas deployments by Indian Naval ships,

security issues. These training courses conducted

the opportunities have been utilized to provide

in India, along with overseas training undergone

exposure and training in specialized areas, as per

by our naval personnel, eventually help build a

the host navies’ needs and requests.

shared understanding of naval techniques, tactics

and doctrines.

Mobile Training Teams

One of the strengths of the Indian Navy’s training

Mutual Understanding

program is its flexibility. The curriculum for a

In the current strategic scenario, wherein the

specifi c batch can be tailored to meet unique needs.

diverse global security challenges are too numerous

There are occasions when it is more practical

to be addressed by a single nation, military training to carry out training at a suitable location in

cooperation is vital for fostering mutual trust

the FFC that is seeking specific courses. Thus,

and interoperability. International training will,

Mobile Training Teams (MTTs) are deputed to

therefore, remain an area of focus and one of the

undertake training at foreign locations. This

cornerstones of the Navy’s foreign cooperation

unique adaptability allows the Navy to train

initiatives. The present and anticipated challenges

specific military skills and techniques to a large

to maritime security and stability require the Indian number of students, in the same environment and

Navy to weld force structures, from men and

conditions where they will eventually employ those

material to doctrine on the one hand, and training

skills and techniques. The Navy’s MTTs have been

on the other, so as to ‘make good the intended

deputed successfully to Oman, Vietnam, Kenya and

course’ on the path of international training.

Myanmar so far.

Towards this end, it has been the Indian Navy’s

constant endeavour to accord quality international

Over the Years

training at its facilities while subscribing to as many overseas training courses as possible, in order to

Tabulated on the following page is an year-wise

produce lasting international bonds with offi cers

distribution of the numbers of foreign trainees who

and men from the FFCs. Through its professional

have been imparted training by the Navy, under the

training institutions, the Navy is helping transform

ITEC scheme, and that of Indian Naval personnel

perspectives, engender the right views about India

trained abroad. The table also provides a basic idea

and the core values we hold. Winning hearts and

of the substantial training load over the years.

minds worldwide will continue to play a signifi cant

role in successfully countering the present-day

Historic Milestones

security challenges.

The pursuit of training cooperation with

New Courses towards Broadening Horizons

friendly maritime forces supports capability

In 2008, for the fi rst time, the Indian Navy was able development. India has been offering formalized

to successfully bid for courses abroad in various

training courses to maritime forces of FFCs for

niche areas such as Operational Analysis, courses

several decades and has also provided assistance

for Special Forces (commenced in 2009), and the

Building Bridges of Friendship

161

No. of Indian Personnel

Year

No. of Trainees

No. of Countries

Deputed Abroad

2001

223

11

20

2002

248

12

43

2003

502

11

49

2004

400

18

23

2005

352

15

45

2006

600

23

35

2007

630

24

54

2008

475

21

40

2009

423

17

40

2010

698

23

39

counterterrorism fellowship program in the United

In Conclusion

States. Entry for the Advanced Explosive Ordnance

Disposal (EOD)/Mine Clearance courses also came

The FFCs who have deputed their personnel to

through in 2009. Further, for the fi rst time, a non-

Indian Navy training facilities since Independence

NATO country (the Czech Republic) offered to

include Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Brazil, Brunei, the Indian Navy, the Nuclear Biological Chemical

Cambodia, Cameroon, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran,

(NBC) course. This was an interesting interaction

Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Maldives, Malaysia,

that helped sharing experiences/best practices at a

Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia,

new venue.

Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Qatar,

Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Senegal, South Africa,

Remittance of Training Charges for SFS Trainees

Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Tanzania.

Until 2008, the entire expenditure on training

The coming decades are likely to witness

for trainees deputed under the SFS, i.e., training

greater cooperation amongst navies to meet

charges and rent accommodation/miscellaneous

maritime challenges of the future. The creation

charges were remitted to the Controller of Defence

of the Directorate of Foreign Cooperation (DFC),

Accounts (Navy) (CDA[N]), for accretion to the

institution of Staff Talks with a number of countries, Consolidated Fund of India! Thus, the concerned

creation of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

unit/school was not even reimbursed the expenditure

(IONS) framework, increased tempo of bilateral

on accommodation and other services provided

exercises and other cooperative mechanisms

to the trainees. This procedure was streamlined

have been the result of a tacit recognition of this

with training charges being paid to CDA(N) and

appreciation by the Indian Navy. Cooperative

expenditure on rent accommodation/miscellaneous

frameworks created over the past few years have

charges being remitted to the ‘Foreign Training

also led to an incremental shift in the number

Account’ maintained by Headquarters Southern

of international students being trained in our

Naval Command (HQSNC) for reimbursement,

institutions/training schools as also in the number

and for further improvement in accommodation

of Indian Naval personnel being deputed abroad

and training infrastructure.

for courses.

162

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The broad focus of our ‘Training Diplomacy’

destinations for training, and to improve

in the coming years would be to project the

interoperability with the FFCs through conduct of

Indian Naval training establishments as preferred

customized training.

Practical instructions in the lab

Building Bridges of Friendship

163

164

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Prologue

This section deals with the developments that affect

on the quality and output of manpower have been

what is arguably the Navy’s most valuable asset—

covered here. Also elucidated in the section is the

the human resource. From the inauguration of the

crucial role played by new organizations such as

Indian Naval Academy (INA) to the establishment

the Directorate of Adventure, Physical Fitness and

of the Centre for Leadership and Behavioural

Sports Activities (DAPSA), including the Indian

Studies (CLABS), since renamed CELABS, the

Naval Sailing Association (INSA), which provide

evolution of Flag Offi cer Sea Training (FOST) and

focus towards a dynamic regimen for the Naval

the induction of the STS INS Tarangini—events fraternity in sports, adventure activities and

and organizations that have had a direct bearing

competitive sailing.

166

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

Nurturing Human Capital

Enabling Empowerment Within

Introduction

The Ajay Vikram Singh Committee (AVSC)

In terms of human resource development and

In May 2001, the Army Headquarters had

management, the decade under review was

forwarded a paper drawing attention of the

significant for several reasons. It witnessed

Ministry of Defence (MoD) to certain shortcomings

t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f t h e p a t h - b r e a k i n g and imbalances in the organizational structure of

A j a y Vi k r a m S i n g h C o m m i t t e e ( AV S C ) the officer cadre in the Service. Simultaneously,

recommendations which signifi cantly altered the

the Navy and Airforce were apprised of the

offi cers’ age profi les in all three armed forces,

proposal with a view to obtain opinions. After

besides increasing vertical mobility by way of

deliberations and concurrence amongst the three

upgradation of certain posts.1

Services, the paper was processed as a common

The Navy consolidated on the Short Service

project for the three. The paper contained certain

Commission scheme by revising the duration

suggestions for rank/cadre restructuring that had

of commission, opening up the scheme to other

been put forth with the aim of achieving optimal

branches, and even implementing a Permanent

combat effectiveness by bringing down the age

Commission (PC) policy. The management

profi le of Battalion/Brigade Commanders, and to

philosophy of certain cadres and specializations

make the organization more effective in fulfi lling

was revised, and the empowerment of senior

individual career aspirations of the offi cers. After sailors remained a consistent theme through

preliminary examination of the paper, the MoD set

the decade. In short, the Indian Navy, true to

up a committee to examine the proposals, under

its stated policy of nurturing its human capital,

the chairmanship of Shri Ajay Vikram Singh, then

prioritized it over everything else.

Special Secretary (Acquisition) in the MoD.

1 The Armed Forces are pyramidical in structure and so had a allowing automatic promotion for everyone in that rank.

lot of stagnation in ranks. The AVSC enabled compression of Thus, with compression, upward movement was accelerated—

ranks and ‘time-scaled’ promotion in the rank of Commander

‘vertical mobility’ in short.

Ajay Vikram Singh Committee (AVSC)

(2003)

• Reduced Timelines

AVSC-I (2005)

• Lt (2 yrs as SLt)

Promotion to Capt (TS)

• Reduction in promotion time lines

• Lt Cdr (4 yrs from

• 26 yrs reckonable

(upto Cdr)

promotion to

commissioned

• Abolishment of Cdr (Select) rank

Substantive Lt)

service

• Introduction of Capt (TS) rank

• Cdr (11 yrs from

promotion to

Substantive Lt)

Implementation

AVSC-II (2008)

(2008–2010)

• Upgradation of select rank

Upgraded Billets

billets (implemented over

• VAdm - 4

Year/ VAdm RAdm Cmde/

10 yrs from 2008–2017)

• RAdm - 14

Rank

Capt

• Cmdes/Capts - 324

2008

1

2

35

2009

-

2

35

2010

1

2

35

The Ajay Vikram Singh Committee was

AVSC I

actually a follow-up of a Group of Ministers

Report of 2001 on Higher Defence Organization,

Following were the highlights of the AVSC I

primarily aimed at reducing the age profile of

recommendations, as promulgated by the GoI in

offi cers, particularly in command positions, and

March 2005.

at improving the vertical mobility of officers.

• Selection to the rank of Commander was done

The fi nal outcome was a watershed in the annals

away with and, henceforth, the fi rst select rank

of human resource development in the Indian

in the Navy was to be that of Captain (Select).

Armed Forces. Though not a Cadre Review per

• The rank of Captain (Time Scale) was

se, it had a major impact on the offi cer cadre of

introduced to promote Commanders after 26

the Services.

years of reckonable commissioned service.

The AVSC report was submitted to the

This promotion was granted irrespective of

Government of India (GoI) in January 2003

vacancies and was against the sanctioned

and its recommendations implemented in

strength of Commanders and below. Captains

two phases, AVSC I and AVSC II. The AVSC

(TS) were required to hold appointments

I recommendations, implemented in 2005,

tenable by Commanders. The superannuation

introduced a new rank of Captain (Time Scale)

age of Captain (TS) was maintained at par

besides reducing the timelines for promotion

with that of Commanders, which was 54 years

up to the rank of Commander; the AVSC II

of age.

recommendations pertained to upgradation

• Timelines for promotion to substantive

o f s e l e c t r a n k s a n d w e r e i m p l e m e n t e d ranks (up to Commander) were amended

commencing 2008.

as follows:

168

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Rank

Eligibility Criteria

and the Admiral Superintendent Yard, Kochi

Sub Lieutenant

On commissioning

(ASY Kochi).

Lieutenant

Two years as Sub

Lieutenant

Amendments to Chain of Reporting/

Lieutenant

Four years from date of

Reporting Cycle for Confi dential Reports

Commander

promotion to Substantive

(CRs)

Lieutenant

Commander

11 years from date of

Prior to the implementation of AVSC I, Annual

promotion to substantive

Confidential Reports (ACRs) on Commanders

Lieutenant

were raised on 1 April (annually). Consequent

to the implementation of AVSC I, which led to

AVSC II

Commander becoming a Time Scale rank, a need

was felt to revise the ACR rendition timelines

I n N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 8 , t h e G o I a p p r o v e d with respect to Commanders. Accordingly, the

implementation of AVSC II recommendations with

following revised modalities were implemented in

respect to select ranks. These were aimed towards

September 2005:

reducing stagnation by increasing the number of

• ACR rendition timelines for Commanders with

vacancies in select ranks, through upgradation

more than 15 years’ service were retained on

of billets. The numbers amongst upgradations

1 April, with the chain of reporting terminating

sanctioned for the Navy were as follows:

at a Vice Admiral’s level.

• Vice Admirals

: 4

• CRs for Commanders with less than 15 years

• Rear Admirals

: 14

of service were to be rendered on 1 November

• Commodores/Captains : 324

each year, with the reporting chain terminating

at the level of Rear Admiral.

A decision was taken to implement these

• CR on promotion to Commander was no

upgradations over a period, from 2008 to

longer required to be rendered.

2017, so as to ensure equitable distribution of

• An Interim Confidential Report (ICR) was

vacancies across branches as also batches, and

to be rendered when an offi cer completed 15

to prevent a sudden/large-scale proliferation of

years’ service, provided no report had been

higher ranks.

rendered in the previous three months.

The main upgradations amongst Flag Ranks

• The CRs for Commanders of less than 15

included the Chiefs of Staff of Western and

years’ service, and those on Commanders with

Eastern Naval Commands, the Chief Staff Offi cers

more than 15 years’ service were required to

(CSOs) (Operations, Technical, and Personnel &

be rendered on different types of CR forms.

Administration), i.e., CSO (Ops), CSO (Tech), and

CSO (P&A) at Command Headquarters; the Flag

Acceleration of Promotion to Captain:

Offi cer Karwar (FOK), Flag Offi cer Tamil Nadu

Eighteen Years

& Puducherry Naval Areas (FOTNA), Flag Offi cer

Gujarat Naval Area (FOGNA); Flag Officer

In April 2009, orders for reduction in (minimum)

Doctrine and Concepts (FODC), Assistant Chief

period of service required for promotion to the

of Naval Staff (Communications, Space and

rank of Captain (Select) from 21 to 19 years were

Network Centric Operations) (ACNS [CSNCO]),

promulgated. The feasibility of further reduction

Nurturing Human Capital

169

of timelines was deliberated during the first

• Two ‘looks’ (consideration by two successive

Commanders’ Conference of 2010 (CC 01/10)

selection boards) would be accorded to offi cers

wherein it was decided to further reduce the

of each batch for the fi rst Sea Command which

period of service for promotion to Captain from

would be tenable for a period of 12 to 18 months.

19 to 18 years.

Second Sea Command for Captains. The following Sea Time for Offi cers

norms became admissible for Second Sea Command

for Captains:

Sea Time for Captains and Commanders

• Captains considered for Second Sea Command

The mid-1990s witnessed introduction of the

would be entitled to only ‘One Look’.

concept of ‘Dry’ and ‘Wet’ Listing, which essentially

• The Second Sea Command would be tenable

involved selecting officers, from a particular

for a period of 12 to 15 months.

batch, who were to be sent to sea in the rank of

Commander and Captain. This was driven by a

Sea Time for Executive Branch Commanders. The

limited number of billets at sea, as compared to the

following norms were made admissible for Sea

increasing batch strength of offi cers. The offi cers Time for Commanders:

so selected were referred to as having been ‘Wet’

• Commanders would be accorded two ‘looks’

Listed, with the rest being ‘Dry’ Listed.

for selection for sea time.

In July 2002, the policy with regard to sea time

• The Clearance Factor for Commanders of the

for offi cers of the rank of Captain and Commander

Executive Branch would be based on a fi ve-

of the Executive Branch was reviewed with the

year dynamic perspective.

dual aim of increasing the Clearance Factor (ratio

• The Command of Taragiri and Vindhyagiri, of offi cers ‘Wet’ Listed to the number of offi cers

earlier tenable by Captains, was downgraded as a

considered in a batch) as well as providing younger

Commanders’ Command with effect from 2003.

leadership at sea. Towards this, the modalities that

• The Command of four Khukri-class ships was

were implemented are appended below.

earmarked as second sea tenure appointment

(post EXO’s time).

First Sea Command for Captains. The following

• Sea tenures would be tenable for a period of

norms were made admissible for First Sea

12 to 15 months.

Command for Captains:

• The Clearance Factor would be determined

Promotion to Captain under ‘Staff Stream’

based on a fi ve-year dynamic perspective plan

to ensure that the principles of 'distributive

In July 2009, the erstwhile nomenclature of Wet

justice' were met (inter-batch parity in terms

Listed and Dry Listed categories were changed

of the percentage ‘Wet’ listed, would be a near

to Ops Streamed and Staff Streamed respectively.

constant).

Furthermore, the concept of promotion under Staff

• The derived Clearance Factor applied in its

Stream was introduced. This was for incentivizing

entirety to a batch would determine the maximum

the continued good performance of offi cers in the

number of officers who could be cleared for

Executive, Electrical and Engineering branches

Command. In the event that a lesser number of

who, despite being ‘Dry Listed’ and not doing sea

offi cers of a particular batch met the criteria for

time , continued to perform well. These offi cers had

‘wet listing’, the remaining billets would be ‘rolled the option of being promoted to Captain (Select)

over’ for allocation to the next batch.

170

Blue Waters Ahoy!

under the category of ‘Staff Stream’, as long as they non-seamen sailors, were given the option of

were within the Promotion Threshold.2

upgrading to MARCO Advanced (MARCO

The criterion for promotion to the rank of

[A]) within a stipulated age limit (26 years).

Captain under ‘Staff Stream’ was as follows:

• MARCO (A). The mainstay of the MCF

• Offi cers of First Look and R1, R2 offi cers

specialization was to be the MARCO (A)

of previous two Look Years became eligible

category, which would constitute a minimum of

for consideration.

60 per cent of the specialization, and primarily

• Up to a maximum of 10 per cent of offi cers

comprise X/GS offi cers and seamen sailors.

being promoted in a Branch/Cadre were to

be considered for promotion under the Staff

In July 2009, in order to reduce instances of delayed Stream, subject to being within the promotion

completion of ab-initio training, it was decided to

threshold.

permit offi cers to volunteer for Pilot, MARCO and

SDO courses, only upon completion of SLt (X) (Sub

Bra nch /Cad re/Spec ia l i zat ion-Wise Lieutenant [Executive Branch]) Technical Courses.

Developments

Aviation: Eligibility of 10+2 (Tech) Entry Offi cers MARCOS: Revised Induction Pattern and Career

Traditionally, induction into the Pilot stream

Profi le

was from the Executive Branch. In February

As part of the measures to revitalize the Marine

2006, the stream was opened for offi cers from

Commando (MARCO) specialization based on

technical branches, by permitting 10+2 (Tech)

their revised role as well as charter of duties, the

offi cers to volunteer for Pilot training in their

induction pattern and career profi le of MARCOS

fi nal (VIII) term of Naval Engineering College

was revised in April 2002. To this end, the

(NEC). Offi cers thus converted to the Executive

existing two-tier induction and training pattern

Branch were routed through normal career

for the Marine Commando Force (MCF), viz.

progression milestones akin to other offi cers from

MARCO and MARCO ‘General Duty’ (GD),

the Aviation cadre.

was restructured. The revised entry schemes were

reconfi gured as follows:

Designation of Squadron Commander as CO of

• MARCO. The MARCO entry was aimed

Air Squadron

at achieving a continuous flow of young

The nomenclature ‘ Squadron Commander ’ of volunteers and technical manpower into the

Commissioned Air Squadrons was changed to

MCF. Personnel of all branches/specializations

‘Commanding Officer’ with effect from 7 July

could join and serve in the MCF for a period

2005. Commanding Offi cers of Air Squadrons were

of three years for offi cers and fi ve years for

henceforth entitled to the same powers as COs of

sailors respectively, reverting to their parent

ships and submarines of equivalent rank. Further,

branch/cadre on completion. However, X/GS

all ceremonials, fi nancial powers and powers of

(Executive Branch/General Service) officers

punishment were also conferred, as vested in the

and seamen sailors, as also a few selected

Commanding Offi cer of any unit.

2 Promotion Threshold refers to the numerical ranking above which all individuals in a batch become eligible for promotion.

Nurturing Human Capital

171

Permanent Absorption of Officers in Air India Revision of Designation: Naval Armament

Express

Inspection (NAI) Offi cers

In an initiative that was to satisfy a long pending

need of lateral absorption of Service officers

In January 2004, designations with respect to X/NAI

into Public Sector organizations, an MoU was

offi cers were revised to enable functional parity with signed between the Navy and Air India Ltd., in

other organizations post implementation of the fi fth December 2008, for absorption of naval pilots

CPC recommendations. While the designations of

on permanent contractual basis into Air India

Controller of Naval Armament Inspection (CNAI),

Express. Certain highlights of the MoU were

held by a Commodore, remained unchanged, the

as follows:

other designations were revised as represented in

• Pilots should have a minimum fixed-wing

the table below.

fl ying experience of 2000 hours, preferably

with experience on multi-engine aircraft and

Commanding Offi cers Qualifying Course (COQC):

holding a current Airline Transport Pilot

Revised Selection Procedure

License (ATPL).

In September 2008, the procedure for selection

• Provision for non-license holders to progress

of submarine officers for Commanding Officers

their license with the Director General Civil

Qualifying Course (COQC) was streamlined, with

Aviation (DGCA), under special rules, with

a view to ensure that each batch had nearly equal

the latter conducting one composite paper

opportunity for selection. Accordingly, it was

and granting a waiver on the stipulated

decided to give three chances to each batch. This

requirement for currency in fl ying.

ensured that even though offi cers would compete

• An undertaking by the officer to serve AI

across batches, each batch would successively

Express for a period of at least fi ve years. The

compete first with senior and then with junior

maximum age limit for permanent absorption

batches. All eligible offi cers would thus get suffi cient was 56 years. Offi cers beyond 56 years were

opportunity to be selected, and the most suitable

to be taken on a five-year contract basis,

would be nominated for COQC.

which could be extended till 65 years. Pay and

allowances were to be as per existing scales of

Hydro Cadre

the AI Express.

The guidelines for management of the Hydro cadre

were revised in June 2005. In accordance with the

Rank

Eligibility Criteria

Revised Designation

Captain (Capt)

Chief Inspector of Naval

Principal Inspector of Naval

Armament (CINA)

Armament (PINA)

Commander (Cdr)

Senior Inspector of Naval

Chief Inspector of Naval

Armament (SINA)

Armament (CINA)

Lieutenant

Naval Armament Inspection

Senior Inspector of Naval Armament

Commander (Lt Cdr)

Officer (NAIO)

(SINA)

Lieutenant (Lt)

Naval Armament Inspection

Officer (NAIO)

Sub-lieutenant (SLt)

Assistant Naval Armament

Inspection Officer (ANAIO)

172

Blue Waters Ahoy!

revised policy, induction of offi cers into the Hydro cadres. Further, SSC officers of X/GS,

cadre was through Permanent Commission/Short

Observer, Hydro, Education, and Technical

Service Commission (PC/SSC) entry, apart from

branches/cadres were to be eligible for

induction of few X (GS) Lieutenants, of up to two

specialist or MTech courses, based on the

years seniority, on voluntary basis. The promotion

norms applicable to PC officers in their

of Hydro offi cers to ‘select’ ranks was to be within respective branches/cadres. SSC officers

the vacancy size (number of existing vacancies)

selected to undergo such courses were

in the cadre, and based on a fi ve-year perspective

required to extend their engagement so as

planning model where the vacancies were averaged

to ensure that they would have, at least fi ve

over a five-year period. Further, the policy laid

years residual service on completion of such

down provisions for de-induction from the cadre

a course.

based on failure to qualify in Basic/Long/Advanced

• SSC offi cers were to exercise the option for

Hydro courses, incompatibility, incompetence,

Permanent Commission (PC) not later than

indiscipline and on compassionate grounds.

the eighth year of service.

• Extension of service was feasible for a period

Short Service Commission (SSC)

of up to 2 years (in one go), with the total

service being limited to 14 years.

Revision: Duration of Commission of SSC Offi cers

The 1990s saw the induction of Short Servce

Induction of SSC (Observer) Entry Scheme

Commission (SSC) officers (male and female)

In May 2008, the SSC (Observer) entry scheme

into various branches/cadres/specializations, viz.

was introduced, and was open to both male as

Education, Logistics, Law and ATC. Induction

well as female candidates. Officers inducted

of SSC offi cers into the Executive Branch (male),

under this scheme were exempted from the

and Naval Constructor Cadre (male and female)

mandatory requirement of afloat tenures in

commenced in 2001.

the rank of Lt/Lt Cdr and the award of watch

In February 2002, the Government revised

keeping certificate.

the period of commission for SSC officers from

7 to 10 years, with a provision to extend the

Grant of PC to SSC Offi cers

same to 14 years at the discretion of the CNS.

In September 2008, the Government approved

Further, according to the revised policy, officers

grant of PC, prospectively, to SSC (male and

were to be placed on the Emergency List for a

female) officers from the Education Branch,

period of 5 years, on expiry of the Short Service

the Law Cadre, and the Naval Constructor

Commission contract.

(NC) Cadre.

Training Pattern and Career Profi le of SSC Offi cers Miscellaneous Policies

Consequent to the extension of initial engagement

of SSC offi cers, the following policy changes were

Revision of Eligibility Criteria: Command/Staff

notifi ed in May 2002:

College Examinations

• Ab-initio training of SSC officers was

Consequent to revision of promotion-related

brought at par with Permanent Commission

timelines under AVSC-II, the eligibility criteria

(PC) offi cers of their respective branches/

for Command and Staff College Entrance

Nurturing Human Capital

173

Examinations were also amended in July 2006.

• No ante-dated seniority3 to offi cers who clear

Accordingly, the eligibility conditions/brackets

the examinations after 7 years in the rank of

were revised as follows:

Lt Commander.

• Professional Management and Staff College

Entrance Examination (PM/SCE). From ‘Lt Cdr

In September 2010, Special Duties (SD) List offi cers4

(on promotion) to Lt Cdr with 6 years seniority’

were also brought under the ambit of the new PME

to ‘06 to 12 years of commissioned service’.

policy. Whilst most of the provisions were similar to

• Command Examination. From ‘Lt Cdr with 03

those for General List offi cers, SD List offi cers were years seniority to Cdr with 01 year seniority’,

required to appear in a reduced number of papers.

to ‘09 to 14 years of commissioned service’.

Enhancement of Education Qualifi cations:

Mandatory Qualifi cation in Staff College Entrance/

The Commission Worthy Scheme

Professional Management Examination for

With a view to induct qualified Commission

Promotion to the Rank of Commander

Worthy (CW) candidates for the BTech curriculum

In April 2009, qualifi cation in Staff College Entrance that was being implemented at INA, Ezhimala, the

(SCE) examination was made mandatory for

educational qualifi cation for CW candidates was

promotion to the rank of Commander. Further, the

enhanced from matriculation to 10+2 (with Physics

nomenclature was amended, and these examinations

and Mathematics) in December 2008.

were hereafter referred to as Professional

Management Examinations (PME). Implementation

Launch of an HR website

of this policy was aimed at reinforcing professional

In December 2006, an HR website was launched

reading, encouraging all officers to undertake

on the Navy Enterprise Wide Network (NEWN)

career-linked examinations on time, and providing

for disseminating personnel-related information

a mid-career knowledge update, besides ensuring

in respect of officers. The website included a

professional grooming of officers for handling

personal information page for every offi cer and a

responsibilities of the rank of Commander.

general information section that contained various

The broad implementation modalities of this

HR-related reference documents. The website

policy included:

also facilitated electronic communication with

• Qualifi cation in PME was made mandatory

respective appointers through the Navy’s e-mail

for promotion to the rank of Commander for

system, ‘Navmail’ .

all offi cers except Medical, Dental and Special

Duty offi cers.

Sailors

• No limitation on the number of attempts.

• Minimum (length of service) eligibility to

Re-Engagement/Promotion

appear in the examinations to be from the date

Rank-based re-engagement limit for Chief Petty of promotion to Lt Cdr.

Offi cers (CPOs) other than those belonging to

3 Seniority lost for promotion to Commander due to late clearance their expertise/experience in their respective professional fi elds and of examination (beyond 7 years) would not be restored.

specializations. Consequently, the employment training and job specifi cations of the SD List offi cers are different and unique.

4 First instituted in 1962, the SD List commission aims at meeting the aspirations of deserving and meritorious sailors, and to harness 174

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the Domestic Branch5 was revised from 27 years with such injuries were provided with certain

to 28 years of service. All other orders remained

relaxations with respect to courses, promotion and

unchanged and all CPOs of non-domestic

re-engagement. In order to enhance promotion

branches who were denied re-engagement on

prospects of sailors in Low Medical Category (LMC)

grounds of having reached maximum number

due to battle casualties/accidents, the following

of years of service and were still in Service were

additional provisions were made applicable:

given an opportunity to resubmit applications for

• Sailors in LMC due to battle casualties/battle

further re-engagement.

accidents whose physical condition was likely

to inhibit successful completion of mandatory

Promotion Regulations for Sailors. The Navy

promotion-linked courses due to physical

Promotion Regulation for sailors was amended

constraints may be granted exemption from

as follows:

physical activities in promotion-linked courses,

• Residual Service. In accordance with Navy

on case-to-case basis by IHQ MoD (N).

Instructions 2/96,6 the requirement of

• Sailors in LMC S3A1, S3A2 and S3A3 due to

minimum residual service on promotion

battle casualties and battle accidents, would

to the ranks of Master Chief Petty Offi cer

be eligible for promotion.

S e c o n d C l a s s ( M C P O I I ) a n d M a s t e r Chief Petty Officer First Class (MCPO I)

Further, vide IHQ MoD (N) policy letter of October

did not exist. However, due to changed

2008, it was decided that such sailors would be

circumstances, and terms and conditions of

eligible for re-engagement up to the maximum period

Service, the clause of residual Service was

permissible in rank, subject to their performance and introduced in 2001. Accordingly, MCPOs

meeting other specifi ed criteria.

II and CPOs, who were in the select list for

promotion to a subsequent and higher rank

Initiatives for Revitalization of Special Duties (SD) were required to sign for residual service,

List Scheme

subject to the total length of service not

The Special Duties (SD) List Scheme provided

exceeding the maximum specified for the

deserving sailors an opportunity to become

rank/superannuation. The residual service

commissioned offi cers in the Navy. Drawing upon

on promotion was effective from the date

their experience in the lower decks, these offi cers

of issue of their promotion order as follows:

performed crucial functions. Whilst cadres such

• To the rank of MCPO I: Two years

as Air Electrical, Aviation, Engineering Mechanic

• To the rank of MCPO II: Three years

and Power were adequately subscribed, a large

number of vacancies were going unutilized in

Promotion: Battle Casualties. Battle casualties are other cadres. Therefore, in order to reduce cadre-caused by enemy action or by the agency of forces in

specifi c shortages of SD List offi cers, IHQ MoD

action against the enemy; battle accidents are those

(N) undertook certain initiatives to increase the

injuries sustained in operational areas, but not while attractiveness of the SD List Scheme which are

in action or in proximity of the enemy. These injuries enumerated in the succeeding paragraphs.

are attributable to Service and therefore personnel

5 The Domestic Branch includes chefs, stewards, hygienists.

6 Navy Promotion Regulations

Nurturing Human Capital

175

Out-of-Turn Promotion

initial years of their career, the following procedure

• Eligibility: Candidates declared selected by the was adopted:

Service Selection Board (SSB) were required to

• All sailors, except Direct Entry Diploma Holder

undergo the SD List Qualifying course prior to

(DEDH) entry sailors, who were unable to

being considered for commissioning. However,

adapt to the Naval environment within the fi rst

before a candidate became eligible to take the

two years of service and wished to leave the

qualifying course, he was required to fulfi l the

service may be advised by their Commanding

following conditions:

Offi cers to put in a request for discharge at

(a) Non-Artificer SD List candidate was

one’s own request under Regulation 280 of

required to be a Petty Offi cer or an Acting

Regulations for the Navy (Regs Navy) Part III.

Petty Offi cer with not less than one year’s

In the case of DEDH sailors, this period was to

service in rank.

be restricted to one year.

(b) N o n - A r t i f i c e r c a n d i d a t e s b e i n g

• Applications of such sailors were to be

considered for promotion to SD (ME),

forwarded by the Commanding Officer

SD (P), SD (R), SD (AL), SD (AR) and

(CO) to CABS, through the Administrative

SD (AE) were required to undergo a

Authority for scrutiny at Commodore Bureau

mechanician course and thereafter

of Sailors (CABS) and onward transmission of

promoted to Acting Mech 4 (in case of

application to IHQ MOD (N) with detailed

POs) or Mech 3 (in case of CPOs).

justifi cation.

In order to meet the above criteria, SSB-qualifi ed

Issue of Graduation Equivalent Certificates to

SD list candidates in the rank of Leading Seaman/

Sailors. In accordance with GoI Letter 15012/8/82—

equivalent were granted out-of-turn promotions on

Estt (D), dated 12 Feb 1986, ‘Graduation Equivalent completion of 11 years’ service to enable them to

Certifi cate’ was issued to retiring sailors who were get commissioned earlier.

matriculate and had completed 15 years of service.

This certificate facilitated consideration of ex-

Miscellaneous Issues—Sailors

Servicemen for appointment to posts for which the

Besides the changes and modifi cations discussed

essential educational qualifi cation prescribed was

above, a few miscellaneous issues that affected

graduation and where the following were applicable:

the Service conditions and growth of sailors are

• Work experience of technical or professional

elucidated in the succeeding paragraphs.

nature was not essential; or

• Though non-technical professional work

Aircrewman (Diver) as Specialist Qualification:

experience was prescribed as essential, the

Air Crewman (Diver) was introduced as a full

appointing authority was satisfi ed that the

specialist qualification in the Naval Airman

ex-Serviceman was expected to perform

Branch of the Navy.

the duties of the post by undergoing on-job

training for a short duration.

Exit Policy for Sailors: In order to address the issue of certain sailors who experienced diffi culties in

The above certificate was issued to sailors

adapting to the naval environment despite their

along with a ‘No Objection Certifi cate’ for civil

best efforts and to facilitate exit for sailors in the employment after their names were published in the

176

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Release Serial (RS), provided they had completed 15

Penalties for Failure in Physical Efficiency Test

years of service. Request for the certifi cate was to (PET): IHQ MoD (N) promulgated the following

be forwarded to CABS with original matriculation/

measures for non-qualifi cation in PET:

equivalent certifi cate.

Duration of Continuous

Stage

Action

Non-qualification

I

3 Months

(i) Counselling by DO/HOD.

(ii) Stoppage of leave till qualified.

II

6 Months

(i) Warning by Commanding Officer.

(ii) Endorsement in SD and ACR.

(iii) Negative weightage on selection for courses,

deputation, sea time, etc.

III

12 Months

(i) CABS to award 5 negative points on course-

cum-promotion roster for each year of failure

for promotion up to CPO.

(ii) MCPO Promotion Board to award 0.5 negative

marks for each 12 months period of failure.

Physical Fitness Standards. In order to encourage The IN Work up Team (INWT)/Local Work

physical fi tness standards, a policy was announced

up Teams (LWTs) were also to intimate details

wherein ships and establishments were required to

of personnel who did not meet the required

conduct PET for offi cers and sailors at intervals of physical and/or swimming standards. Repeat

six months in the fi rst and third quarter of every

tests for such personnel were required to be

year. Details of personnel who did not meet the

conducted.

required physical and/or swimming standards,

The aspect of personnel failing PET/swimming

were to be communicated to IHQ MoD (N)/DOP

tests not being eligible for selection for courses,

in respect of offi cers and CABS in respect of sailors, deputation, promotion, re-employment, refor making appropriate notation in their personal

engagement, etc., was also emphasized.

records. All such personnel were required to repeat

PET/swimming test within 90 days.

Nurturing Human Capital

177

Duties of MCPOs

• Selected MCPOs were to be appointed to ships/

by appointment letter issued by CABS. Duties of

establishments against specifi c or general duties

MCPO-specifi c billets were as follows:

Afloat

Ashore

Seaman

CRGO7 on Godavari, B’putra, Talwar, SNF s, Delhi class Maintenance Officer Explosive Accounting Officer (G/ASW) onboard

Assistant Gunnery Officer

Viraat/ Delhi class/ SNF s/ Talwar class/ Godavari class/ Leander s for QA/UW rates

Sonar Officer onboard SNFs/ Godavari class/

Explosives Accounting Officer

Leander s for UC rates

Boatswain Officer

Boat Officer

Communication

O i/c MSO/MWO/EWO8

O i/c MSO/MWO/COMCEN

Engine Room

EO small ships (LCUs/SDBs)

--

Electrical Artificers/Mechanicians/Electrical

LO of small ships

--

CRGO/in-charge of sub weapon systems. E.g.,

AK 630/Vymple, AK 230/MR 104, 40/60 gun etc.

Logistics

ALOGO9 (Pay, Victualling, Clothing, Naval Store)

ALOGO (Pay, Victualling, Clothing, Naval Store) Regulating

Regulating Officer in small ships

Asst Regulating/Security Officer

Shipwright

Shipwright Officer

NBCD and FF Officer

Asst NBCDO10

Shipwright/Tech Maintenance officer

All Branches

Staff Officer to CO/O i/C11

Staff officer to CO/O i/C

Education Officer

Sports officer

Accommodation Officer

Asst Education Officer

Asst Trg Coord ( all Trg Estb)

Asst EDP Officer

7 Close Range Gunnery Offi cer

Electronic Warfare Offi ce

10 Nuclear Biological Chemical Defence and

Damage Control Offi cer

8 Officer-in-Charge Main Signal

9 Assistant Logistics Offi cer

Office/Main Wireless Office/

11 Commanding Offi cer/Offi cer-in-charge

178

Blue Waters Ahoy!

• Additional duties/responsibilities for MCPOs were as follows:

Afloat

Ashore

All Branches

DO for Sea II/I and equivalent, including writing Same as afloat

of SDs and attending requestmen/defaulters

Education Officer

--

EDP12 Officer

Seaman

Part of Ship officer

--

Engine Room

Custody of technical documents up to

Same as afloat

CONFIDENTIAL classification

Electrical Artificers/Mechanicians/Electrical

Custody of technical documents up to

Same as afloat

CONFIDENTIAL classification

Medical

--

Asst Oi/C Medical Board Office

Oi/C HSR (other than major

--

hospitals like Asvini, Kalyani etc.)

Aviation

Photo Officer

Asst Photo Officer

FDO ( other than Aircraft Carrier)

AMCO/AMRO

12 Electronic Data Processing Offi cer

Nurturing Human Capital

179

MANPOWER SANCTIONS OBTAINED (2001–10) Year

Sanction Unit

O

S

C

DSC

INS Darshak

14

185

0

0

2001

9th Survey Vessel including Flight &EPF system

14

185

0

0

INS Utkrosh

0

0

0

1 Pl

Round the clock operations, Goa

9

102

0

0

2002

Complement of 9th Survey Vessel

14

185

0

0

Dolphin Hill, Vizag

0

0

0

0.5 Pl

Depot & Hospital Ships, Karwar

62

335

246

0

2003

UAV Squadron

33

62

0

0

INS Talwar

54

335

0

0

INS Dega

3

65

0

0

2004

NUWR, Goa

6

11

16

0

NODPAC, Kochi

4

4

4

0

INFAC T-82

2

12

0

0

NAVAC, Ezhimala

161

502

557

0

2005

INFAC T-83

4

24

0

0

INFAC T-84

4

24

0

0

Gorshkov Phase-I

2

205

0

0

INAS 552

16

40

3

0

WOT, Kochi

26

14

47

0

NSRY, Karwar

68

73

1219

0

Lakshya PTA Squadron

6

58

0

0

KA-31 Helicopter

38

126

0

0

2006

INS Trishul & Tabar ( Proj 1135.6) 54

452

0

0

INS Beas

35

305

0

0

NRO

19

60

0

0

SSB, Diamond Harbour

10

22

0

0

Project 75

1

0

1

0

2007

MIG 29 K

48

423

27

0

107 MCMF13 Det Goa

1

6

0

0

11 Dorniers

42

192

6

0

Indigenous Air Defence Ship (ADS)

32

8

40

0

2008

INAS 350 (UH-3H Helicopter)

13

98

0

0

Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)

47

487

5

0

NAS Ramnad

28

180

13

1 Pl

Vet Surgeon for BVY (Mbi, Vizag, Kochi & Pb)

4

0

0

0

NAS, Mumbai (INS Shikra)

28

160

29

0.5 Pl

13 Movement Control and Movement Forwarding

180

Blue Waters Ahoy!

INS Dega

2009

13

171

97

0

FACs ( Bitra, Batti Malv, Baratang and Bangaram) 12

108

0

0

03 UAV Sqdns

54

250

20

1 Pl

INS Jalashwa

28

486

0

0

LST(L)s ( Shardul, Kesari, Airavat) 39

579

0

0

NAS Campbell Bay

7

67

33

0.5 Pl

NAS Shibpur

5

61

31

0.5 Pl

INS Utkrosh

2010

27

221

24

0

Directorate of Indigenisation, Indigenisation Unit

6

0

43

0

(Mbi), Indigenisation Unit (V)

Offshore Defence Advisory Group (ODAG)

26

152

6

0

and Subsidiary units

Sagar Prahari Bal

98

902

0

0

Project 17 ( Shivalik class)

78

750

0

0

Water Jet FACs (10 in No.)

30

280

0

0

VLF station

23

260

0

0.5 Pl

Project Samudra

8

402

0

0

NBCDOs/NBCDIs

70

140

0

0

NCC

10

105

0

0

Interim National Command Post

2

33

3

0

Strategic Forces Training School

3

9

0

0

Materials Organisation (Goa)

14

64

101

0

Contd. from p. 180

CHANGES TO INDUCTION PROCEDURES (2001–10)

Entry/Selection Board

Remarks

New Entries

Submarine

SSC (S/M; Elect & Engg) entry was introduced in April 2000. First batch was inducted in January 2001

Naval Architect

NA entry for women was opened in 2004

Observer

Obs entry for women was opened in November 2007

New entries in UES scheme

Initially the UES was opened for Tech (Elect) & (Engg) other than Tech entries

entries. Subsequently other entries i.e., X(GS)/Pilot/Obs/

Log (Works)/SM/NA were included in this scheme

Establishment of Naval Selection Boards (NSB)

NSB (Coimbatore)

The setting up of NSB (Coimbatore) as a temporary

selection board was sanctioned by MoD in February 2001

NSB (Diamond Harbour)

The setting up of NSB (Diamond Harbour) was

sanctioned by MoD in 2006

Nurturing Human Capital

181

In Conclusion

Resource Management in the armed forces took

place during the decade 2001–10. These included

Human Resource is the driving force of any

cadre reviews, allocation of new vacancies

organization and even more so in the Armed

and compression of rank intervals through the

Forces. It is, therefore, important to ensure

AVSC Report and the Modified Assured Career

that the skills of the armed forces’ personnel

Progression (MACP) scheme. In essence, they

are kept abreast of the technology of the day,

provided a much needed fi llip to the morale and

while keeping their morale at the highest possible

satisfaction levels associated with the Armed Forces.

level. This is achievable by striking a balance between After all, it is the man behind the machine who

individual aspirations and Service requirements.

matters the most when it comes to the effectiveness

Some of the most signifi cant changes in Human

and effi ciency of an armed force.

182

Blue Waters Ahoy!

2

The Indian Naval

Academy (INA)

Shaping Future Naval Leadership

Introduction

Divisional Training (B&D) School in Cochin. By

1968, the shortage of offi cers was already a cause

For a nation bound by the sea on three sides, the

for concern, as NDA could not accommodate

imperative of having a strong Navy can never be

more than 65 naval cadets per year.

overstated. In the same vein, an armed force is only

as strong as its personnel and, more importantly, its The First Naval Academy

leaders. The Indian Naval Academy (INA) at Ezhimala

Albeit temporary and transitional in nature,

is a meeting point of the Navy’s vision of offi cers’

the first Naval Academy was set up at Cochin

training and the corresponding metamorphosis of the

(now Kochi), in a makeshift compound created

concerned institutions and organizations.

by acquiring a few stand-alone cabins from the

Southern Naval Area (SNA) Officers Mess, a

History of Offi cers’ Training in the Indian couple of class rooms from the Gunnery School Navy

and some barracks for offi ce space. The Academy

was commissioned on 30 June 1969. Commander

Genesis

(later Admiral and CNS) L. Ramdas was the

Before the National Defence Academy (NDA)

first Officer-in-charge (OiC). That complex

was established in 1954, those aspiring to

(since upgraded) is now home to the Centre for

become offi cers in the Indian Navy were trained

Leadership and Behavioural Studies (CLABS).1

for four years at the British Naval Academy at

The Naval Academy was set up to meet the

Dartmouth, UK. In later years, another (interim)

requirement of a Revised Special Entry Scheme

entry saw directly inducted Sub Lieutenants being

(RSES), under which naval cadets in the age group

put through basic training at the Basic &

17–20 years, who had passed the intermediate

1 Later Centre for Excellence in Ethics, Leadership and Behavioural Studies (CELABS). See chapter on the topic under Section 4 of this book.

examination, could be inducted in the Executive Women Join the Fold

Branch. The scheme was identical to the Special

India has had a woman Prime Minister along with

Entry Scheme in vogue at NDA, where naval

women Chief Ministers, Governors and bureaucrats.

trainees were inducted into the fi fth term at NDA.

Women in the armed forces

The fi rst batch

In 1973, post affi liation with the Jawaharlal Nehru

were literally conspicuous

of Short Service

University (JNU), NDA commenced a three-year

by their absence. To set

degree program with BSc being awarded to naval

r i g h t t h i s o d d i t y a n d Commission cadets. With this development, the RSES entry of

be consistent with the (Women) Offi cers

the Naval Academy became out of sync with that

contemporary societal joined INS Mandovi

of NDA.

outlook, the fi rst batch of for training in 1992.

As part of the reforms of naval training,

Short Service Commission

1974, it was decided that all offi cers’ courses be

(Women) Offi cers joined INS Mandovi for training conducted at the Naval Academy. As part of the

in 1992. These pioneering women officers were

revamp, the B&D School was to be shut down as

inducted into the Logistics, Education, Law and Air

soon as the Sailor’s Training Establishment (STE)

Traffi c Control branches of the Indian Navy.

was commissioned in 1976, and the shift of Direct

Entry Seamen Training to Goa was completed.

Looking Ahead: The New Naval Academy

Consequently, from 1974 onwards, the Naval

Academy began conducting several offi cers’ courses

Suitable Real Estate

in addition to the basic courses for cadets.

In 1979, the Government accepted the need for a

permanent Naval Academy. The governing factors

The Shift to Goa

for the site were (a) suffi ciently large land parcel, With the increasing number of officers being

catering for future expansion, (b) proximity to the

trained, the Naval Academy at Kochi was unable

sea or a lake for seamanship and (c) watermanship

to support their training due to constraints of

training and proximity to a railhead, yet suffi cient space and infrastructure. In addition, Basic

separation from townships. In addition, the

Offi cers’ Training needed greater exclusivity as

location needed to have moderate climate and be

well as attention—aspects that were not being

only a short distance from a naval port.

fulfi lled at the academy in Kochi. After the shift

of the Seaman Training Establishment (STE)

Finalizing the Location

from INS Mandovi to INS Chilka in Orissa, The sites considered by the Indian Navy included

the Naval Academy (NAVAC) was eventually

Porbandar, Lloyds Dams (Pune–Kolhapur Road),

shifted to Mandovi at Goa in 1986. Although

Hessargatta Lake (Bangalore), Aravankadu and

the new academy provided the basic foundation

Pykara Dam Lake (near Wellington), Chengalpet

for offi cers’ training,2 INS Mandovi was clearly (all in Tamil Nadu) and Ezhimala (Kerala). The

a stop-gap measure before training shifted to a

Kerala Government offered 960 hectares of land.

more enduring and future-proof location.

In addition, infrastructure for basic facilities such as water for construction, drinking water, electricity,

2 Mandovi was where the 10+2 (X) entry started, a course basic sea training as an ‘Integrated Course’ with the 1 TS or parallel to its counterparts at NDA. The two courses would First Training Squadron at Kochi.

later pass out of their respective academies to meet up for their 184

Blue Waters Ahoy!

approach roads, capital dredging of the Kavvayi

construction was slow due to the fi nancial crisis that backwaters and construction of a seawall on the

the country faced in the early 1990s and only essential inner side of the backwaters to prevent erosion,

services such as roads, electricity, water supply and were to be provided at no cost to the Navy. The

sewer lines were proceeded with. Reservations of the

combination of these factors

MES led the PMB to delineate responsibilities for

With the government clinched the deal in favour execution of work between the MES, the architects

having realized the

of Ezhimala. In May 1982,

and the PMB. Besides, Shri Rajiv Gandhi,

need for a permanent the GoI approved the site the cash crunch that the

Naval Academy (in

and provided a medium-

the then Prime

country faced resulted in

term soft loan to the Kerala

Minister of India,

the Government approving

1979), of the sites

Government to acquire land

laid the foundation

execution of the project in

that were considered,

and commence the assured

three phases: Phase I for stone of the Indian

Ezhimala seemed to

w o r k s . B y J u n e 1 9 8 4 ,

600 cadets, Phase II for Naval Academy on

meet the required

the state government had

900 cadets and Phase III 17 January 1987.

characteristics

completed acquisition of

for the balance 729 cadets.

However, the

including the fact

2,538 acres of land.

Construction of Phase I construction of the

that the Kerala

was approved in 1995 at a

Naval Academy met

Government was

Obstacles

cost of `166.94 crore for with the hurdle of

able to provide

The Navy undertook a

a training capacity of 600 the fi nancial crisis 960ha of land for

nationwide competition

cadets, to be completed India experienced in

the Academy. The

for selection of architects

over a period of eight years.

the 1990s, as a result

site received GoI’s

for the academy. This,

The period 1995–99 was of which the project

approval in 1982.

however, led to a situation

used to obtain approval was executed in three

of contempt with the Army-

from the Environmental phases.

manned Military Engineering Services (MES). The

R e s e a r c h R e s o u r c e

Navy, on its part, insisted that the MES should

Centre, conduct of topographical surveys, soil

not be involved in any manner in the design

tests and material surveys, and decision on concept

and construction of the new Naval Academy, a

designs for various construction works including

request acquiesced by the GoI. This was primarily

accommodation plan, essential services, etc.

due to prevalent MES standards of staid design,

While civil works relating to trunk services

procedures, quality of construction and austerity

measures, which confl icted with the Navy’s vision.

The then Prime Minister too wanted the Naval

Academy to be constructed as a national heritage,

one that the entire country would be proud of. The

Navy eventually agreed to the MES’s involvement

in the larger interest of the project, but under the

management of a Project Management Board (PMB)

co-chaired by the Defence Secretary and the VCNS.

The then Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi, laid

the foundation stone of the Indian Naval Academy

on 17 January 1987. However, the progress of

Shri Rajiv Gandhi unveiling the foundation stone

The Indian Naval Academy

185

and roads commenced in February 2001 itself, not disturb the natural splendour of the site. The

the creation of most of the other infrastructure

following principles were thus followed:

commenced in 2002 when

• Conserve the wooded ridge-line, retaining the

In the fi rst phase of

t h e n D e f e n c e M i n i s t e r

existing topography.

construction of the

Shri George Fernandes

• Minimize felling of trees, leaving large stretches

Naval Academy, the

l a i d t h e f o u n d a t i o n

of land as a Forest Reserve.

time frame envisaged s t o n e f o r t h e C a d e t s ’

• Leave the natural drainage courses unhindered,

was an ambitious

M e s s a n d S q u a d r o n s .

maintaining the ecological balance.

one. None of the

It is surprising to note

• Cater for the local climate and building

terrain or climate-

that all these complex civil

traditions.

related factors (with

works were envisaged to

• Allow each building exposure to sunlight.

be completed in a time

• Sea view from various facilities. The idea

regard to Ezhimala)

period of just two to three

was to ensure that cadets who were passing

that were to clearly

years—that too, without

out would get to look up to their alma mater

affect the civil works, any escalation clause having against a fi tting backdrop for their ceremonial

were taken into

been built into the contract.

induction into life as offi cers of the Navy/Coast

consideration by the

The contractors were (and

Guard. The parents/guardians witnessing the

contractors. Hence,

considering their ‘pan-

passing-out parade would also view their

the project was to

India’ presence and national

children against the vast expanse of the sea—

face major hiccups

renown, certainly should

the naval realm.

along the way.

h a v e b e e n ) a w a r e t h a t

some of the major factors

Breakdown of Project into Phases

governing the pace of civil works in Ezhimala

The Navy had initially planned to continue with

would be affected by:

the Bachelor of Science (BSc) curriculum for cadets

• the terrain at Ezhimala which is hilly, with

at the Indian Naval Academy. Accordingly, the

thick vegetation and laterite soil;

approval obtained in 1995 for training 600 cadets

• the climate that comprised monsoon-rains for

was for the BSc curriculum. However, in an effort

about seven months each year;

to maintain pace with emerging technologies and

• its remote location, thereby lacking in

train cadets better to cope with advancements in

industrial support;

equipment technology, it was decided that the ab-

• and lack of local labour, thanks to the

initio training curriculum would be upgraded to a

prosperity engendered by ‘Gulf-remittances’.

four-year Bachelor of Technology program (BTech

[Electronics, Telecom & IT]) and also to conjoin

Hence, the time frame was overly ambitious and

the BTech training at INS Shivaji, for technical the absence of any escalation clause, coupled with

branches, with the BTech course at Ezhimala.

the former, led to problems that were to beset

This resulted in the GoI approval, in 2002, for

the project.

an increase in the capacity of cadets from 600

to 750 as part of Phase I. This also led to the

Design

CCS revising the sanctioned cost of INA from

The facade of the Academy buildings was designed

the 1995-approved amount of `166.94 crore to

with the premise that man-made structures should

`500.76 crore.

186

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Birth of the Indian Naval Academy (INA)

Crest and Motto

The crest of INA depicts an open book, signifying

Commencement of Training

the imparting and assimilation of knowledge.

INS Zamorin, the base depot ship was commissioned Superimposed on the open book, the telescope

on 6 April 2005 by Shri Oomen Chandy, the then

crossed with a sabre implies the necessity of foresight Chief Minister of Kerala. The Commanding Offi cer

and preparedness for victory during conflicts at

of Zamorin was also appointed as the Station

sea. Finally, the anchor denotes maritime customs,

Commander. The fi rst batch of Naval Orientation

traditions and values of every seagoing warrior.

Course (Regular) commenced training at Ezhimala

The motto inscribed in Sanskrit ‘ Vidya Amritam

in August 2005.

Mashnuthe’ translates to ‘Knowledge begets

Immortality’.

Further Expansion and Inauguration of INA

On 5 May 2008, the CCS again revised the sanctioned

cost of Phase I tò 721.88 crore (2007 price-level),

now catering for the construction of the Academy

G u e s t H o u s e , a n M E S

The INA was

Complex, a War Memorial,

inaugurated by

the Equestrian Training

Prime Minister

Centre and a boundary

Dr Manmohan Singh wall.3 The INA was finally on 8 January 2009.

inaugurated and dedicated to

the nation on 8 January 2009

by the then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.

The fi rst batch of the INA Course (BTech) (84 Indian Naval Academy Course [INAC])4 joined the INA,

The INA crest

Ezhimala, in July 2009.

Inspection of Guard of Honour by Prime Minister

Inauguration of INA by the Prime Minister

Dr Manmohan Singh

3 On 19 December 2011, the CCS sanctioned an additional cadets at a time.

amount of `340.72 crore for Phase II of the Project, at the end 4 As opposed to just ‘NAC’ at NAVAC, Goa.

of which the INA would possess infrastructure to train 1200

The Indian Naval Academy

187

At the Helm

Rear Admiral M.P. Muralidharan (later Vice

succession board of Commandants of the INA is

Admiral) was the fi rst Commandant of INA. The

as given below:

Ser

Rank and Name

From

To

(a)

Rear Admiral M.P. Muralidharan

15 December 2008

17 February 2009

(b)

Vice Admiral M.P. Muralidharan

18 February 2009

25 August 2009

(c)

Rear Admiral Anurag G. Thapliyal

7 September 2009

30 September 2009

(d)

Vice Admiral Anurag G. Thapliyal

1 October 2009 onwards

Life at INA

training, primarily in Service subjects and

outdoor training.

Curriculum

• Six-month training for the Naval Orientation

The cadet-count as in 2010 was 481. The curriculum

Course (Regular), where trainees selected for PC

of various courses at the Academy is specifically

and SSC in non-Executive Branches of the Navy

designed to meet the root requirements of the Service.

and all branches of Coast Guard undergo training,

The syllabus for the naval subjects generally covers

primarily in Service subjects and outdoor training.

Seamanship, Navigation, Nuclear Biological Chemical

• Four-week training for the Short Naval

Defence and Damage Control including Fire Fighting

Orientation Course (SNOC) for Medical

(NBCD), Naval Value System, Naval History and other

Officers, SSC (X/IT), SNAES entries of the

related subjects. Training at the INA is conducted for Navy and Coast Guard Law entry trainees.

the following entry schemes of the Indian Navy:

• Four-year BTech curriculum in Applied

Practical and Outdoor Training

Electronics and Communication Engineering

Hands-on training forms a core part of the curriculum.

( f o r E x e c u t i v e B r a n c h ) , M e c h a n i c a l Physical training is obviously accorded a very high

Engineering (for Engineering Branch) and

importance. The full gamut of sports is taught as

Electronics & Communication Engineering

well as played at the Academy. In addition to the

(for Electrical Branch), for cadets selected

regular individual sports as well as troop games such through the 10+2 (UPSC) and 10+2 (BTech)

as squash, volleyball, etc., the academy also gives its schemes. This course is also called the Indian

trainees the chance to explore sports such as archery.

Naval Academy Course (INAC).5

INA is the only military academy in the country with

• One-year training for the Naval Orientation

an Olympic-sized 50 m indoor swimming pool. There

Course (Extended), where trainees of

is also a separate Olympic-standard indoor diving

E x e c u t i v e B r a n c h s e l e c t e d f o r S h o r t pool cosisting of 1 and 3 m diving springboards, as

Service Commission (SSC) and Permanent

also 5, 7 and 10 m diving platforms. This is in keeping Commission (PC) through the Combined

with the belief that for the Indian Navy and Coast

Defence Services Examination undergo

Guard offi cers, water is an omnipresent medium.

5 For the NDA cadets to gain parity, they do their fi rst year of They get commissioned on completion of training at INA and MSc (Applied Electronics and Communication) upon passing continue with follow-on training onboard the 1st Training out, and then join INA for the 7th and 8th terms. The fi rst Squadron and Fleet ships, where they also complete the MSc batch of ex-NDA cadets joined INA in Autumn Term 2012.

curriculum.

188

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Additional Activities

In Conclusion

The academy also stresses upon various adventure

activities like mid-term hikes and camps. The

The Indian Naval Academy was established as a

camps conducted lay emphasis on physical fi tness,

‘prestigious project’ of national importance and is

teamwork, command and leadership skills and

the veritable ‘Cradle of Leadership in the Indian

elementary map reading, besides bringing out the

Navy’. Although the gestation period between the

spirit of adventure and competition. A number of

vision to the fi nalization of the INA was witness

extra-curricular activities are also conducted towards to several crippling delays, the Service can take

the all-round development of the trainees. These

pride in the fact that it never lost focus of the

include quizzes, debates, snap talks and theatre.

conceptual origin, i.e., the need to have world-class infrastructure to train offi cers of a Navy that walks Yachting

shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.

Watermanship training is, for obvious reasons,

Today, INA is a unique military training

very high on the agenda. The Admiral’s Cup

institution in the country, where ab-initio training

Sailing Regatta was instituted in 2010 under the

for all naval offi cer-entries is conducted at one

burgee of the Yachting Association of India, as

academy, unlike the Army and the Air Force. The

a forum for competition in sailing in a regatta

academy aims to shape future naval leaders by

format amongst the officer trainees of friendly

laying a strong foundation of leadership, character,

foreign navies. The event features the Laser class knowledge, moral and physical courage, drill and

boats.

impeccable discipline.

Cradle of leadership

The Indian Naval Academy

189

3

The Naval Education System

Facilitating Instruction and Assimilation

Overview

pattern was brought at par with that of offi cers in

other branches of the Navy.

In 1928, the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) established the

In the interim, in 1951, the Branch was also

Instructor Cadre (later named the Education Branch

mandated with the task of providing meteorological

by the Indian Navy). It was with the view of raising

services to the Navy and in 1968, DNE was

the standard of education of the Boys’ Entry1 scheme

redesignated as the Directorate of Naval Education

in order to enhance their educational standards as

and Meteorology. Following closely, the subject of

per the Navy’s requirements at the time. A signifi cant oceanographic forecasting was also added to the

increase in the intake of sailors during and after the originally mandated responsibilities of the Branch.

Second World War, coupled with the ever-evolving

In 1971, the Instructor Branch was renamed as the

technological environment, propelled the expansion of

‘Education Branch’.

the Cadre. Hence, a composite Directorate of Training Understandably, in 1982, a separate directorate,

and Education was set up at the NHQ to plan and

named the Directorate of Naval Oceanology and

coordinate all training and educational activities of Meteorology (DNOM) was raised at the NHQ,

the Navy. In 1948, the Cadre was renamed as the

to meet the requirements of meteorological and

Instructor Branch, and the Directorate of Training

oceanographic (METOC) services.

and Education was split into two independent

The Education Branch of the Navy has evolved

directorates: the Directorate of Weapon Training

over the years to meet the niche requirements of

and the Directorate of Naval Education (DNE).

a growing Navy. Having been established to look

Subsequently, 1963 onwards, offi cers were absorbed

after the educational needs of Boy recruits, it quickly under the ‘Direct Entry’ scheme and their initial career took on training requirements of the offi cer cadets, 1 Intake of young boys aged between 13 and 18 years in the was preferred by many young boys since it allowed them to Navy was commonplace amongst families that were not so travel far and wide, and at the same time, also earn a living.

well-off but had wards who were relatively intelligent, and This entry was called the Boys’ Entry and was a major source wanted them recruited as sailors. Further, joining the Navy of manpower for the Navy.

especially in the Basic Sciences.2 With the advent Flag rank appointment was sanctioned for the

of the Naval Air Arm in the Navy, the Education

Education Branch. On promotion as the fi rst Flag

Branch took on the additional responsibility of

Officer of the Education Branch, Rear Admiral

providing it meteorological support services, as

Andre Aroume, AVSM, VSM was appointed as

was mandated by the International Civil Aviation

the Principal, INA, on 1 January 2007.

Organization (ICAO)’s regulations. The role

In 2009, a Bachelor in Technology (BTech)-

pertaining to meteorological support services kept

centered curriculum was introduced for the INA

growing apace with that of the Naval Air Arm, viz.

cadets. With the future requirement of MTech-

induction of aircraft carrier(s) and commissioning

qualifi ed offi cers for instructional duties at INA

of air stations. In the late 1960s, as the Navy started in mind, four Education Officers were deputed

growing beyond its coastal operations, the need for

for the MTech course, for the first time ever—

providing marine meteorological services to the

through 2005/2006—to the National Institutes of

fl eet, led to the setting up of Naval Meteorological Technology (NIT), Surathkal and Kozhikode.

offi ces at Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Port Blair.

The officers of the Education Branch have

The evolution of the Education Branch

been at the forefront of ushering in ‘technicalized’

continued, and with the growing importance of

training for officers, initially at the INA and

Ocean Sciences in maritime affairs—especially

thereafter at the National Defence Academy

sub-surface operations—Oceanology was added

(NDA), Khadakvasla. As the NDA migrated

to its charter of duties, in the early 1980s. The

towards a BTech curriculum, the vital role played

disruptive changes in remote sensing technologies,

by the Branch has manifested in many education

advancements in atmosphere and ocean state

and Human Resource Development (HRD)-related

modeling necessitated the Education Branch to

initiatives spanning a host of milestones such as

rapidly expand its capability in these niche fi elds.

MoUs with the Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) University

In 1986, Electronic Data Processing (EDP),

and the Indira Gandhi National Open University

Operations Research (OR) and Operational

(IGNOU); management of Navy Children Schools

Analysis (OA) were added to its mandate. Another

(NCS), Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and Sainik

development occurred in 1989, when the Logistics

Schools. These have gone a long way in ensuring

Cadre was created out of the erstwhile Supply

that the best of opportunities in the fi eld are open and Secretariat (S&S) Branch. Thirty Education

to naval personnel and their families.

Offi cers were absorbed into this Cadre in order

There are 32 Kendriya Vidyalayas in Naval

to provide initial support to new functions of

stations. The latest in the list being KV Karwar

Management Information System/Electronic Data

(Karnataka), which was essentially required due

Processing (MIS/EDP).

to the Navy’s growing presence in the region.

Consequently, a KV from class I–XII, was

Ushering in a New Era with

established with effect from the academic year

‘Technicalization’

2005–06, congruent with the commissioning of

INS Kadamba.

With the establishment of the Indian Naval

The Sainik Schools were started in the early

Academy (INA) at Ezhimala, in 2006, the first

1960s with the aim of having at least one Sainik

2 Basic Sciences include Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.

The Naval Education System

191

School in each state. These schools were planned their wards at the previous station for continued/

as residential schools for male students, providing

higher education, NES has also established hostels

public school education with military values to

in certain stations.

the students. They serve as feeder institutions to

The apex management body of the NES is the

the NDA and INA (as also to the Academies of the

Governing Body which manages all affairs of the

other Services). At present, 26 Sainik Schools are

Society. The Chief of Naval Staff is the Patron-in-

functioning in the country. They follow the CBSE

Chief of this body.

curriculum with English as the medium of instruction.

The share of appointments for principals, vice

Professional Management Examinations

principals and administrative offi cers amongst the

Army, Navy and Air Force is in the ratio 4:2:3.

Professional Management Examination (PME)

Offi cers from the Education Branch are appointed

and Staff College Entrance (SCE) Examination

as principals and vice principals in these schools.

(redesignated as PME, for all branches, on 20 April

2009) is an important mid-career examination for

The Naval Education Society

offi cers. Preparation for this examination serves the There is no gainsaying the fact that education

purpose of continual development of offi cers whilst

is a vital element for the development of the

qualifying for promotions, courses, appointments

human mind. Amidst the present socio-economic

and deputations. The following changes were

environment, with India poised for a technological

introduced in the Command Exam (CDE) and PME

leap, our basic approach to education, especially for processes during the period 2001–10:

the younger generation, needs to be designed to cater

• By a directive dated 20 October 2003,

to the challenges of a changing society. With this

an additional attempt was granted to all

end in view, a Naval Education Society (NES) was

unsuccessful candidates within the eligibility

established at the NHQ in 1986. It is a registered

bracket as a one-time measure to enable more

society, under the Societies Registration Act XXI of

number of offi cers to qualify CDE/PME and

1860, with the registered offi ces at the DNE.

SCE Exams, 2004. The eligibility conditions for

The NES is responsible for broad policy

PME/SCE and CDE examinations were revised

formulations, standardization of curricula, and

with effect from 2005. For PME and SCE, the

establishment/administration of educational

individual was to have four years’ experience

institutions at different naval stations through a

as Lieutenant and three years as Lieutenant

two-tier management structure and with the help

Commander; and for CDE, nil seniority as Lt

of the Commands. The primary aim of the NES

Cdr till year of consideration to the rank of Cdr.

is the promotion of (high standard) education,

Consequent to the implementation of

science, culture, literature and fi ne arts amongst

AVSC Recommendations, the eligibility

the families of serving and retired naval personnel.

conditions were revised again, with effect

It establishes and administers Naval Children

from 25 November 2005. While for PM and

Schools and other institutions of higher learning

SCE, the eligibility bracket was revised to

at various naval stations, in conformity with the

Lt Cdr with nil seniority till Lt Cdr with six

policies of GoI. It also ensures affi liation of schools years seniority as on 1 July every year, for

to the Central Board of Secondary Education

CDE, the bracket was revised to Lt Cdr with

(CBSE).

three years seniority till Cdr with one year

In order to help parents who may like to leave

seniority.

192

Blue Waters Ahoy!

On 28 July 2006, the eligibility conditions were

and the Designated Exam Centres (DECs) in units,

further revised.

is configured to ensure the incoming/outgoing

• For PME, the bracket was shifted to offi cers

traffi c over NEWN through secured Virtual Private

with 6 to 12 years of commissioned service as

Network (VPN). During the year 2009, CEC

on 1 July of the year of examination. For CDE,

was set up at DNE and 17 DECs were raised at

it got revised to offi cers with 9 to 14 years of

important naval stations.

commissioned service as on 1 July of the year

of examination.

Designated Examination

Station

• In order to inculcate in young officers

Centers (DECs)

the habit of professional reading, PME

INS Adyar

Chennai

was made mandatory for promotion to

INS Agrani

Coimbatore

the rank of Cdr for all officers except

INS Angre

Mumbai

Medical, Dental and SD List Officers

INS Chilka

Odisha

post deliberation in the Senior Officers

INS Circars

Visakhapatnam

Conference held in 2008. Further, it was

INS Dronacharya

Kochi

decided that the number of attempts for the

INS Dwarka

Gujarat

PME would not be restricted. There would

INS Hamla

Mumbai

also be no ante-date seniority for officers

INS Hansa

Goa

who cleared the exam after seven years in

INS India

New Delhi

the rank of Lt Cdr. Amplifying guidelines3

INS Jarawa

Port Blair

were issued on 20 May 2010 on mandatory

INS Kattabomman

Tirunelveli

qualification in PME for promotion to the

INS Netaji Subhas

Kolkata

rank of Commander.

INS Rajali

Arakkonam

INS Shivaji

Lonavala

Indian Navy Online Examination System (INOES)

INS Valsura

Gujarat

In order to keep pace with the latest technology

INS Venduruthy

Kochi

and Navy’s policy of using

In order to keep

IT to increase efficiency,

Implementation of the online examination

pace with the latest

the Indian Navy Online

had a positive impact on the Service, as far as

technology and

E x a m i n a t i o n S y s t e m

savings to the exchequer and man-hours were

Navy’s policy of

(INOES) was implemented

concerned. The system has achieved complete

using IT to increase

in the year 2010.

automation of the examination-related tasks like

effi ciency, the INOES

The system is designed

registration and publication of results, leading

was implemented in

on server-client technology

to a high degree of transparency and effi ciency.

and administered through

the year 2010.

Benefi ts included:

Central Examination Centre

• A reduced number of personnel had to be deputed

(CEC) at DNE. The INOES Network between CEC

from ships/establishments for exam-related tasks.

3 All formal orders are normally issued as IHQ Letters.

instructions are issued. In this case, these guidelines pertained The permanent ones are then converted into Navy Orders.

to passing in PME as a mandatory condition for promotion to Whenever there is an interim revision, amplifying guidelines/

the rank of Commander.

The Naval Education System

193

• T h e c o s t s p e r t a i n i n g t o p r i n t i n g a n d In Conclusion

packing of the examination material and

transportation of the same to the examination

The conduct of various in-Service professional

centres by Navy Courier Teams was reduced.

examinations, and implementation of the

• Candidates now have the option of choosing

INOES, digital libraries, e-Learning facilities,

the nearest examination centre than selecting

official language implementation,4 expansion

a CEC, thereby obviating the requirement of

of the NCS chain, and collaborations with

deputing them on temporary duty.

various universities for higher education, are

conspicuous milestones that helped in further

upgrading the naval education system during

the period 2001–10.

4 The Official Language Implementation Section in DNE

MoD (N) and the Command Headquarters, ensuring that all monitors the use of Hindi as the official language (of the the provisions/rules regarding use of the language are fully Union, according to the Indian Constitution) within IHQ

complied with.

194

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4

The FOST Organization

Formalizing Operational Sea Training

Introduction

himself as an essential link in the team. In doing

so, the intended organization would fi rstly, ensure

With the Navy having graduated from guns

safety (of men and material); secondly, enhance

to missiles on the one hand and having been

work up of the team as one unit; and finally,

introduced, on the other, to vastly different

enable the integration of the ship with the fl eet. In doctrinal precepts of both worlds—the West (Royal

sum, a structured system

Navy) as well as the East (Soviet Navy)—a need

of focussed operational The WWO was

was felt in the late 1970s, to formalize sea training t r a i n i n g w a s t o b e established with the in order to follow such procedures as would be best

introduced, with emphasis

aim of creating a

suited to our operating environment. At another

on realism in all aspects structured system of

level, while the Eastern Stream (Soviet system)

of war-fi ghting, including

focussed operational

had introduced the concept of pre-commissioning

battle damage simulation, training that was to

training (PCT) for theoretical classes and on-the-

and even measures to be tailored around

job training (OJT) for practical sessions at sea,

mitigate the same.

the Indian Navy’s

the Western stream had no such prerequisites. As

With the above aim own doctrines,

a fi rst step, therefore, it was decided to establish in mind, sanction of the and to promote

an organization that would be able to introduce

Government was obtained

(commonly evolved)

common Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

in November 1981, to

for all departments and specializations. The idea

set up a Warship Work best practices for

was to provide training tailored around the Indian

Up Organisation (WWO) every contingency.

Navy’s own doctrines, and to promote (commonly

i n M u m b a i . W W O ,

evolved) best practices for every contingency.

Bombay (WWO [B]) later WWO, Mumbai, was

A larger aim of establishing such an organization

formally set up on 11 January 1982, with Cdr

was also to formally put a ship through the paces,

J.C. De Silva (later VAdm, VCNS) as the Offi cer-

after change of a majority of her crew, or after a

in-Charge, under the operational control of the

refi t, in such a manner that every member realized

Flag Offi cer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF)

systems and sensors of the fl eet. In keeping with

and administrative control of the Flag Officer

the growing role of the Indian Navy, capabilities

Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command

and responsibilities of the fleet and the flotilla,

(FOC-in-C [West]).

the scope was progressively enhanced to include

Also, while a parallel Warship Work Up

every facet of warship activity, including aviation,

Organisation in Visakhapatnam (WWO [V]) was

communication, damage control (DC), electronic

established under the Flag Offi cer Commanding

warfare (EW), engineering, hull maintenance,

Eastern Fleet, a separate Flotilla Work Up

seamanship, ship husbandry, ship management, etc.

Team was set up in Mumbai for the work up

Work Up now aimed to ensure comprehensive and

requirements of ships under the operational

systematic training of a ship’s crew in all disciplines c o n t r o l o f t h e F l a g O f f i c e r C o m m a n d i n g onboard, to stipulated performance standards.

Maharashtra Naval Area (FOMA).

The work up was progressively developed across

several formats, to meet the various needs of the

Creation of FOST

fl eet/fl otilla.

Initially, the three work up teams functioned

independently, operating under FOCWF, FOCEF

and FOMA respectively. To consolidate work

up efforts, increase transparency and provide an

impetus to Operational Sea Training (OST), it was

decided, in August 1992, to constitute a single

authority responsible for OST of all ships under

a Flag Offi cer Sea Training (FOST). This was to

be based at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi.

Rear Admiral Gupteshwar Rai was appointed as the

fi rst FOST and he assumed charge on 21 December

Demonstrating deep diving onboard a diving tender

1992. Concurrently, three work up teams were set

up under the operational control of FOST, viz.

A full work up was covered under the ambit of

Indian Naval Work Up Team (INWT) at Kochi,

OST, which varied from three weeks (for minor war

under the administrative control of FOC-in-C

vessels) to six weeks (for aircraft carriers). There

(South); Local Work up Team ‘West’ (LWT [W]) in

was also a modifi ed work up of ten days’ duration

Mumbai, under the administrative control of FOC-

that was termed as Sea Safety Checks (SSC), which

in-C (West); and Local Work up Team ‘East’ (LWT

covered only the essential disciplines concerning

[E]) at Visakhapatnam, under the administrative

safety, viz. navigation, bridgework, machinery

control of FOC-in-C (East).

breakdowns, emergencies, damage control (DC)

and fire fighting (FF). Another work up of one

Aim of OST

week’s duration, which focussed only on one or

two selected, specifi ed disciplines and adopted in

The purpose of OST, commonly referred to as Work

cases where a full OST or SSC was not considered

Up, was initially focussed on enhancing the fi ghting essential at the time, was termed as Operational Sea

effi ciency by improving the performance of weapon

Checks (OSC).

196

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Purview of Work Up Teams

The Period 2001–10

The concept envisaged was to work up all frontline

During the period from 2001 to 2010, a total of

ships of the Navy, away from their respective base

450 Work Up activities (OST/SSC/OSC/SNWU)

ports, by the INWT at Kochi. The Fleet Ships

were undertaken—an indicator of the workload on

would thus deploy to Kochi and be put through

the FOST organization. Details of these activities

their paces in comprehensive harbour and sea

are given hereunder.

training programs. The work up of smaller ships,

including missile boats/corvettes, minesweepers,

Type of

Fleet Ships

Flotilla

ICG

Submarines

Ships

Ships

OPVs, SDBs, FACs, etc., was to be undertaken

Work Up

by the LWTs at their own base ports. Consorts

OST

83

189

17

would be provided by the

SSC

31

50

15

The setting up of the respective Commands, as OSC

13

26

02

FOST organization

per the nature of exercise,

SNWU

24

-

-

was with the idea

including ships, aircraft

Sub Total

151

265

34

to have a single

and submarines.

Grand Total

450

authority responsible

for operational sea

G r o w t h o f F O S T Centre for Regional Excellence in OST

training of all ships.

Charter

In 2000, FOST was

As the Indian Navy increased its engagement

designated as the

Since its inception, the FOST

with foreign navies, and awareness of FOST’s

organization has steadily

p o t e n t i a l s p r e a d , s e v e r a l r e g i o n a l n a v i e s Class Authority on

evolved as the epicentre for

expressed their keenness in interacting with

Seamanship, apart

imparting OST. It gained a

FOST—including for their ships to undergo work

from being the Class reputation as a facilitator up by this organization. Therefore, as part of the Authority on the

for enhancing operating

Navy’s regional cooperation and constructive

conduct of OST.

standards onboard ships.

maritime engagement efforts, FOST commenced

This same year,

FOST was progressively

interactions with foreign navies in 2000. The

FOST would begin

entrusted to undertake

conduct of the maiden OST of Sri Lanka Navy

its interaction with

work up of survey and

Ship Sayura (ex-INS Saryu) in 2000, marked a foreign navies as well. training ships as well.

watershed moment in expanding FOST’s charter

And in 1997, work up of

and underlining its growing capability. During

Coast Guard ships was also entrusted to FOST.

the ensuing decade, several Naval and Coast

Further, through OST packages, FOST streamlined

Guard ships from Friendly Foreign Countries

procedures and SOPs related to seamanship, on

(FFCs) underwent work up by FOST.

all ships.

By 2010, FOST was established as a Centre

In 2000, FOST was designated as the Class

for Regional Excellence. Navies of Bangladesh,

Authority on Seamanship, in addition to being

Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Sri Lanka

the Class Authority on the conduct of OST. In

have regularly interacted with FOST since, including

2008, Surface Navigation Work Up (SNWU)

visits to Work Up Teams, knowledge-sharing, and

of submarines was also added to the charter

sea-rider embarkation. FOST has also undertaken

of FOST.

efforts for capacity building by deputing delegations The FOST Organization

197

Resource Management (BRM), Force Protection

Measures (FPM), Visit, Board, Search and Seizure

(VBSS), Disaster Relief Exercises (DISTEX),

Integrated Action Damage Response Organisation

(IADRO) and Train the Trainer exercise, were

progressively incorporated in the Work Up regimen

across various classes of ships.

Logo of Work Up Teams

Gun handling instructions to a foreign navy

Initially, the logo of FOST that was adopted covered

FOST and all its Work Up Teams. Subsequently, in

to FFCs, from time to time. Today, FOST attracts

2005, a separate logo was designed for the Work Up

the interest of many foreign naval dignitaries visiting Teams. This comprised the prominent lighthouse of

India, and regularly features in the itinerary of

the base port of the respective Work Up Team, viz.

training and staff visits by various foreign navies.

at Kochi (Kochi Light House), Mumbai (Prongs

Reef Light House) and Visakhapatnam (Dolphin’s

Interaction with Advanced Navies

Nose Light House).

To be a centre for regional excellence implies an

FOST Vision Document and Contribution

ability to constantly evolve and improve. FOST has

to Soft Power

constantly endeavoured to imbibe Best Management

Practices (BMP) through interactions with navies of

A vision document for further growth of FOST,

advanced countries. In pursuance of this objective,

catering to the planned growth and development

participation by the FOST delegation was instituted

of the Indian Navy and its expanding roles and

at the Indian Navy–Royal Navy (IN–RN) Staff

responsibilities was formulated in 2009. This

Talks, commencing 2006. Embarkation of FOST

document envisions the growth of FOST from

sea-riders followed in the Indo–UK Bilateral Exercise three Work Up Teams to a total of six with the

KONKAN in 2006. The visit of IN FOST to the RN

additional ones to be constituted at Karwar, Kochi

FOST organization in 2009, and the reciprocal visit

and Port Blair.

of the RN FOST to India in 2010, were part of the

As the FOST organization grew and donned

efforts to exchange ideas, enhance safety standards

multiple mantles, it has evolved over the years into

and improve operational sea training.

a unique setup that is an eclectic mix of operations, training as well as foreign interactions. It now

Evolving Conduct of Work Up

serves as an organization that not only derives

new operational training methodologies for the

Through the process of gaining experience and

Navy’s good by incorporating external inputs, but

sharing best practices with other navies, the FOST

also uses its own developing expertise as a means

organization constantly improvised and enhanced

to fruitfully interact with, and share best practices the conduct of work up. Concepts such as Bridge

with foreign navies.

198

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Training for Man Overboard (MOB) procedure

The FOST Organization

199

5

The Sixth Central Pay

Commission

Background

Defence Service Officers and Class I Services of

the Central Government, specifically the Indian

The First Pay Commission was constituted by the

Police Service. For the infantry soldier, it accepted GoI in 1946. However, for the Defence Services,

a parallel with the semi-skilled industrial worker.

a departmental committee, which was also called

Subsequently, in 1967, the Kamath Committee was

the Post-War Pay Committee, was constituted.

constituted to examine the allowances admissible to

The committee adopted the basic principle of

the Defence Services in line with a similar exercise

‘comparability’ with civilian rates of pay under

carried out for other government employees.

the government and of an ‘all-inclusive nature

Set up in April 1970, the Third Pay Commission

of pay.’1 As far as the pay structure of Defence

submitted its report in March 1973. This was the

Services personnel, specifi cally Service Offi cers,

fi rst time that a Central Pay Commission (CPC)

were concerned, a parallel was established with

was given the mandate to make recommendations

offi cers of Class I Central Services and the Indian

on the Pay, Allowances and Pensions of the Defence

Police Service. For devising the pay of Personnel

Services. The Defence Services did not submit

Below Officer Rank (PBORs), a fully trained

any formal recommendations to the Commission

infantry soldier with three years’ service was

although extensive deliberations were held at many

equated to workers classifi ed as ‘semi-skilled’.

levels. The Commission held that the relativities

The Second Pay Commission was set up in 1957.

between Servicemen and their civilian counterparts

For the Defence Services, a separate departmental

can only be in broad terms because of the

committee, known as the Raghuramaiah Committee

substantial differences in their roles and conditions was constituted and it submitted its report to the GoI of service. It recommended a higher starting salary

in 1959. The report accepted the relativity between

for Commissioned Offi cers as compared to those

1 This term means that the pay being granted will be all 0.6 x 2). The total comes to 3. The entry pay of an individual inclusive, in the sense that it will cater to all the needs of a thereby caters to meet the needs of his/her dependents and is soldier and his next of kin (self = 1; spouse = 0.8; and 2 kids =

three times the amount he/she needs for himself/herself.

in Civilian Class I Services. The Commission be in charge of pay revision and that the Commission’s equated the pay of a fully trained infantry soldier

annual proposals be obligatory in nature. As an

with three years of service, with a civilian worker

option, it suggested that Dearness Allowance (DA)

placed between semi-skilled and skilled workman

be changed to Dearness Pay every time the cost of

and added 5 per cent of additional pay to his salary

living rose by 50 per cent over the base level. In their over and above his civilian counterpart.

opinion, DA would normally increase by 50 per cent

The Fourth CPC was set up in June 1983 and

over a period of fi ve years and that this relief could it submitted its report to the Government in three

be combined with a decennial pay revision through

phases over a period of four years. Each Service

a Pay Commission. In this manner, the demands of

had submitted a separate memorandum to the CPC.

Central Government employees for a more frequent

The Commission noted that the pay structure for

revision of salaries on the principle used for Public the Armed Forces should provide a reasonable pay

Sector employees will be met to some extent.

progression to the personnel of Defence Services.

The Fifth CPC had recommended constitution

For the fi rst time, the CPC introduced Integrated

of the next Pay Commission by 2003 so that its

Pay Scales and Rank Pay for offi cers up to the rank

report was available by 2006. Although the next

of Captain (Navy) with more than three years’

Pay Commission was not appointed in 2003, the

seniority. The Commission noted that the duties

Government did allow the merger of 50 per cent

and responsibilities of an infantry soldier were

of DA with pay to be effective from 1 April 2004.

such that he could not be compared with any other

category of employees.

The Sixth CPC

The Fifth CPC was set up in 1994. It was

during this CPC that the Defence Services, for

The Government constituted the Sixth CPC vide

the fi rst time, in 1997, submitted a Joint Services

Resolution No. 5/2/2006-E.III (A) dated 5 October

Memorandum (JSM) to the Commission. It

2006. It comprised Justice B.N. Srikrishna as

recommended migration to fixed pay scales for

Chairman, Professor Ravindra Dholakia and Shri

each rank and group. The Commission did not

J.S. Mathur as Members, and Smt. Sushma Nath

favour a separate dispensation for Armed Forces

as Member Secretary.

personnel and felt that a better method would

The recommendations of the Sixth CPC (with

be to provide explicit compensation within the

certain modifi cations) were implemented in August

regular pay scales. Accordingly, the Commission

2008 and were effective from 1 January 2006. The

recommended abolition of integrated pay scales,

salient aspects of the Sixth CPC award were as

substituting them by regular pay scales with rank

follows:

pay for offi cers, while for sailors, progression in

(a) It introduced Common Pay Scale for Defence

pay was provided by the mechanism of an Assured

and Civilian Personnel (four Pay Bands

Career Progression scheme (ACP) . It also agreed viz PB1, PB2, PB3 and PB4 and two fixed

with the approach of the Third CPC that an ‘all

pay scales viz. Apex Level and the Cabinet

inclusive pay’ may not be workable in the Indian

Secretary). PB4/with Grade Pay (GP) of

context and therefore, recommended continuance of

`12,000 was replaced with HAG or a Higher

all existing concessions and an edge in starting scale Administrative Grade scale (`67,000–

to compensate for special features of military life.

`79,000) and a new scale ‘HAG+’ (`75,500–

It was also the Fifth Pay Commission’s

`80,000) was introduced at a later date.

recommendation that a permanent Pay Commission

(b) A concept of Grade Pay (@ 40% of top of

The Sixth Central Pay Commission

201

pre-revised scale) in Pay Band as a status The Sixth CPC recommended a pay structure

determinant (though applicable within the

which, coupled with modifications by the GoI

cadre only) was also introduced.

at implementation stage, resulted in disturbance

(c) It reduced the existing groups of sailors

of ‘historical and traditional’ parities leading to

from three to two and extended Common

multiple anomalies.

Pay Scale to all sailors as admissible to

Central Government’s Civilian employees.

Anomalies of the Sixth CPC

Furthermore, the concept of ‘X’ Group Pay

@ `1400 per month for ‘X’ Group sailors

Immediately after the Sixth CPC submitted its

was introduced to compensate them for the

report to the Government, the Defence Services

differential in GP admissible to a Diploma

identifi ed 14 anomalies, prior to promulgation of

entry Civilian employee of the Central

the CPC award by the GoI. Out of 14 anomalies,

Government.2

six were identifi ed as core anomalies, as under:

(d) Rank Pay was removed and the concept of

(a) Core Anomaly 1—Common Pay Scales

Military Service Pay (MSP) up to the rank of

for Sailors. Pre-2006, JCOs/ORs in the

Brigadier @ `6000 per month for offi cers and

three Services had different pay scales

`2000 per month for sailors was introduced.

based on Trade Groupings. The Sixth CPC

MSP @ `1000 per month was later extended

recommended common pay scales for all JCOs/

to Non Combatants (Enrolled) or NC (E) of

ORs and their equivalents. The pay scales thus

the Indian Air Force.

became common across the three Services.

(e) It ignored Rank Pay while formulating GP for

The ‘X’ Group however, owing to their higher

Defence Service Offi cers.

qualifi cations, was entitled to an additional ‘X’

(f) It force-fi tted Sub Lieutenant to Commander in

Group pay of `1400 per month. During the

PB 3 by creating additional GP (`6100) specifi c

implementation stage, the Government granted

to Defence Services.

common pay scales only to the Other Ranks

(g) A Commander was moved to PB 4/with GP

(ORs) recruited post 1 January 2006, thus

`8000. However, Lieutenant and Lt Commander

violating the spirit behind the recommendation

were retained in lower GP of `6100 and `6600

of the Sixth CPC, to grant common scales to

respectively vis-à-vis civilian counterparts.3

all sailors. The sailors who were in-Service

(h) All Lt General equivalent officers were

on 1 January 2006 have merely been granted

originally placed in HAG scale. Subsequently,

replacement scales based on the multiplication

one-third of Lt Generals were placed in HAG +

factor on the pre-revised pay scales. This

scale.4

resulted in widening the disparity in pay of

2 The civil counterpart 3 A Sub Lieutenant got `5400, a Lieutenant got `6100, and Lt 4 The Defence Services wanted all who is a diploma holder Commander `6600 only, whereas their civilian counterparts Lt Generals and equivalent to go joins at GP of `4200, drew `5400, `6600 and `7600 respectively. This was because the in to HAG+ scale and one-third whereas in the Defence CPC had squeezed in Commander/Lieutenant Colonel in PB 3. of them to get the Apex scale.

S e r v i c e s , a d i p l o m a This implied that the Services had four ranks in PB 3, whereas However, the Government gave holder joins at GP of their civilian counterparts had only three. After a protracted HAG+ scale to only one-third of Lt

`2800. The difference is tussle, Commander was moved into PB 4, but Lieutenants and Generals/equivalent and Apex scalè1400, and this amount Lt Commanders were not brought on par with their civilian only to Cs-in-C. This implied that is paid as ‘X’ Group Pay.

counterparts and the anomaly remained unresolved.

the recommendation was not met.

202

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the personnel in different groups who had scales). This anomaly too continues to remain

joined prior to 1 January 2006. The ultimate

unresolved.

fallout has been the creation of two categories/

(c) Core Anomaly 3—Uniform Grade Pay. The

classes of sailors, i.e., those recruited prior to

Grade Pay introduced post Sixth CPC is a

1 January 2006 at varying pay scales and those

factor of top of the pay scale.5 However, in the

recruited post that date at common pay scales.

case of Defence Services, despite having similar

To iron this out, the Defence Services proposed

top of the pre-revised pay scale and length of

that all sailors recruited prior to 2006 should

service, the GP was artifi cially depressed as

be given replacement scales in accordance with

Rank Pay was not taken into consideration

the ‘X’ Group scales of that rank, based on

when determining the top of the pay scale

the number of increments earned in that rank.

of various ranks. For example, a Director of

This anomaly remains unsettled till date.

Group ‘A’ Service, who drew a pre-revised pay

(b) Core Anomaly 2—Initial pay fixation of

of `14,300-18,400 was given a Grade Pay of

Commander, Captain with less than three

`8,700 as against a Commander who with

years and Captain with more than three years

a Rank Pay had a scale of `15,100-18,700,

of seniority. Replacement scales granted to

was given a GP of only `8,000. However,

Commanders and Captains with less than

Rank Pay was granted to the personnel in

three years seniority were depressed by one

lieu of the promotion increment admissible

increment and that of Captain with more than

for the civilian employees on promotion.

three years of seniority by two increments.

Therefore, the Defence Services had stated

Pre-revised scale of Commander was `15,100

that as promotion increment was part of the

which was at par with the starting S-25 scale.

Basic Pay, the Rank Pay needed to be factored

Similarly, the pre-revised scale of Captain

for correct determination of GP. This anomaly

with less than three years was `17,100 and

remains unresolved to this day.

that of Captain with more than three years

(d) Core Anomaly 4—Placing of all Vice Admirals

was `19,100. These scales being superior

in HAG+ Scale. Till the Third CPC, the rank

by virtue of a higher starting point of the

of IG Police was equivalent to a Rear Admiral.

scales, the Sixth CPC had rightly fi xed them

A new post of Director General of Police or

in relation to the S-25 scale on the civil side.

DGP was created prior to the Fourth CPC

However, analysis of the replacement scales

and he was placed at the same pay scales as

granted, reveals that these scales have been

extended to a Vice Admiral. Subsequently, a

fixed lower than the S-25 scales, whereas

large number of posts of DGPs were created

civilian employees of Government were given

who were granted a higher (HAG+) scale in

the replacement scale at par with S-25 scale

comparison to Vice Admiral (HAG scale in the

by the Commission. It was proposed that the

Fifth CPC). The Services have been demanding

initial Pay Fixation of these ranks should be

restoration of status of Vice Admirals with

done with reference to the S-25 scale (Rank

that of DG Police since the Fifth CPC.

Pay was deducted while giving replacement

Accordingly, Services in their Joint Services

5 Top of the pay scale: An example from a scale of civil servants CPC only. It is calculated as 40% of `3200 in this case. That

@ `2550-55-2600-60-3200. The GP will be calculated on comes tò1280; the Sixth CPC recommended GP of `1300

`3200 which is top of the scale. GP was introduced in the Sixth for this scale.

The Sixth Central Pay Commission

203

Memorandum to the Sixth CPC had sought to The Services had raised the issue with the

place Vice Admirals in the S-32 (HAG+) scale

Government on numerous occasions and had

of `24,050–26,000.

proposed the same in its JSM submitted to the

The issue has been partly settled as (only)

Sixth CPC. However, it was not accepted by

one-third of Vice Admiral/equivalents have

the Sixth CPC and was highlighted as a core

been placed in HAG+ scale against the demand

anomaly post the Sixth CPC.6

of grant of HAG+ scale to all Vice Admirals.

(e) Core Anomaly 5—Grant of Non-Functional

Attempts at Resolution of Anomalies

Upgradation (NFU). The Sixth CPC took

note of the disparity between IAS and other

The Defence Services had taken up the anomalies

Organized Group ‘A’ Services and granted

for resolution with the Government. The efforts

Non-Functional Upgradation (NFU) to

to resolve them are explained in succeeding

all Organized Group ‘A’ Services, though

paragraphs.

retaining the edge traditionally enjoyed by

the IAS. The Sixth CPC in its report did not

Committee of Secretaries (2008)

extend NFU to IPS and IFS offi cers. However,

These anomalies were considered by a Committee

the Government, at the implementation stage

of Secretaries under the chairmanship of the

extended the same to IPS and IFS cadres too.

Cabinet Secretary. However, major anomalies

However, this was not granted to the Defence

r e m a i n e d u n r e s o l v e d a t t h e t i m e o f t h e Services Offi cers who have traditionally been

implementation of the Sixth CPC award by GoI

equated with the IPS Cadre by successive Pay

on 31 August 2008.

Commissions, thereby creating an anomaly.

The grant of NFU to eight Organized Group

Group of Ministers (2008)

‘A’ Services like the Military Engineering

While the initial anomalies identifi ed by the Defence Service (MES) and Border Roads Organisation

Services remained unresolved, the Sixth CPC award

(BRO), Survey of India, etc., who operate

led to three additional critical anomalies of which,

along with the Defence Services in a supporting

the foremost issue of placing Commanders in PB 4

role, further complicated the issue and resulted

was partially resolved by the Group of Ministers

in command, control and functional problems

(GoM) headed by Shri Pranab Mukherjee, then

in organizations like the MES, DGBR, DGQA

External Affairs Minister. The GoM made the

and the Defence Research and Development

following recommendations, which were later

Organisation (DRDO). This anomaly is yet to

approved by the government:

be resolved.

• The pensionary benefi ts to all PBORs may be

(f) Core Anomaly 6—One Rank One Pension

given without disadvantage to any category

(OROP). OROP was a long pending demand

and an Anomaly Committee may be set up

by the ex-Servicemen community which has

immediately to address any such cases.

been outstanding for the past three decades.

• Lt Colonels, who are in their parent Service

6 The implementation of OROP, with effect from 1 April 2014, the OROP scheme for Defence Services pensioners with effect has since been accepted by the GoI and the announcement to from 1 July 2014. However, a few issues related to OROP have this effect was made during the presentation on the Vote-on-remained unresolved till date.

Account in February 2014. The Government has implemented 204

Blue Waters Ahoy!

in combat or ready-to combat jobs, may anomalies with respect to pay and pension. Based

be placed in Pay Band 4. Those Lt Colonel

on the recommendations of GoM, 2008, the then level officers who are on deputation would

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh approved the be entitled to PB 4 when they return to their

setting up of an HPC to resolve the issues relating

parent Service.

to command and control functions/status of

• The grade pay for Lt Colonels who are in their

Defence Services vis-à-vis Para-military Forces and

parent Service in combat or ready to combat

Civil Services and necessary directives were issued

jobs may be fixed at `8000 as against the

by the Prime Minister’s Offi ce (PMO). However,

grade pay of `8700 for Colonels/Directors.

despite protracted correspondence by the Defence

Those Lt Colonel level officers who are on

Services, since 2009, to the various authorities in

deputation would be entitled to the above

the Government, the HPC was not constituted.

grade pay when they return to their parent

Service.

In Conclusion

• A High-Powered Committee (HPC) may be set

up to resolve the issues relating to command

The then Prime Minister had approved the

and control functions/status of Defence Services

constitution of a Committee of Secretaries headed

vis-à-vis civilian cadres supporting the former

by the Cabinet Secretary on 9 July 2012 to look

as also paramilitary forces and civil servants.

into issues of the Defence Services personnel and

• The pay revision of the Defence Services should

ex-Servicemen. The Committee submitted its report

be delinked from the civilian employees of the

on 17 August 2012, with recommendations to refer

Government. A separate Board or Commission

pay fixation anomalies—partial satisfaction on

should be set up to recommend the pay scales of

the OROP issue and incremental modifi cations in

the Armed Forces in future.

pension tables as in the case of civilian employees—

to the next (Seventh) CPC.

However, even at the end of 2008, the Defence

Services continued to have multiple unresolved

The Sixth Central Pay Commission

205

6

Grooming Leaders

of Tomorrrow

The Role of CLABS

Introduction

of various kinds, man-made and natural, on a

routine basis, sound leadership in all its various

‘I am more afraid of an army of sheep being led by

manifestations—professional, strategic, tactical and

a tiger than an army of tigers being led by a sheep,’

moral—is critical for mission success and upkeep

once wrote Alexander the Great. With the advent

of morale. The founding idea behind the Centre for

of cutting-edge technology and equipment, it is all

Leadership and Behavioural Studies (CLABS) was

too easy to lose the purport of the above quotation,

to imbibe sound leadership practices and Service

and with that, what it essentially attempts to say

values amongst offi cers of the Indian Navy. The

about the role that leadership plays in shaping,

importance of these primary and essential military

running and steering of organizations. Any team

tenets cannot be stressed enough, considering that

or organization follows its leader, takes the shape

the human element remains fundamental to success of his or her shadow. History bears witness to this

in war and in peace.

fact—be it in the form of Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre’s

daring guerilla tactics disrupting British interests

CLABS: The Genesis

(despite British naval superiority) in the eighteenth century, or Captain Mahendra Nath Mulla’s1

Set up on 31 March 1994 and formally inaugurated

ultimate sacrifice by choosing to go down with

on 16 July 1994 by Shri K. Karunakaran, then

his ship in the Indo–Pak War of 1971. Further, the

Chief Minister of Kerala, CLABS was a fi rst-of-its-

importance of leadership manifests not only in the

kind unit in the Indian Navy to include humanities-

achievement of an organization’s goals, but also in

oriented topics such as leadership, organizational

engendering a positive organizational atmosphere.

behaviour, motivation and gender sensitization in

In a human capital-centric organization such

its curriculum. Not only did it initiate discussions

as the Navy which is exposed to adversities

and exhort military practitioners to delve into

1 The late Commanding Offi cer of INS Khukri which sank in the 1971 war with Pakistan.

these aspects of military leadership, it instituted officers a holistic perspective into the complex

Behavioural Studies as a domain of enquiry for

challenges of leading men and women into battle.

the fi rst time and introduced offi cers to the areas The aim behind establishing this institution was

o f p s y c h o l o g y s u c h a s

to ensure that each individual passing out from its

CLABS was a fi rst-

v e r b a l a n d n o n - v e r b a l

portals should be a well-rounded offi cer and an

of-its-kind unit in

communication, decision-

ethical, conscientious, empathetic and hardy leader

the Indian Navy to

making and transactional

of men and women. Such offi cers would uphold the

include humanities-

analysis.

Navy’s values and the nation’s expectations, ready

oriented topics

C L A B S h a s a l w a y s

to take on the rigours of military life.

such as leadership,

been unique in a sense

Over the years, the Centre has grown not

organizational

that the outcome of the

only as one of Indian Navy’s premier training

behaviour,

training imparted there

institutions, but also as a hub of academic

is immeasurable. This is

excellence and research.

motivation and

because the transformation

Its faculty’s thoughts and Each year, the

gender sensitization

of character and appropriate

ideas have been published Centre trains more

in its curriculum.

moulding of personality

i n r e p u t e d d e f e n c e than 1100 offi cers aimed by the institution occurs at a deeply

journals. As an active and sailors from a

emotional and existential level in the psyche of

and integral part of the wide spectrum of

the student offi cers.

Indian Naval Leadership seniorities from over

Being a hub of leadership studies, the institution

and Management Study eleven countries, in

was also charged with overseeing and supervising

Board (INLMSB), it lends leadership and ethics-

training and administrative requirements of all

expert advice to those in related subjects.

Executive Offi cers undergoing SLt (X) Technical

the higher echelons of the

Courses, officers of other branches who visit

Navy and also carries out pan-Navy studies and

Kochi for initial training, International Officers

research surveys related to contemporary leadership

undergoing their ab-initio training, and offi cers of issues within the Navy. Further, it also works

the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). In short, the Centre

closely with similar institutions such as INS Agrani, was and has been, literally and fi guratively, their

the Naval War College (NWC), the Indian Army’s

parent school.

Institute of National Integration (INI) and the

Over the years, the institution’s throughput

Indian Air Force’s AF-CLABS, towards enriching

of trainees has increased manifold. Each year,

and diversifying leadership training.

the Centre trains more than 1100 officers and

sailors from a wide spectrum of seniorities from

Postscript: From CLABS to CELABS

over 11 countries, in leadership and ethics-related

subjects. The course curriculum at the Centre is

In the years that followed, owing to the epochal shifts an eclectic mix of theory and practice. A detailed

driven by technology and economics in the larger

study of various schools of thought pertaining to

society, the Centre too had to transform. It was,

leadership, ethics and behavioural studies apart,

however, not in the way that the society changed.

contemporary topics such as cultural context of

The Centre had to reinvent itself, without losing its military leadership, military and behavioural ethics, essential character. It had to evolve, without losing a choice architecture and emotional intelligence form

sense of its own history. Looking back, it can be said the core of theoretical approaches designed to give

that the more it evolved in keeping with the times, the Grooming Leaders of Tomorrow

207

more it preserved its identity as the bastion of military while simultaneously imbibing a deeper sense of

ethics and leadership.

commitment to the ideals of Naval Service—duty,

A critical driver, emerging

honour and courage. Further, the advent of newer

As an active and

from the transformation in

forms of conflict, such as asymmetric warfare,

integral part of

the Navy’s future operational

which pushes military practitioners and decision-

the Indian Naval

imperatives, triggered the

makers to the greyer realms of ethical dilemmas in

Leadership and

metamorphosis of CLABS

operations, necessitated a curriculum that would

Management Study

into a Centre of Excellence

foster a deeper understanding of ethics in the

Board (INLMSB),

( C o E ) . T h e C e n t r e ’ s

military context.

CLABS lends expert

persistent and prolonged

It was due to these myriad factors which

advice to those in

engagement with leadership-

were at play that CLABS transformed into the

the higher echelons

related subjects necessitated

Centre of Excellence in Ethics, Leadership and

of the Navy while

broadening the mandate

Behavioural Studies (CELABS) in 2015. The

also carrying out

to address contemporary

Centre, which had previously been housed in

m i l i t a r y l e a d e r s h i p

the Vikrant and Ashoka buildings near the

pan-Navy studies

challenges and accommodate

Central Reference Library, was shifted to the

and research

newer ideas and perspectives.

new Administrative and Training building. The

surveys related

This new dimension centered

new building, located opposite COMNETCEN

to contemporary

around assimilating and

(Kochi) was inaugurated on 4 November 2015.

leadership issues

instilling the tenets of ethical

Currently, the Centre functions as the nodal

within the Navy.

leadership and a sense of

agency for all leadership and ethics-related areas

unlimited moral liability amongst military leaders,

of inquiry and study in the Indian Navy.

CLABS (now called CELABS)—a new complex

208

Blue Waters Ahoy!

7

Establishment of DAPSA

Instilling Esprit de Corps and Promoting

Fitness through Sports and Adventure

Introduction

by conquering Mt Everest (2004), North Pole

(2006) and the South Pole (2008). Naval shooters

In the Indian Navy, adventure and sports-related

have won national championships and have also

activities used to be under the administrative

qualifi ed for the 2008 Olympics. The Naval Polo

control of the Directorate of Naval Training

team has won major national level championships.

(DNT). In 1999, a proposal to create a separate

Sports and adventure activities continue to be an

directorate for controlling and supervising sports

important and integral part of the naval way of life.

and adventure activities was initiated and so, in

Sailing, trekking, rafting, motorcycle expeditions,

2002, an (independent) Directorate of Adventure,

environmental study camps, walkathons,

Physical Fitness and Sports Activities (DAPSA)

microlight rallies, high altitude diving camps, hot

emerged out of DNT. This development was

air ballooning, powered hang gliding, parasailing,

precipitated by the Navy’s growing focus on

skydiving, windsurfi ng, kayaking, mountaineering

adventure and sports.

and skiing have been undertaken by naval personnel

Since the creation of DAPSA in 2002, the

and their families at regular intervals.

Navy’s graph in sports and adventure activities has

DAPSA was established with the aim to

seen a steep rise in the realm of all activities, be it utilize adventure activities as an effective tool for on land, air or water. Today, the Indian Navy is

personality development and to instil a sense of

recognized as a Service that is proactively engaged

esprit de corps and camaraderie by conducting

in adventure activities, both within the country

team sports and adventure activities. Additionally,

and abroad.

it needed to be ensured that all personnel

Naval personnel have been to some of the

maintained optimum levels of physical fitness.

remotest and most hostile environments in the

Thus, one of DAPSA’s primary objectives was to

world. Naval skydivers have jumped in Antarctica,

provide to naval sportspersons requisite avenues

mainland America, Australia, Russia, apart from

and opportunities to participate and excel in

many parts of India. Naval mountaineers have

sports championships at the Services, national and

successfully achieved the three-pole challenge

international levels.

Major Adventure Activities

distance of 140km over 10 days (each year).

More than 20 naval personnel participated in

Some of the major adventure activities conducted

the event each time.

by DAPSA during 2001–10 were:

• Caving Expedition to Meghalaya: In 2008–9,

a Naval Caving Expedition to the Karst caves

of Meghalaya was conducted. Caving is a

blend of activities that involves free hand rock

climbing, plenty of crawling, going through

tight squeezes, and even swimming. The

Karst caves of Meghalaya are the main caving

attraction in India, with some caves going

several thousand feet deep.1

• River Rafting Camp at Zanskar River, Indus

River and Tons River: Multiple batches of

Camel-back expedition at Pokhran, Osian and Jodhpur

river-rafting camps at Zanskar River, Leh,

Indus River and Tons River were conducted

• Basic Snow Skiing Course: Basic Snow Skiing

every year between 2001–10, usually

Courses for Naval personnel were conducted a

comprising 15 to 20 participants per batch.

number of times during 2001–10 at Narkanda,

• River Guide and Kayaking Course: The

Manali and Solang. More than 30 personnel

river guide and kayaking courses for naval

participated in the event each time. The

personnel were conducted every year during

courses were conducted through vendors as

the aforementioned decade in Uttarakhand

also at IISM Gulmarg, J&K. Basic snow skiing-

with 30 to 40 participants.

qualified personnel further participated in

• Camel-back Expedition at Pokhran, Osian

intermediate snow skiing courses.

and Jodhpur: Camel-back expeditions for

• Paragliding Camp P1 to P3 Level: Paragliding Naval personnel were conducted every year

camps in multiple batches were conducted

at Pokhran, Osian and Jodhpur covering a

during 2001–10. These camps were organized

River rafting camps at Zanskar, Indus and Tons Rivers During a basic snow skiing course

1 The main reason behind this phenomenon is the composition heavy rainfall this area receives.

of the soil which primarily consists of limestone rock, and the 210

Blue Waters Ahoy!

at Beed and Bilaspur (HP), usually in March–

The INSCB

April every year. Each batch generally

The INSCB came into existence in 1956 and was

comprised an average of 25 participants.

originally located in Bombay (now Mumbai). In

• Cycling Treks at Manali/Leh/Nathu La:

order to have better coordination with the Services

Annual cycling treks from Manali, Leh and

Sports Control Board (SSCB), Army and Air Force

Nathu La and back were successfully conducted

Sports Control Boards, the INSCB was shifted to

during 2001–10. More than 50 naval personnel

New Delhi in January 1988. In the year 1992, three

participated in the treks, with each of the

subordinate sports cells known as the Indian Navy

batches covering a total distance of 500km on

Sports Control Cells (INSCCs) were established

hilly terrain over a period of 10 days.

at the three Command Headquarters, in Mumbai,

Visakhapatnam and Kochi. Each cell is led by a

Joint Secretary of the rank of Commander who is

responsible for the administration of Navy teams

under his charge. Initially, INSCB was placed under

the DNT, but was brought under the control of

DAPSA as soon as the latter was established in

2002. Since then, the Principal Director, DAPSA

(PDAPSA) has been the President of INSCB and

he is assisted by the Secretary INSCB and a

Joint Secretary for the day-to-day functioning

of the organization.

As of 2010, there are 24 naval teams comprising

over 500 players including coaches for various

disciplines. The teams have been distributed

across all major Naval stations for training and

Cycling treks at Manali, Leh and Nathu La

administrative purposes. They participate in various

Services sports events and national championships.

Organizational Structure of DAPSA

All national level naval sportsmen are directly

controlled by INSCB.

The Directorate comprises of two sections: DAPSA and

the Indian Navy Sports Control Board (INSCB). The

Recruitment. ‘Sports Quota’ recruitment in the Navy organizational chart of the Directorate and charter of is in pursuance of Government policy to encourage

duties of sections under DAPSA are elaborated below.

excellence in sports at the national and international levels. Outstanding sportsmen are recruited twice

PDAPSA &

a year, as Acting Petty Offi cers, Secondary School

President INSCB

Recruits (SSRs) and Matriculate Recruits (MRs),

depending upon their educational qualifi cation and

Adventure

Coord

sports acumen. Benchmarks are set in each sports

INSA

INMC

& Physical

Section

Fitness

category, to select only deserving candidates, and

those who have the potential to improve their

Budget &

AERO

performance with organized training/coaching.

INPEC

Public

INSCB

Adventure

Funds

Establishment of DAPSA

211

activities and organizes many of the major ones Charter of INSCB

every year for naval personnel and their families; it The Board is responsible for the overall

also organizes various activities at the Command

control of sports in the Navy, and to:

levels.

• Promote interest in sports in the Service.

The Adventure Cell is responsible for promoting,

• Act as a Central Body for control,

planning and conducting all adventure activities

coordination and appeal.

which include selection of teams, imparting training

• Advise on the provision of adequate

and coordinating inter-Services adventure activities.

playing facilities with associated

It also supervises administrative actions pertaining to equipment maintenance.

the conduct of adventure activities such as obtaining

• Keep abreast of the rules and

requisite sanctions, liaising with various agencies,

regulations of the various games and

and procurement, storage and maintenance of all

sports.

related equipment. The Cell looks after all land-,

• Select Indian Navy teams for

aqua- and aero-based adventure activities.

participation in the Services

During the decade, a major thrust was imparted

championships and major tournaments

to skydiving. Naval skydivers participated in

in the country.

international events in Russia and in the USA, in

• Arrange coaching/training programs

preparation for the Military World Games that were

for the Navy team for Services

held in India in October 2007. Besides, regular white Championships and major tournaments

water rafting camps and trekking in the Himalayas

in the country.

have also been conducted, for both Service personnel

• Recommend budgetary requirements for

and their families. People are encouraged to

sports activities, to IHQ MoD (N).

undertake high altitude treks. Naval offi cers have

• Liaise with the SSCB and other sports

also trekked to the Kailash Mansarovar Lake.

associations in the country to which the

SSCB may not be affiliated.

Indian Naval Polo and Equestrian Contingent

• Institute, and hold Navy Championships,

(INPEC)

coaching camps/seminars.

Riding and polo activities were formally established in

• Scout for outstanding sportsmen for

the Indian Navy in 1998, with accord of governmental

recruitment in the Navy.

sanction for procurement of 30 horses. This sanction

• Procure kit/gear and equipment for the

was subsequently increased to 100 horses in view of

Navy teams.

the additional requirement of setting up riding centers in the respective Commands. It was with the view to

• Provide a platform to Naval personnel for

Adventure Cell

achieving excellence in equestrian sports,

Adventure activities are an important facet of

including basic riding skills.

Human Resource Development (HRD). It is

• Facilitate participation of the Naval Equestrian

essential that naval personnel are engaged in

Team in National Championships.

activities which help them develop camaraderie,

• Assist Commands in the creation, sustenance

team spirit, initiative, agility, mental and physical and growth of Equestrian Centres and

toughness, and strength of character. DAPSA is the

s u b s e q u e n t l y a c h i e v e s e l f - r e l i a n c e i n nodal agency in the Navy that conducts adventure

functioning of equestrian setups in the Navy.

212

Blue Waters Ahoy!

INPEC is co-located with the 61 Cavalry at Even individually, the Polo team’s players have done

Delhi Cantonment. Over the past few years, the

well while playing for the Army Teams and have

following nodes have been established with the

also won most of the tournaments played in the

aim to widen the activity to personnel and families

country. Cdr Akhil Sirohi was also selected as a

at Commands:

member of the Indian Polo Team in 2006–7.

• Mumbai/WENPEC: The Western Naval

C o m m a n d P o l o a n d E q u e s t r i a n C l u b Indian Navy Mountaineering Cell (INMC)

(WENPEC), established in 2001, has been

The India Navy Mountaineering Cell (INMC) was

provided with 11 horses at INS Trata.

formed in 2002 to promote the exciting activity

• Visakhapatnam/ENPEC: The Eastern Naval

of mountaineering in the Indian Navy. The INMC

Polo & Equestrian Contingent was set up on

successfully achieved the three-pole challenge by

5 December 2009. The centre is currently

conquering Mt Everest (2004), North Pole (2006)

fully functional with a strength of 16 horses

and the South Pole (2008).

at INS Satvahana.

INMC looks after all the training, administrative

• Kochi: The riding facility at Kochi was

and operational aspects of mountaineering

established at INS Dronacharya with a

expeditions, high altitude treks and allied sports. It strength of seven horses in 2007.

also serves as an information hub for the Greater

• INA: The GoI sanction for 60 horses for

and Lesser Himalayas. It works in close liaison

INA had not yet come through while the

with the Indian Mountaineering Foundation,

associated infrastructure and manpower

mountaineering institutes and the mountaineering

was already in place at the time. Therefore,

nodes of other Service and civil organizations.

in 2010, twenty-two horses, ex-INPEC,

INMC also selects and deputes volunteers for the

were provided on loan to INA in order to

MoD-allocated vacancies for Basic and Advanced

commence equestrian training of cadets as

Mountaineering courses conducted by the Nehru

also to gainfully utilize the manpower (on

Institute of Mountaineering (NIM), Uttarkashi,

attachment from the Army).

and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute

(HMI), Darjeeling.

The IN Polo Team has been participating regularly

Since its inception in 2002, the INMC has

in Polo Tournaments across the country. In

organized and conducted several major expeditions.

the decade under review, some of its notable

(See table on the top of the following page.)

victories were:

Milestones—INMC

May 2004, Mt Everest (8850 m). On 8 March 2004,

• Navy Polo Stick at Mumbai

a unique expedition, from under the sea, to Mt

(2002, 2007, 2008)

Everest, was fl agged off by Shri George Fernandes,

• Western India Polo Championship

then Defence Minister, onboard a dived submarine,

(2007)

INS Sindhuraj. The Defence Minister handed over

• Army Commanders Cup at Bangalore

the ice axe, wrapped in the Navy insignia and the

(2008)

Indian Flag, to Cdr Satyabrata Dam, the expedition

• Army Commanders Cup at Kolkata

team leader. This expedition was undertaken by

(2009)

the Indian Navy teams using the North face route

via Tibet, which is acknowledged to be far more

Establishment of DAPSA

213

Year

Expedition

Remarks

2002

Mt Sujtilla East

First Indian ascent

2003

Mt Kamet & Mt Abi Gamin

Successful

2003

Mt Saser Kangri I, IV

Successful on IV

2004

Mt Everest (8850 m)

Successful

2005

Mt Laxmi

Attempt

2006

Ski expedition in Greenland

Successful

2006

Ski expedition to South Pole

Successful

2007

Mt Nilkanth

Successful

diffi cult and much more dangerous than the South

reached the South Pole after skiing through the white Col route through Nepal.

continent. After what would come to be an unusual

12-day journey, where an icy continent was negotiated on skis, the team hoisted the tricolor in the coldest On 18–19 May 2004, the Navy

region of the world, thus, becoming the world’s fi rst Mountaineering Team comprising 13

Armed Force team to ski to the South Pole.

members created history by setting the

For this feat, the team was fl own to 88.6 degree

following records:

latitude—about 220km from the South Pole—on

• First all-Navy team in the world to climb

16 December 2004 and it was from here that they

the Mt Everest.

skied to the South Pole. The team reached the base

• First group of submariners in the world

camp at Patriot Hill in Antarctica on 22 December

to climb the Mt Everest.2

2006.

• First Indian Armed Force team on

Everest from the North face.

• Most successful Indian Everest

The following records were established by

expedition from the North face.

the team:

• Surg Lt Viking Bhanoo became the first

• First ever Indian team to ski to South

Indian doctor to summit the Mt Everest.

Pole.

• First Indian Everest summiteers to reach

the South Pole.

The names of team members involved in the

• First Armed Force Team since 1912 to ski

Mt Everest Expedition 2004 were as follows: Cdr

to the South Pole.

Satyabrata Dam, Lt Amit Pande, Lt Cdr A. Kankan,

Surg Lt Cdr P. Anand, Lt K.S. Balaji, Lt Lijo Chacko, Surg Lt V. Bhanoo, Raj Kumar, MCERA, S.S. Kanna,

The names of team members were as follows:

RPO, Rakesh Kumar, LMA, A.K. Singh, LWTR,

Cdr Satyabrata Dam, Lt Cdr K.S. Balaji, Lt K.A.

Vikas Kumar, LMA, and Nitin Singh, SEA I.

Khajuria, Surg Lt A. Sharma, Raj Kumar, MCERA

I, Rakesh Kumar, POMA, Vikas Kumar, POMA,

December 2006, the South Pole Expedition. On

Manoj Vats, SEA I PT III, B. Singh, SEA I PT II,

28 December 2006, a ten-member Indian Navy team

and Sonam Tamchos, MA-I.

2 From the Ocean Depths to the Highest Peak, published by Indian Navy, Naval Press, 2006, p. 179.

214

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Mt. Everest ascent—Flag off from INS Sindhuraj

IN team at the South Pole on 28 December 2006

On the summit of Everest

Establishment of DAPSA

215

Skiing to the North Pole

April 2008, the North Pole Expedition. At 20:16

The team members of this expedition were as follows:

hours on 9 April 2008, a ten-member team reached

Cdr Satyabrata Dam, Lt Avinash Khajuria, Surg Lt

the northern-most point of earth—the North Pole.

Ajay Sharma, Raj Kumar, MCERA I, Rakesh Kumar,

This feat was accomplished in the face of obstacles

POMA, Vikas Kumar, POMA, Ramendra Pandey,

like extreme temperatures as low as – 45oC, very

LME, Bijendra Singh, SEA I, Manoj Vats, SEA I, and

strong wind chill, shifting sea ice, pressure ridges and Sonam Tamchos, MA I.

polar bears.

With a successful expedition to the North

Pole, the team made the following records:

• First organization in the world to reach

all the three poles.

• First Indian team to ski to the

geographic North Pole.

• First Indian team to ski to both Poles.

IN team at the North Pole on 9 April 2008

216

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The Indian Naval Sailing Association of coaches, including foreign coaches. INSA is also

responsible for popularizing

Sail training imparts fi rst-hand experience of the

and conducting sailing Mainly responsible

vagaries of weather, and fosters a refi ned sense of

activities among the naval for the overall

the sea and builds upon the capacity to judge the

c o m m u n i t y / f a m i l i e s ,

conduct, management

moods of the blue expanse. Its unique value lies in its particularly in the lower and performance

ability to develop initiative, courage, comradeship,

age group. In addition, monitoring of the

teamwork and endurance—particularly when

it also coordinates and NST, INSA was to

the going gets tough. It is for this reason that

regulates the functional help train several

the Navy imparts sail training to its cadets as

and operational efficiency individuals in the

soon as they embark their ab-initio training.

o f I N W T C s , s a i l i n g Navy who would The Navy felt the need for

activities with the Yachting

Having failed to

go on to win major

a dedicated organization

Association of India (YAI)

win any positions

positions at the

to develop sailing as a key

and other State and Class

at the National

Asian Games in

result area, when it failed

Associations. It functions

Championships

to win any medals at the

as the nodal agency for 2002 and 2010, and

in the various

National Championships

ocean/offshore sailing and the Asian Sailing

Olympic classes of

in the various Olympic

planning deployment/

Championship

boats during the

classes of boats, during the

utilization of the naval conducted at INWTC

1950s and ’ 60s,

1950s and the early 1960s.

sailing vessels Mhadei,

(Mumbai) in 2004.

This eventually led to the

the Navy desired

Tarini, Bulbul, Neelkanth

formation of the Indian

an organization

(as also other such vessels as and when inducted).

Naval Sailing Association

dedicated to

(INSA) in 1961. While

developing sailing

The Golden Decade

INSA was initially set up

In 2002, Cdr Ramachandran Mahesh won the

skills. Thus came

at the ASW School, Kochi,

Bronze medal at the Asian Games (Enterprise

the formation of the

it was shifted to New Delhi

class) in 2002. In the Asian Sailing Championship

INSA in 1961.

in early 2000. INSA is an

conducted at INWTC (Mumbai) between 8 and

important organization under DAPSA. INSA

14 January 2004, the following Naval personnel

coordinates the activities of all Indian Naval

won medals:

Watermanship Training Centres (INWTCs) and

• Gold: Naresh Yadav, MCPO and G.L. Yadav,

the three Class Associations3 in the Navy.

MCPO (Enterprise class)

• Silver: Sanjeev Chauhan, CPO and Rajesh

Role and Charter

Dhulaji, CPO (420 class)

INSA is responsible for the overall conduct,

• Bronze: Lt Amit Arvind (Laser Radial class)

management and performance monitoring of the Navy

Sailing Team (NST) through the Offi cer-in-charge,

In 2005, J-24 boats were procured by the Navy , for NST. This includes deputing the team and other

offshore sailing. However, absence of a toilet onboard, yachtsmen for recognized championships and hiring

low freeboard, etc., precluded the possibility of

3 The National Enterprise Association, National 470 Class Association, National J-24 Class Association, Mumbai.

Establishment of DAPSA

217

INSV Mhadei rounding the Cape of Good Hope

The skipper being welcomed by then Vice President

on completion of his epic adventure

prolonged sailing voyages/expeditions on these yachts and these were thus categorized as ‘day cruisers’. Cdr and he was awarded the Shaurya Chakra following

Ramachandran Mahesh and MCPOs G.L. Yadav and

the completion of his epic adventure in 2010.

S.S. Chauhan won silver medals at the Asian Games

(Match Racing event).

In Conclusion

The INSA council was established under the

authority of Navy Order (Star) 14/2008 to manage

Being a seagoing Service, it is only natural that the the affairs of INSA. Special emphasis was laid for

Navy strives for excellence in the fi eld of yachting.

inclusion of sailing as part of the training undertaken INSA has played an important role towards

at the INA and at INS Chilka with a level 1 certifi cate achieving these ends. The organization has also

course. Cdr Atool Sinha, MCPOs Balraj and S.S.

tied up with international bodies for facilitating

Yadav won the silver medals at the Asian Games

participation in various international sailing events.

(Match Racing event) in the

Cdr Dilip Donde

year 2010.

Achievements of Naval Sportsmen

won the Shaurya

(2001–10)

Chakra for being the Sagar Parikrama I

fi rst Indian to solo-

Cdr (later Capt.) Dilip Donde

With each passing year, the list of achievements by

circumnavigate the

became the first Indian to

Service personnel has been expanding. During the

globe onboard the

solo-circumnavigate the

period 2001–10, the following awards were won

56 foot indigenously- globe onboard the 56 foot by Naval personnel.

built sail boat (of

indigenously-built sail boat

Van de Stadt design), (of Van de Stadt design), National Awards

INSV Mhadei .

INSV Mhadei. Covering

Arjuna Award

23000nm since flag off

on 19 August 2009 in 273 days, the officer faced

Name

Rank

Discipline

Year

treacherous seas, gales, waves as high as 30ft and

R. Mahesh

Cdr

Yachting

2001

winds over 90km/hr. His undaunting commitment to

G.L. Yadav

MSCPO I

Yachting

2009

the voyage against all odds of nature and machinery

Sanjeev Rajput

MCPO II

Shooting

2010

and equipment failures was commended at all levels

218

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Best Services Sportsmen

Medals at National Level

Name

Rank

Discipline

Year

No. of Players

Medals won

Year

C.P.R. Sudhir

MCPO II Wt Lifting 2005

Participated

(Gold)

Kumar

PT

2007–8

132

23

Naveen Kumar

MCPO II

Kabaddi

2008

2008–9

86

14

A.L. Lakra

MCPO II

Boxing

2009

2009–10

145

20

Sanjeev Rajput

MCPO II Shooting

2010

2010–11

169

25

Medals at International Level

No. of Players

Medals Won for India

Year

Participated

Gold

SIlver

Bronze

Total

2007–8

55

8

7

8

23

2008–9

47

13

4

6

23

2009–10

81

19

8

1

28

2010–11

63

6

3

5

14

Participation in Olympics Games

A total of 12 naval sportsmen participated in the

event.

Name, Rank & No

Discipline

Year

Ng Dingko Singh

Boxing

2001

In Conclusion

CPO STD

A.L. Lakra

Boxing

2009

In military organizations, where alacrity, team-

CPO

work and camaraderie are the most sought-after

Sanjeev Rajput

Shooting

2010

human characteristics, introduction to sports,

MCPO II QA3

physical fi tness and adventure activities achieves

what nothing else can. Indeed, it is these activities Participation in Asian Games

that provide the greatest fi llip to effi ciency and

The 2010 Asian Games, also known as the XVI

morale. These activities are the means to an

Asiad, was a multi-sport event conducted from

invaluable end, and the investment involved is

12 to 27 November 2010, in Guangzhou, China.

miniscule in comparison.

Establishment of DAPSA

219

8

Tarangini

The Cradle of Seamanship Training

Introduction

ground and sail training provides the best platform

for basic seamanship. A ship such as the tall ship

Since time immemorial, the sea has always been an

or even a dinghy provides an ideal setting for fi rst-inviting frontier, posing innumerable challenges for

hand experience of the natural elements, especially

man. There was a time when Gas Turbines (GTs),

to young, fl edgling cadets embarking on a lifelong

screw propellers and other modern paraphernalia

naval career. Training seafarers under the sail has

did not exist, but men still ventured out to sea in

long been acknowledged to be extremely benefi cial

boats with equal, if not greater, curiosity—first

in the development of practical seamanship, in

under oar, letting the stars be their guides. With

addition to character formation and esprit de corps.

the discovery of trade winds in 45 CE, multi-

Faced with a variety of challenges, it enables them

oared galleys gave way to the revolution in sails.

to develop sea-legs. It was inevitable therefore,

Eventually, these completely superseded multi-

that the Indian Navy, a growing Blue Water Navy,

oared vessels. Soon enough, the seafaring world

acquire a modern sail training ship (STS) for

was flooded with new technicalities that would

training its cadets and institute sail training as part change the way mariners manoeuvred the sea—

of its formal training curriculum.

tacking, jibing, tending the mizzen sail or running

free. In fact, a new lexicon came to defi ne seafaring.

Enter the Tarangini: The Indian Navy’s And such was its infl uence that these terms, in fact First STS

an entire manner of language, still defi nes life at sea.

Even though the majority of the vessels today are

The talk of constructing an STS at the Goa

powered by machines, the real fl avour, the essence

Shipyard Ltd (GSL) commenced way back in

of the sea, the splashing of waves, the naked salt-

1992 when the Navy decided to get one made at

laden winds, still lie in the realm of ‘the sail’.

home. Representatives of M/s Colin Mudie, UK,

Befi ttingly, if one really has to develop a sense

STS designers, visited the GSL and held elaborate

of the sea, one must start on a sailing vessel.

discussions for building such a vessel. Seeing the

Understandably, a sailing ship is the natural training record of GSL in building small to medium-sized

vessels successfully, the GoI awarded GSL the on board. It was GSL’s design team that had to

order for building the fi rst STS, Tarangini.1

therefore, come up with this half of the ship’s

The ship was the world’s thirty-third sail

design.

training vessel with barque rigged sails for

The shipyard had to study the operational

worldwide operations. She

philosophy of a sail training vessel as laid out by the The Tarangini

was steel-hulled, round

Indian Navy while simultaneously preparing the layout was the world’s

b i l g e d , t h r e e - m a s t e d -

of the ship. For obvious reasons, Mr Mudie found it

thirty-third sail

square-rigged on the fore

diffi cult to approve the layouts as he was against

training vessel with

a n d m a i n m a s t s , a n d

any unwanted mechanization/automation. He, after

barque rigged sails,

fore-and-aft rigged on the

all, was right as his designs for sail training vessels for worldwide

mizzen mast with eighteen

were meant to only use the elements. However,

operations.

sails adding up to a sail

since the Indian Navy had certain ‘must have’

area of approximately 1035

requirements, GSL was able to incorporate these

sq.m. Only 27 navies of the world operate STSs

in the design provided by Mr Mudie. Ultimately,

including 15 in Europe, fi ve in Latin America and

the designer appreciated the GSL’s efforts.

three in Asia.

Apart from the intricate and challenging design

of the STS, the most formidable task during the

Challenges in the Course of Constructing

construction phase was the installation of three

Tarangini

gigantic masts (imported from UK), each 35m in

height, while the maximum capacity of the available

With robust endurance, the Tarangini was

crane in GRSE was a height of only 20m. As part

designed to be deployed at sea for a period of

of the yard’s innovation, these masts were carefully

20 days before any requirement to replenish her.

balanced and lifted vertically through the deck

She could accommodate 61 personnel and be

rings with the help of a mobile crane and a forklift.

under sail or propulsion power, or, a combination

Prior to installation, the

o f b o t h . S i n c e t h e s h i p w a s c o n s t r u c t e d The most formidable

representatives from the

in collaboration with Mr Mudie, detailed

UK upheld an old tradition

task during the

interactions were held with the designers which

of inserting coins under the

construction phase

proved to be an exciting and enriching learning

masts for good luck, except

was the installation

experience for the Indian Yard. Besides, there

this time around, the coins

of three gigantic

was a lot accomplished by the GSL design team

were of Indian currency. masts that had been

too in the detailed design phase. Since Mr

Despite the constraints imported from the

Mudie was a sail ship designer who believed

of infrastructure and the UK.

in the provision of minimum automation and

absence of past experience,

mechanical equipment on board, only the

the cumbersome process of erecting and rigging

basic design of the vessel was provided by

the three masts was completed by GSL and the

the firm sans composite layout drawings and

supplier’s team in four days.

arrangements for auxiliary equipment/systems

1 The name Tarangini comes from the Hindi word ‘tarang’

symbolizing the primary role of the ship in training the cadets which means waves. The crest of the ship depicts a mother and trainee offi cers of the Indian Navy.

swan teaching her child how to swim and to fly, thus

Tarangini

221

Finally, Tarangini becomes an Indian the qualities of comradeship and esprit de corps.

Naval Ship

That, it must be understood, is one of the foremost

aims of an STS.

With the successful completion of sea trials in April The vessel provides an ideal platform to hone

1997, the ship was commissioned as INS Tarangini

basic seamanship skills and fosters the time-

on 11 November 1997. India now had her fi rst Sail

honoured virtues of courage, camaraderie and

Training Ship.

endurance. Needless to say, the experience gained

Taringini forms part of the First Training Squadron by a young trainee on such a ship stands him in

based at Kochi on the western seaboard. The ship

good stead throughout his/her career.

also provides opportunity for sail training capsules to cadets from the National Defence Academy (NDA),

The Lokayans

Khadakwasla, the Sea Cadet Corps (SCC), and the

National Cadet Corps (NCC).

The circumnavigation of the globe to be undertaken

As mentioned, a sailing ship is a natural training

by INS Tarangini was codenamed Lokayan.

ground for naval personnel and sail training provides The rationale for the Lokayan, as

the best platform for learning basic seamanship. The

circumnavigation rested

living conditions on board are extremely restricted

upon the central belief the Tarangini ’s and space is always at a premium. There are only

that the human spirit circumnavigation was

56 bunks available for about 75 personnel in the

fi nds its fi nest expression

codenamed, drew

ship making it necessary to resort to ‘hot bunking’.2

i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t o f from the belief that Predictably, some of the common facilities available

challenge and adventure, the human spirit fi nds

on other ships like laundry, a barber, etc., are

and such an environment its fi nest expression

absent from the frugal environment of this purely

is to be readily found in an environment

‘seamanship business’ platform.

in the undertaking of a of challenge and

The efficient operation

protracted voyage under adventure.

The unique Tarangini of the ship demands that all a spread of canvas, where culture calls for every personnel on board work human skill and endeavour are pitted against the person on board,

as a team and undertake

vagaries and raw energy of the elements.

irrespective of rank

all of the ship’s activities.

and seniority, to

This has given rise to the

take part in all the

A circumnavigation exercise has certain

unique Tarangini culture

ship’s activities from

macroscopic and microscopic objectives:

where every person on

climbing masts, to

board, irrespective of rank

• To broaden the horizons of young cadets

pulling ropes, to

and seniority, is regarded

and other officer-trainees by exposing

as a working hand and is

keeping watches.

them to the sociopolitical, cultural and

expected to take part in all

maritime facets of different countries.

the activities from climbing masts, to pulling ropes,

• To nurture in young cadets and officer-

to keeping watches. This goes a long way in building

2 Hot bunking is common practice when the number of

onboard. So, personnel on duty vacate bunks for those off bunks (beds) in a vessel are less than the number of personnel duty, and the cycle continues thus.

222

Blue Waters Ahoy!

trainees, a spirit of adventure, and to

develop not only the ability to meet

challenges with verve and vigour,

but also to inculcate a sense of deep

understanding and respect for the

elements characterizing the maritime

environment.

• To inculcate in them the laudable

qualities of teamwork, cohesiveness,

esprit de corps along with physical and

mental agility.

• To generate and hone the critical skills

Tarangini in Chicago

of seamanship and seaman like practices,

as also skills in ship-handling.

to be a true ambassador of the nation, attracting

thousands of visitors onboard. In keeping with

the fundamental concept In keeping with the

The Lokayans have succeeded in meeting every

of establishing Bridges of fundamental concept

one of these objectives. The Tarangini and her Friendship, foreign offi cer-of establishing

crew of offi cers, offi cer-trainees and sailors, have trainees from as many as

Bridges of Friendship,

braved the whims of the natural elements—no

14 friendly countries were

foreign offi cer-trainees

matter how severe, weathered storms, established

given the opportunity to

gender equality even in the difficult conditions

be a part of one such epic

from as many as 14

prevalent in the confines of a sailing ship at

voyage. These included friendly countries

sea, cemented existing bonds of friendship with

r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m were given the our closer maritime neighbours and forged new

Australia, Egypt, France, opportunity to be a

bonds with maritime neighbours who are more

Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia,

part of one such epic

distant. By the very fact that they have travelled

Singapore, South Africa, voyage.

so far and so well, they have earned new levels

S o u t h K o r e a , S p a i n ,

of respect for the professionalism of the Indian

Thailand, the UK, Sri Lanka and the USA.

Navy and the Indian State.

On culmination of the successful historic

circumnavigation, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, then

Lokayan 2003: Establishing Bridges of

President of India, embarked the ship to greet

Friendship

her during the fi nal approach to her naval berth

at Kochi. A fi rst day cover and stamp were also

INS Tarangini’s maiden fifteen-month voyage

released by the Department of Posts and Telegraph.

commenced at Kochi from 23 January 2003

and terminated in Kochi on 25 April 2004,

Lokayan 2005

after having called at 37 ports in 18 countries,

covering a distance of over 34,923 nautical miles,

Tarangini successfully completed her next epic and going from as far north as the St Lawrence

voyage titled Lokayan 2005 across the seas to

River to as far south as Australia. During her

Europe between 21 April 2005 and 8 November

circumnavigation voyage, the Tarangini proved 2005. Essaying the role of an ambassador of the

Tarangini

223

nation and the Navy yet again, Tarangini set sail India’s ambassador, participating in prestigious

with the aim of Strengthening Bridges of Friendship

international events such as the Tall Ships

Across the Seas. In the course of being away from

Challenge Series 2007 organized by the American

home for more than six months, the Tarangini

Sail Training Association (ASTA) on the Atlantic

called at 16 ports in 12 countries covering a

Coast of North America, the World Peace Cup,

distance of more than 16,000 nautical miles. Eight

Sail Virginia, Sail Rhode Island, Sail Boston and the officers, 36 sailors and 182 cadets participated

fi ftieth anniversary celebrations of the international in the voyage, apart from

program of the Naval War College at New Port,

In Fredrikstad,

13 foreign trainees from

Rhode Island. During the voyage, 225 Indian Naval

Norway— the last

seven countries that also

cadets and 40 foreign cadets embarked the ship in

port in the Tall ship

embarked for various legs.

groups at various ports.

races organized

During the voyage, the

by STI— the INS

ship participated in the

In Conclusion

Tarangini was

International Fleet Review

awarded the Royal

( I F R ) a t P o r t s m o u t h

Sail training was introduced in the Navy right at

Thames Yacht Club

organized by the Royal

its inception, which used to be performed in small

Challenge Cup,

N a v y t o c e l e b r a t e t h e

dinghies or at best in cutters—with a team of half

bicentenary of the famed

a dozen crew. However, the tremendous gains that

having been adjudged

Battle of Trafalgar; the Tall

square-riggers offer to modern sailors, have no

the ‘Best Newcomer

ship races organized by

parallels in ab-initio training. Almost four centuries to European Waters’. Sail Training International after the fi rst square-rigged sailing vessels appeared (STI) between Waterford and Cherbourg, and

on the scene, technology may have changed the

Newcastle and Fredrikstad; and the Sail Festivals

way mankind traverses the seas, but no avenue and

at Bremerhaven, Amsterdam and Cagliari. In

no other platform can better teach naval cadets

Fredrikstad, Norway, which was the last port in the

the skills in basic seamanship, understanding the

Tall ship races organized by STI, the INS Tarangini elements, and patience (in the absence of wind), as

was also awarded the Royal Thames Yacht Club

these sail training vessels do. More than anything

Challenge Cup, having been adjudged the Best

else, a square-rigged STS is one platform that

Newcomer to European Waters.

engenders esprit de corps and bonhomie through

team work.

Lokayan 2007

Tarangini’ s voyages across the oceans perform another set of functions in the grooming of young

On her third circumnavigation adventure, the

offi cers. The Lokayans take the trainees to distant

Tarangini set sail on 10 January 2007, with a crew lands, enabling people-to-people contact, navy-of seven offi cers, 43 sailors and 39 cadets including to-navy cooperation, and exposing the offi cers to

eight from the ICG.

different cultures and systems. In large measure,

During a ten-month long overseas voyage

the Lokayans assist the nation in building bridges

the ship called at 23 ports in 16 countries

of friendship across the seas.

covering 20,000 nautical miles. It also served as

224

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The Tarangini entering Malta

Tarangini

225

226

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Prologue

A multidimensional and multifaceted force, the

but also in terms of evolutionary organizational

Navy consistently strives to excel in all realms of

changes. Starting with the Naval Air Arm and the

operations. The various arms of the Navy that

Submarine Arm which underwent nothing short of

operate above, on, or under the surface of water, and a revolution, the section also traces the origins of

even those that function from ashore, work in close

Navy’s Logistics set-up, Naval Hydrography, Naval

coordination with each other to help fulfi l this aim.

Oceanology and Meteorology, Naval Armament

This section dwells upon the advancements

Inspection (NAI) organization and the Navy’s

in the force-multipliers and supporting arms of

Medical Branch. The growth of the Indian Coast

the Navy during the decade 2001–10, not just in

Guard (ICG), with particular focus on the decade

terms of acquisition of platforms and infrastructure

in question, has also been discussed here.

228

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

The Naval Air Arm

Establishing Maritime Air Power

As far as the Indian Navy was concerned, the need

the conduct of maritime air warfare. Further, the

for a Naval Air Arm had been accepted in principle

impetus given to indigenous development programs

even before Independence. It may come as a surprise

involving fi xed-wing aircraft, helicopters, airborne to many a reader that the Directorate of Naval

sensors and weapons helped the Navy realize its

Aviation started functioning at Naval Headquarters

dream of self-reliance in many critical areas. This

(NHQ) in 1948, while concomitantly offi cers and

period of 2001 to 2010 also saw the consolidation

sailors were sent to Britain for training as pilots,

of new technologies and operating philosophies

observers and for aircraft maintenance. Over the

commensurate with better maritime surveillance

decades, the Air Arm grew considerably to become

and strike capabilities. In addition, the imminent

a prominent fi ghting arm. By the last decade of the

induction of the state-of-the-art Boeing P8I Long

twentieth century, the tactics and missions of the

Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft promises

Indian Navy’s Air Arm had become comparable to

to completely change the nature of air warfare.

those of the advanced navies.1

Force Enhancement

The Decade 2001–10

Kamov 31

The growth of Naval Aviation during the decade

With the aim of enhancing the fleet’s integral

saw the induction of platforms and technologies

airborne surveillance capability, the Navy signed

which were game changers in the operational and

a contract for four Kamov 31 helicopters in 1999

tactical levels of warfare. The induction of the

and subsequently for another five helicopters

lethal MiG-29K fi ghter, in addition to the Remotely

under the ‘Option Clause’ of the Main Contract

Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and Airborne Early Warning

in 2001. These helicopters operated from INAS

(AEW) helicopters, introduced a paradigm shift in

339/INS Hansa and the Talwar-class ships. The 1 See Vice Admiral G.M. Hiranandani, Transition to Eminence: p. 263; and by the same author, Transition to Guardianship: The The Indian Navy 1976–1990, Lancer, New Delhi, 2005, Indian Navy 1991–2000, Lancer, New Delhi, 2009, p. 151.

fi ve additional helicopters contracted for, in 2009, Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is a much preferred choice in

raised the total holding to 14 aircraft for operation the battlefi eld, for a sensor-operating platform just from INS Vikramaditya and the Teg-class ships as much as it is in peacetime intelligence gathering.

(apart from the Talwar class and the Viraat).

For one, an RPA is very effective in its designated

The primary role of these helicopters is AEW

role; secondly, it the involves least threat to the

and they are intended for long-range detection of air human element in its operation and, fi nally, it offers targets and ships. The Kamov 31 has considerably

extremely economical operational cost.

increased the combat mission effi ciency of ships, by The Indian Navy acquired two variants of the

providing real-time information about position of

RPA, the Searcher Mk II, and the larger and more

ships, aircraft and missiles. This helicopter is also capable Heron from IAI MALAT,2 in December

capable of carrying out over-the-horizon-targeting

2002. These UAVs helped perform myriad roles,

(OTHT) of enemy ships and, most importantly,

from search and probe operations, to location and

vectoring of strikes by fi ghter aircraft.

tracking of maritime targets, providing OTHT data,

assistance in SAR and battle damage assessment.

Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)

The UAV IFTU was set up at INS Garuda, Kochi, Adding fi llip to indigenous helicopter production,

on 31 August 2002, and was tasked with aircraft

the Indian Navy received its fi rst ALH (Dhruv) on

acceptance, training of operators and technical

28 March 2002. The Intensive Flying and Trials

crew, evaluation and trials of aircraft and sensors,

Unit (IFTU) was formed on 10 February 2003.

formulation of doctrines, and operational and

Post extensive trials, the IFTU was terminated

maintenance procedures. The IFTU was formally

on 31 August 2005 and the unit was renamed

commissioned as an operational squadron—the

ALH Flight (Kochi) from 1 September 2005.

INAS 342—on 6 January 2006. In addition to these

ALH Flight (Goa) was also formed in the same

shore-based assets including the Advanced Ground

month. These helicopters have transformed into

Control Stations (AGCS), the Navy also procured

capable advanced Search and Rescue (SAR)

two Advanced Ship-borne Control Stations (ASCS)

platforms which are also used for missions like

for extending the range of the UAVs over the sea.

heliborne operations, armed patrol and carrier

These aircraft have enabled the Navy to step into

onboard-delivery (COD). Whilst the Dhruv is

the twenty-fi rst century with ease.

being consolidated for fulfi lling a long-range SAR

and utility role, the Indian Navy will continue to

MiG-29K

use Dhruv as a multi-role utility platform given the

The ageing Sea Harrier had to be replaced someday!

scenario of Low Intensity Maritime Operations

Thus, in order to provide an integral fi ghter for the (LIMO) and the prevailing coastal security

upcoming Gorshkov ( Vikramaditya), as also to challenges.

provide the fl eet with the capability to undertake

credible anti-shore strikes, the Indian Navy signed

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)

a contract with Russian Aircraft Corporation

To add ‘wings’ to the Indian Navy’s existing aerial

MiG on 20 January 2004 for the acquisition of

reconnaissance capability, a turning point came with

16 MiG-29K/KUB and associated equipment. An

the induction of the RPA. The RPA or Unmanned

additional contract was signed under the ‘Option

2 Israel Aerospace Industries or IAI; the MALAT Division supplied these UAVs.

230

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Clause’ on 8 March 2010 for an additional 29

Indian Navy did not have enough troop carriers

aircraft. The aircraft are to operate from the

(except for a few 42Cs) dedicated to expeditionary/

two aircraft carriers, i.e., the Vikramaditya and stand-off beaching roles. With the induction of INS

the IAC 1. Induction of these aircraft has added Jalashwa (the ex-USS Trenton acquired under a an enviable punch to the fleet. The MiG-29K is

Foreign Military Sales or FMS arrangement)4, a

capable of intercepting and attacking aerial targets; need was felt for a utility/troop-carrier helicopter

undertaking active individual and team air-combat

which could operate from the amphibious

missions; prosecution of surface targets; and

platforms of the Navy. Therefore, a US proposal

providing direct support to ground forces.

for the induction of UH3H helicopters, also under

the FMS route, came as a much-needed bonus

Short Range Surveillance Dornier (DO-228)

for the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) element of

Keeping in view the growing need of enhancing

the Indian Navy. In November 2006, six UH3H

coastal surveillance, the acquisition of 11 DO 228-

helicopters were acquired under the FMS program

201 from HAL (Kanpur) was undertaken in 2005.

of the US government. These helicopters, along

All aircraft have since been accepted and are in

with training and support facilities, were procured

Service. Eight of these aircraft are being utilized in for the purpose of carrying troops to operate from

the Maritime Reconnaissance (MR)3 role and the

the LPD, INS Jalashwa. After overhaul in the US, balance three in the para-drop role. The aircraft

these machines were received in September 2007,

are equipped with state-of-the-art navigation,

and embarked onboard INS Jalashwa during its

communication equipment and other sensors. With

maiden passage to India. The UH3H squadron,

the induction of these 11 Dorniers, the Indian Navy

INAS 350, was commissioned on 12 May 2009 at

has a total inventory of 26 Dorniers which serve

INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.

to enhance the short-range MR capability of the

The squadron has pioneered the use of the

Navy. These aircraft have been critical in meeting

advanced SAR gear in the Navy. It has participated

surveillance requirements, Casualty Evacuation

in the evacuation of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs)

(CASEVAC), Combat Free Fall for MARCOS and

from Libya, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster

the training requirements for pilots and observers.

Relief (HADR) operations post the cyclone in

With the increased need for coastal surveillance,

Odisha and north Andhra coast in May 2009, and

these aircraft have proved invaluable in providing

CASEVAC operations from the Red Corridor areas

near-coast surveillance over Offshore Development

of Andhra Pradesh.

Areas (ODAs) and India’s island territories.

Boeing P-8I

UH3H

To address the MR requirement of the Indian

While the rotary wing arm of Naval Aviation

Navy’s vast area of responsibility (AOR), a case

steadily grew since 1958—having moved from the

for procurement of eight long-range MR anti-

basic Alouette to Seaking 42B, to the Kamov 31

submarine warfare (LR-MRASW) aircraft for the

AEW and the indigenous ALH or ‘Dhruv’—the

Indian Navy was proceeded with, in 2006. This

3 Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) involves surveillance and wartime situations for navies to locate enemy forces in order to intelligence gathering (and also SAR operations, when required), engage, or defend one’s own forces.

generally carried out by fi xed-wing aircraft which are designed 4 See Chapter 3 in Section 7 ‘Inductions from Abroad’.

to operate for long durations over water. MR is critical in The Naval Air Arm

231

proposal was a replacement for the ageing TU

payloads ranging from rockets, bombs and

142M LRMRASW aircraft. The technical proposals

wingtip Air-to-Air missiles. The aircraft is highly

received were evaluated and two vendors, namely

manoeuvrable, and with the armament package

Boeing and EADS CASA were shortlisted. Boeing

and avionics, is ideally suited for the advanced

emerged as the lowest bidder which met all the

training-role needs of the Navy. Additionally,

requirements as projected in the tender.

the aircraft could also be used for undertaking

The contract for procurement of eight P-8I

Fleet Support duties as well as air defence work up6

LRMRASW aircraft from M/s Boeing was signed

of Fleet ships.

on 1 January 2009.

The P-8I has an endurance in excess of ten

Enhancement of Aircraft Capabilities

hours. The aircraft can carry anti-ship missiles and

torpedoes, to neutralize surface and sub-surface

The various surveillance/patrolling requirements

targets.

over the Indian Ocean have increased exponentially

with the region having become a common

Hawk AJT Mk 132

operational ground for extra-regional navies, apart

The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) was

from the ever-increasing need for protection of trade developed and fl own for the fi rst time in 1974 by

or SLOC security. Whilst the Indian Navy acquired

the Royal Air Force, UK. Since then, the aircraft has a variety of new platforms, the existing assets were

undergone several developmental iterations leading

upgraded (for not just surveillance but other roles)

up to the present Hawk Mk 132 export version

with contemporary sensors and avionics to ensure

being inducted into the Indian Navy. The Indian

that these platforms were given a life extension at

Air Force had started procuring these aircraft as a

the right time.

replacement of the Kiran Mk II jet trainer in 2007.

The task of carrying out long-range reconnaissance

Considering the much needed requirement for an

over the high seas was met by two work-horses of the

AJT towards preparing the Indian Navy pilots for

Naval Air Arm: the Ilyushin 38 (IL-38) and Tupolev

the ‘4+’ Generation MiG-29K/KUB aircraft, the

142M (TU-142M) aircraft.

Navy conjoined an IAF case for 40 additional AJTs

and a contract for the supply of 17 Hawk Mk 132

TU 142M Upgrade

AJTs including a full mission-capable simulator

To ensure optimal utilization of the TUs, at least till was signed between the Indian Navy and HAL,

the time they were replaced, some of these aircraft

Bangalore, in 2010.

were retro-fitted with modern Maritime Patrol

The Hawk Mk 132 is a twin-seat, single-

Radar and ESM systems. With these modifi cations,

engine AJT. The aircraft has a modern glass

there was a quantum jump in the LRMR capability

cockpit5 with the latest avionics and can fly at

and the aircraft performed admirably well in all the

550 knots (1000 kmph) from sea-level up to a

maritime exercises.

height of 30,000 ft. It is capable of delivering

5 A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic air defence training (called work up) is best conducted with (digital) fl ight instrument displays, typically LCD displays, an actual fi ghter or pilotless aircraft, carrying out high speed rather than the traditional style of analog dials and gauges.

manoeuvres while the ships’ systems are used to track in a realistic environment.

6 Every warship has certain sensors and weapons for anti-air and anti-missile defence (apart from other roles). Peacetime 232

Blue Waters Ahoy!

IL 38SD (Sea Dragon)

was amply demonstrated during various theatre

The Ilyushin IL-38 is a maritime patrol and anti-

level exercises, wherein, with the AEW, KM 31

submarine warfare aircraft that was designed

inputs, the Sea Harrier was able to intercept

in the Soviet Union in the late 1960s. It was a

an adversary’s surveillance aircraft at extended

development on the Ilyushin IL-18 turboprop

ranges from the carrier, which was a quantum

transport and was inducted into the Indian Navy

jump from the erstwhile Blue Fox (radar)–Magic

in 1977. Having outlived their usefulness from

II (missile) combination.

over 25 years in operations, a mid-life upgrade

of its systems under the Russian nomenclature

LCA (Navy)

Sea Dragon was undertaken in 2003 and the fi rst

In 1986, the Navy had requested the Aeronautical

aircraft was delivered on 16 January 2006 while the

Development Agency (ADA) to undertake a

fi nal aircraft returned in 2010. The IL-38 was also

feasibility study for developing a Naval version

modifi ed with the UHF SATCOM, MSS and Link II

of the LCA Tejas as a possible replacement for the

data link which are critical capability enhancers

Sea Harrier aircraft which was operating from the

towards obtaining a Common Operational

Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier. In June 1993, a Full

Picture in the Navy. Post the upgrade, the aircraft

Scale Engineering Development (FSED) of the Light

also became capable of launching air-to-surface

Combat Aircraft (LCA) Project was sanctioned by

missiles to prosecute enemy surface targets. Further, the GoI. The maiden fl ight of the LCA Technology

it assumed the ability of dropping indigenous

Demonstrator (TD-1) was launched on 4 January

Rakshak life rafts to aid survivors at sea.

2001. Based on the success achieved on the LCA

(Air Force variant), the ADA undertook a study

Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier (LUSH)

towards determining the viability of converting

The role of the Sea Harrier was initially that of air the aircraft for naval use (for operation from a

defence, maritime strike, limited reconnaissance

carrier). Though sharing numerous similarities,

and air-to-ground support. By the 1990s, the

the operational characteristics of LCA (Navy) will

age of the aircraft and obsolescence of its legacy

differ from the LCA (Air Force) on several counts

systems had caused it to be functionally limited.

such as the ski-jump take off (from a 14 deg ramp),

Consequently, a limited upgrade was initiated

arrested recovery and the Leading Edge Vortex

under the title Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier

Control (LEVCON) surface, aiding it to land at

(LUSH) and the work commenced in 2005. The

low speeds onboard the carrier.

upgrade primarily addressed air defence and

In April 2003, the GoI gave its approval to the

air superiority functions, with fi tment of a new

ADA, Bangalore for FSED of two LCA (Navy)

Radar, Combat Mission Monitoring and Flight

prototypes. Additionally, development of Shore

Recorder (CMMFR), and Derby Beyond Visual

Based Test Facility (SBTF) was also cleared as

Range (BVR) air-to-air missile. Following the

part of the LCA (Navy) program. However, as

upgrade, the Harrier was defi ned as a purely air

the GE 404 engine in the LCA Mk 1 aircraft was

defence (AD) aircraft with limited ground attack

not adequate to take on the envisaged missions

capability. The LUSH capability helped enhance

from the sea, the more powerful GE414 engine

the Harrier’s independent targeting capability

was chosen for the naval variant of the LCA.

using increased pickup ranges with the new ELTA

The proposal for installation of the alternate

radar. Additionally, the BVR missile provided

engine resulted in a need to design and develop

standoff attack capability to the aircraft. This

two additional LCA (Navy) prototypes with

The Naval Air Arm

233

new engines. In 2009, GoI accorded approval Integrated Logistics Management System for

to design and develop two additional LCA

Aviation (ILMS [Air])

(Navy) prototypes with new engines under the

As India embarked on its journey to be the nerve

nomenclature LCA (Navy) Mk2.

centre of the world’s information technology work

in the new millennium, the Naval Air Technical

Infrastructure and Maintenance

fraternity also kept pace and undertook Project

Capability Enhancement

ILMS (Air). A team comprising three offi cers and

fi ve sailors was constituted

INS Dega

to accomplish the ardent The Indian Naval

The dawn of the new millennium saw a plethora of

but critical task of creating

Aviation migrated to

changes at INS Dega. The 318 Islander fl ight was a p l a t f o r m w h e r e a i r a digital domain with rebased from Port Blair on 31 May 2000 and, thus,

logistics functions of all a Navy-wide launch

started a constant vigil over the maritime assets of

units could be seamlessly of ILMS (Air) on 15

the eastern seaboard. On 28 September 2000, INAS

executed, online. After August 2001.

333 (Eagles) operating the Kamov 25 helicopters

d e d i c a t e d e f f o r t s b y

was rebased from Goa to Visakhapatnam, adding

the Project team, the fi rst-of-its-kind server was

the important dimension of air ASW cover to the

commissioned at NSD (Kochi) in December 2000,

Eastern Fleet. The next was the induction of the

with limited nodes including INS Garuda and

state-of-the-art Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA)

NAY(K). As the country celebrated Independence

‘Lakshya’ on 31 May 2001. With the arrival of

Day in 2001, Indian Naval Aviation migrated to a

Kamov helicopters, the second line facilities

digital domain with a Navy-wide launch of ILMS

(involving work at a proper workshop/overhaul

(Air) on 15 August that year.

facility) for the Kamovs were set up at Dega. The air station thus blossomed from a single Chetak-NAY (Koc)

operating unit to a multi aircraft-operating one

Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi, has been the oldest

with complete technical ground support facilities.

Aircraft Yard of the Indian Navy, undertaking

Dega also undertook vital modifications on the pioneering work in maintenance of the vital assets

UH3H such as adding to it a weather radar, cabin

of Naval Air Arm. At the turn of the millennium,

gun and equipment for slithering operations,

the Yard showed impressive growth creating

making it a vital asset on the east coast.

additional infrastructure and initiating various

indigenous projects towards self-reliance. The yard

NAS Shibpur (Diglipur)

played a pivotal role in ensuring operationalization

The airfi eld at Shibpur was established in 2001 as

of Naval air assets post Pokhran sanctions in

a Forward Operating Air Base (FOAB) to enhance

1998. The pinnacle of these efforts had been

the surveillance reach in the North Andaman

Project Ashok—named in the memory of noted air

Group of islands. In addition to the Indian Navy

engineer, Captain Ashok Sawhney—commissioned

and Coast Guard aircraft, the IAF too operated its

on 28 September 2002. Under the project, wide-

Dornier aircraft from this FOAB. In 2009, the GoI

ranging facilities including Aero Engine Repair

sanctioned the commissioning of NAS Shibpur as

and Overhaul Shop (AEROS), Pegasus Engine Test

a full-fl edged air station.

Bed (PETB) and the Centre for Avionic Repair and

Software Development (CARES) were set up at a

cost of about `310 crore. The facility overhauled

234

Blue Waters Ahoy!

56 Pegasus engines, a major milestone for Naval fl ight critical seals, was set up followed by a high Aviation and a testimony to the commitment and

precision avionics repair facility. Enhanced capacity professionalism of the yard

of engine handling unit along with implementation of

NAY (Koc) was

personnel. This facility

planning management software ensured time-bound

pivotal in ensuring

ensured availability of

production of aircraft. In 2004, a state-of-the-art

the operationalization Pegasus engines to keep the Kamov 28 blade repair facility was set up, followed of Naval air assets

fleet of White Tigers (Sea

by the fi rst ever major inspection of KM31, boosting post Pokhran

Harriers) roaring till their

the confi dence and morale of the yard personnel.

sanctions in 1998,

last day. Another major

Further, as the Indian Navy embarked on its journey

the pinnacle of which contribution of the yard has towards induction of the fi rst Eastern-origin fi ghter, was Project Ashok.

been the operationalization

the MiG-29K, NAY (Goa) was designated for

of the Seaking fl eet, despite

support facilities to be provided to it.

the lack of OEM support due to sanctions. The

efforts to utilize Seaking 42A spare main gear boxes

NAQAS

for Seaking 42B and 42C, followed by herculean

The Naval Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service

efforts towards the Seaking Recovery Program

(NAQAS), with its motto ‘Quality before Quantity’,

added to the life of these assets. Further, CARES

has performed pioneering work towards achieving

was developed as a state-of-the-art facility at NAY

the highest standards of flight safety. In order

(Koc) which had been instrumental in indigenizing

to improve its role towards providing real-time

various critical electronic components of naval air

support to fi eld units, creation of state-of-the-art assets, thereby saving valuable funds to the national laboratories (Labs) viz. the Petroleum Testing and

exchequer.

Analysis Lab, Electronic Testing and Calibration

Lab, and Material Testing and Calibration

NAY (Goa)

Lab was undertaken. These labs have provided

As the Indian Navy embarked on the induction

complete support to the aviation units, satisfying

of platforms from the erstwhile Soviet Union and

the critical quality testing NAQAS has done

support to eastern origin aircraft started dwindling

requirements of Naval pioneering work

post disintegration of the Soviet Union, the

Aviation. In order to ensure

requirement of in-house repair facilities became

effi cient data management

in providing fl ight

critical. In this backdrop, a Base Maintenance Facility pertaining to failure of support through

(BMF) was set up in Goa and it saw exponential

components, the Oracle state-of-the-art

growth over two decades, soon metamorphosing

Database Management testing labs, effi cient

itself into the second Aircraft Yard of the Navy. NAY

System (ORDBMS) smart data management

(Goa) played a pivotal role in ensuring seamless

software was developed units and

availability of these platforms, by creating state-of-i n A p r i l 2 0 0 8 . T h e commissioning of the-art maintenance facilities including enhancement

requisite support hardware

support software

of hydraulic and electronic bays. Availability of these involving high-end server and hardware.

workshops facilitated undertaking major inspections

a n d L A N n o d e s w e r e

of TU-142M, IL-38, Ka-25 and KV-28 aircraft,

commissioned during the period 2005–8. This

greatly enhancing capabilities of the Naval Air Arm

resulted in the development of a Quality Assurance

in the fi rst decade of the new millennium. In 2002,

Expert System Tool (QuAEST) which is utilized by

a Rubber Moulding Bay, towards manufacturing of

NAQAS along with its satellite regional centres.

The Naval Air Arm

235

Eyes in the sky—KM 31

Indigenously built ALH Dhruv

IL 38 with the Sea Dragon Suite

The powerful Mig-29K

The UH3H troop carrier

The mighty TU 142M

The Sea Harrier

LCA taking off from SBTF

236

Blue Waters Ahoy!

INS Shikra (Erstwhile NAS Kunjali) the commissioning of INS Parundu, Tamil Nadu

The Naval Air Station (NAS) Kunjali at Mumbai is now the only state to have two commissioned

was renamed as INS Shikra and commissioned

Naval Air Stations, the other being INS Rajali at on 22 January 2009. The air station, which fi rst

Arakkonam.

commenced air operations in 1964 with the setting

up of a small Helicopter Maintenance Unit (HMU)

P8I Infrastructure at Rajali

at INS Kunjali, today provides maintenance and With the scheduled induction of the P-8I LRMR

flying support to a diverse range of helicopters

aircraft in the Navy’s inventory, rapid steps were

operating from naval ships based at Mumbai.

taken to enhance the infrastructure facilities at INS

Helicopters operating from the base include the

Rajali. The infrastructure development for P-8I Seaking 42B and 42C, Kamov-28, Kamov 31 and

aircraft was to be undertaken in two phases and to

Chetak helicopters. The station also provides Air

add fi ve hangars along with a new dispersal and an

Traffic Control services to all civil and military

Administration and Technical building to support

helicopters operating in South Mumbai.

the fi rst eight aircraft.

INS Parundu (Erstwhile Rajali II)

INS Hansa: MiG Infrastructure and Parallel Taxi

NAS Ramnad called Rajali II, located in the

Track (PTT)

Ramnathpuram district of Tamil Nadu, is the

Three hangars with a dispersal along with simulator

southernmost air station of the Navy. The Naval

building were constructed at INS Hansa to support detachment arrived on the scene in 1982, in the

the operations of MiG-29K operational and

wake of ethnic disturbances in neighbouring Sri

training squadrons based in Goa.

Lanka. The aim of setting up the Air Station was

to provide air surveillance over the Palk Bay area

Naval Air Enclave (NAE), Santa Cruz

and assist the Tamil Nadu

The absence of an Air Station capable of undertaking

With the

government to prevent

fi xed wing operations at Mumbai, led the Navy

commissioning of

movement of persons of

in taking up a case with the Airports Authority

INS Parundu , a

dubious credentials and

of India (AAI) for a Naval Air Enclave (NAE) at

forward operating

smuggling of contraband in

the Santa Cruz airfi eld. The AAI handed over 5.41

base that operates

the coastal areas between

acres of land to the Indian Navy at the Mumbai

the Islander, Dornier R a m e s h w a r a m a n d airport in 2005–6 towards construction of a hangar and Chetak aircraft,

Nagapattinam. The Navy

and dispersal. This would facilitate construction

Tamil Nadu is now

commissioned the forward

of a Naval Air Enclave at the airport capable of

the only state to have operating base, Rajali supporting operations of two LRMRASW-sized

II, as Naval Air Station

aircraft.

two commissioned

INS Parundu at Uchipuli,

Naval Air Stations,

Tamil Nadu, on 26 March

Commissioning of Squadrons

the other being INS

2009. The base has been

Rajali at Arakkonam. operating the Islander, Commissioning of INAS 552

Dornier and Chetak aircraft. The Navy has now

Post induction of the Sea Harrier aircraft in 1983,

upgraded the base to operate larger aircraft along

INAS 551 was divided into two squadrons—

with dedicated facilities to operate UAVs. With

INAS 551A and INAS 551B. INAS 551B was

The Naval Air Arm

237

the training squadron for the Sea Harrier Navy had anticipated an increase in requirement of

aircraft. However, owing to operational and

pilots in the fi ghter stream, in view of the impending administrative requirements, a need was felt to

acquisition of MiG-29K aircraft. Consequently,

have a separate commissioned Harrier Training

alternate training avenues were being explored

Squadron. The Sea Harrier training squadron,

for sprucing the strength of fighter pilots, for

‘Braves’, was commissioned as INAS 552 on 7

conversion to MiG-29K fl ying.

July 2005 at INS Hansa.

Looking at the in-house situation, an RFI was

issued to the Offi ce of Defence Cooperation (ODC),

Commissioning of INAS 318 Flight

US Embassy, for training Indian Navy pilots with

The 318 Dornier Flight was set up at INS Rajali on US Navy. On receipt of a favourable response, a

6 April 2006. The formation of this fl ight ensured

case was taken up with the MoD. Post approval

extended maritime surveillance operations on the

of the Defence Minister, a Letter of Offer and

South-eastern seaboard.

Acceptance (LOA) was signed with USN training

agency, the Naval Education Training and Security

Commissioning of INAS 311

Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) in July 2005,

INAS 311, the Dornier squadron was commissioned

for conducting the training of 32 Indian Navy pilots

at INS Dega on 24 March 2009. In keeping with under the FMS program. The fi rst batch of four

its motto ‘Determined and Vigilant’, the squadron

pilots was deputed in September 2005. In 2009,

gave a thrust to maritime surveillance and coastal

the LOA was amended to accommodate training

security operations on the Eastern seaboard.

of four additional pilots.

The deputation of pilots was undertaken

Commissioning of INAS 350

generally in batches of four pilots each, and two

I N A S 3 5 0 , w h i c h o p e r a t e s t h e S i k o r s k y batches in a year. This training has provided an

UH3H helicopters, was

average throughput of eight pilots a year since

Commissioning of

c o m m i s s i o n e d o n 1 2

2006.

Apart from learning

new Air Squadrons

May 2009 at INS Dega,

The training curriculum

strengthened the

Vi s a k h a p a t n a m . T h e s e

f o r f i g h t e r s i s b e i n g formation, strike, maritime air element medium-lift helicopters c o n d u c t e d o v e r 2 3 basic and section operate primarily from

months in the USN. It engagement as part of

on the east coast.

INS Jalashwa, in support

c o m m e n c e s w i t h P r e -

the strike engagement

of expeditionary and HADR operations.

Flight Orientation and manoeuvres, training

OJT at Naval Air Station with the US Navy

Important Human Resource Policies

(NAS) Pensacola, Florida. comes with the

This includes stringent added advantage of

Training of Fighter Pilots in USA

physical, swimming and attaining the carrier

In 2003, IAF indicated non-availability of training

water survival drill tests. qualifi cation.

effort for lead-in fighter training in view of the

Thereafter, student pilots

decommissioning of the Hunter and MiG-21

proceed to NAS Whiting Field, Milton, Florida for

aircraft of the older version, which were earlier

Primary Flight Training on the T-6B, a turboprop

being used for the purpose. At that very stage, the

aircraft. Post primary phase, they proceed to

238

Blue Waters Ahoy!

NAS Kingsville, Texas, for ‘Total System Strike concerned, for the former induction was started in

Flight Training’ on the T-45C Goshawk aircraft.

January 2007 and for the latter, in November 2007.

The strike training syllabus includes formation,

strike, basic and section engagement manoeuvres

Aircrew Diver Cadre

and most importantly, Carrier Qualifi cation (CQ),

Hitherto, the aircrew divers (ACDs) were volunteers

the attainment of which is an added advantage of

from all cadres who after specialized training

training with the USN. The CQ for Indian Navy

undertook the task of ACDs and were appointed

pilots has been conducted onboard US carriers like

to the fl ying units. Upon completion of 7 years,

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and USS George later extended to 10 years, the sailors were required Washington (CVN-73).

to rejoin their parent specializations. To accrue

The above notwithstanding, the USN training is

maximum advantage for the experience gained by

very expensive and has faced delays in completion

the ACDs, the ACM(D) cadre was formalized in

of the course from the envisaged two years to three

November 2008 as a subset of the aviation non-

years or more. Also, the primary stage training

tech cadre. This ensured retention of technical

imparted at AFA, Dundigal, is repeated in the US,

expertise and improved their career prospects too.

at USN NAS Whiting Field causing significant

wastage of deployable time for the young pilots.

In Conclusion

Way Ahead

Despite the resource crunch and delayed approvals,

The Naval Orientation Course for fi ghter pilots

the last decade saw the Naval Air Arm grow at an

was earlier conducted on the Kiran aircraft of INAS

impressive pace. It was also a time which witnessed

551 at Hansa. After induction of 17 Hawk Mk

the Air Arm’s surge towards self-reliance and

132 aircraft (post 2010), the Squadron is to be

indigenization. The decade saw a paradigm shift

rebased to Dega and equipped with the new AJT

in the concept of operations with the induction of

for conducting Stage III (lead-in) Fighter Training

contemporary aircraft and sensors, which enabled

in the Navy. In time, therefore, fi ghter training with the fl eet at sea to enhance its maritime surveillance the USN is likely to be discontinued.

and strike capabilities. The next decade is certain

As far as induction of Short Service Commission

to see consolidation of these assets, and with it,

Pilots (SSC[P]) and Observers (SSC[O]) is

enhancement of the Indian Navy’s combat potential.

The Naval Air Arm

239

2

Guarding the Subsurface

The Navy’s Submarine Arm

Submarines, as the name suggests, are submersible

From Englishman William Bourne writing

boats capable of operations under water. In the

of such a vessel in his book Inventions and

order of battle of any naval power worth its salt,

Devices in the sixteenth century to Dutchman

submarines play a vital role given the stealth, the

Cornelis van Drebel who was known to have

fl exibility with which they move and also how

designed and constructed the first submersible

lethal they can be on enemy ships. Submarines

in 1620, to Nathaniel Symons’s patenting the

are considered the platform-of-choice for sea

ballast tank for submersion in the mid-eighteenth

denial.1 Also, submarines, especially nuclear-

century—submarines have held the imagination

powered ones, either acting independently

of inventors for a long time.3 Since America’s fi rst or as part of a force, are vital contributors in

war of independence, submarine construction

achieving sea control2. While sea denial is an

has gone through numerous iterations—from

intrinsic component of sea control, in cases

being dependent on human power (the egg-

where a Navy cannot exercise sea control due

shaped wooden hulled Turtle designed by David to its force architecture, comparative strength

Bushnell)4 to using compressed air (the French

with the adversary or by choice, sea denial is the

Plongeur), to then using an internal combustion policy of choice.

engine and electric battery power underwater

1 Sea denial is the denial of use of a defined sea area for a 3 For a glimpse into the history of submarines, see Anthony defi ned period of time to the enemy (without any adverse effect Preston, Submarine Warfare: An Illustrated History, Thunder on the use of that particular sea area for that period of time Bay Press, California, 1999.

for one’s own purposes).

4 Ibid., pp. 9, 11–12. HMS Turtle had room for one operator, 2 Sea control is the condition that exists when one is able to who worked a rudder and a screw propeller. That fi rst war of utilize a defi ned sea area for a specifi c period of time for one’s independence also witnessed the fi rst sinking of a surface target own purposes and, if necessary, deny its use to the adversary.

by a submerged vessel when in 1864, the Confederate Navy’s HL Hunley sank USS Housatonic.

(Holland VI5 which the USN later bought on weapon of effective sea denial is their ability to stay 11 April 1900 and rechristened USS Holland)6

undetected and infl ict a fatal attack on the enemy

which was followed by experiments on effective

at a time of their own choosing.

weapons that could be included in submarines.

Of the many technological advancements in the

When in 1901, the Gustav Zede submarine, while designing of submarines, the marine propulsion

taking part in exercises, staged a mock attack that

technology called Air-Independent Propulsion

led to the ‘sinking’ of a fully protected battleship, (AIP) stands out. This technology helps non-it became a watershed moment in the history of

nuclear submarines to operate underwater

submarines.7 Then came the development of the

for longer periods without having recourse to

diesel engine, and with the outbreak of World War I

atmospheric oxygen, thereby providing them a

in 1914, nearly 300 submarines were in service

dived endurance advantage over traditional diesel-

in various navies across the world. But while that

electric (conventional) submarines.

was the case, there was little knowledge of how to

Nuclear submarines engaged the interest of

operate these boats ‘safely’. During the War, there

the world when the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the were also the deadly U-boats that could operate

world’s fi rst nuclear-powered submarine, became

on the surface with the help of regular engines and

the first to finish a submerged passage through

occasionally submerge using battery power.

the North Pole on 3 August 1958. As compared

By the Second World War, submarine design

to diesel-electric submarines, this submarine had

had made great strides. During this War, the

greater endurance and therefore she could remain

introduction of the snorkel by the Germans, the

submerged under water for far longer a period. This

refi ning of the ‘Convoy system’ by the Allies and

was due to her nuclear propulsion.

many new experimental designs of submarines to

Post the Second World War, submarines were

suit the needs of the time, came to fore. Thereafter, again used in the Korean War, the 1971 Indo–Pak

with the collapse of the Third Reich, German

War and the Falklands War, apart from missile

dockyards became the targets of American, British

attacks against Iraq and Afghanistan in the Gulf

and Russian submarine experts as they got involved

War. The advent of the nuclear-powered submarines

in a frantic race to search for and locate information led to a change in the way submarine warfare was

on the latest U-boat designs, especially the Type XXI perceived. Given for how long, how far and how

and the advanced HTP-driven Type XVII. In fact,

stealthily they could operate, these boats became

the Americans and the British were able to raise and

the platforms of choice for launching missiles. As

put two Type XVIIBs into service for trials while the time progressed, there also came to the fore the

Russians took several hull sections away.8

concept of anti-submarine warfare—underwater

The World Wars emphatically heralded the

warfare that made use of aircraft, surface warships,

submarine’s true potential as a weapon for sea

and submarines to locate, track and prosecute enemy

denial. What allows submarines to become a

submarines. Out of these, the preferred means of fast 5 The Irish inventor John Philip Holland, after a number of 7 Warriors of Stealth: 50 Glorious Years of the Silent Service, unsuccessful attempts, designed the Holland Type VI submarine Indian Navy , 2017, p. 12.

in 1896, which used an internal combustion engine on the 8 Preston, Submarine Warfare, p. 64.

surface and electric battery power underwater.

6 Electrically powered boats were almost simultaneously developed in Spain, France and England during this time.

Guarding the Subsurface

241

and effective ASW are aircraft as they are not prone early proposal was for the acquisition of four

to counter attack by the submarine. Shipborne ASW

submarines from the Royal Navy at a total cost

helicopters provide integral ASW capability to the

of `16 crore, with a recurring cost of `2 crore

fl eet (as such helicopters are organic to their parent annually, for operation

ships), especially when no input on a probable

and maintenance. For In 1959, the proposal

submarine is available. On the other hand, fi xed-

several years, the efforts of

to form a submarine

wing ASW aircraft allow for sanitizing of a much

the Naval Staff continued,

arm was taken up for

larger area in a relatively shorter time.

but with no success.

the fi rst time.

A s a f r e s h s t e p , a

The Submarin e Arm of the Indian Navy: modifi ed proposal, just to train a core of Indian Inception and After

Naval officers and sailors in the techniques of

operating and maintaining submarines made

Soon after World War II, it was realized by Indian

headway. In 1962, Government approval was

offi cers on the Naval Staff that the Navy needed

accorded and an agreement reached with the

a viable force that would be capable of striking

Royal Navy (RN) to train one senior and eight

a crippling blow to any ‘would-be aggressor’.

other officers in submarine operations, tactics,

In the first Plans Paper, brought out just after

maintenance and logistic support. The training of

Independence, on 25 August 1947, the role and

Indian Navy offi cers and men was conducted by

the force requirements of the Navy of free India for

the RN in their premier submarine establishment,

the next ten years were given a concrete shape. The

HMS Dolphin. After a few weeks of shore

Paper perceived building—in the shortest possible

training, the Navy’s personnel were assigned to

time—a completely Indian manned balanced

various RN submarines for the sea phase of their

force comprising, amongst other platforms, four

training. This exposure to a mature navy, with

submarines.9

decades of submarine-operating experience, was

The Navy’s perspective plan took more concrete

invaluable to our early submariners and played

shape with Plans Paper 10/1948, wherein the details

a vital part in the formulation of our Navy’s

of the composition of the Navy of the ‘fi fties’, were submarine operation and maintenance practices.

given.10 The ships and aircraft to be acquired during I n 1 9 6 3 , t h e l o n g - a w a i t e d a n d m u c h the period 1949–54 were reduced in number (for

s o u g h t G o v e r n m e n t a p p r o v a l t o a c t u a l l y economizing on the meagre resources), but the

acquire submarines was accorded, but more

proposed strength of submarines increased to six!11

disappointments lay ahead. Negotiations were

None of those plans seemed to impress the

held with the British Government for the transfer

British offi cers in command, till the Indian Navy

of ‘Porpoise’ or ‘Oberon’ class of boats, but the

became their own masters with the fi rst Indian

talks made no progress. The British were only

Chief of the Naval Staff assuming offi ce. It was in

prepared to lease us the old ‘T’ class, and even that 1959 that for the fi rst time the proposal to form

on fi nancial terms that were unacceptable to the

a ‘Submarine Arm’ was taken up in earnest. This

Indian side.

9 Rear Admiral Satyindra Singh, Under Two Ensigns: Indian 10 Ibid.

Navy 1945–50, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1986, 11 Ibid., p. 70.

p. 69.

242

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The Foxtrot Phenomenon

In a crucial development of far-reaching signifi cance, an offer was received, in 1964, from an unexpected

quarter—the Soviet Union—for submarines of the

Type 641 (NATO code ‘Foxtrot’). An agreement

was concluded in 1965 for the transfer, by

purchase, of four ‘ Foxtrot’

In 1964, India

c l a s s s u b m a r i n e s — o n e

received from the

o f t h e m o s t s u c c e s s f u l

Soviet Union an offer designs then in operation.

of purchasing from

This submarine owed its

Foxtrots—the pioneers of the Indian Submarine Arm

them Foxtrot -class

pedigree to the German

submarines, one of

T y p e X X I t h a t w a s

Sea, while the spare crew returned to India to prepare the most successful

developed at the very end

for the arrival of the fi rst submarine. Subsequent

designs in operation. of the War but never saw crews followed in groups to Vladivostok.

The offer included

combat.

With the commissioning of the first boat, INS

training of crews at

The Soviet offer, which

Kalvari, on 8 December 1967, the Indian Navy fi nally Vladivostok.

included the training of

marched into the submarine era with a broad grin.

c r e w s a t t h e F a r E a s t

After a few weeks of trials and work up,

Siberian naval base of Vladivostok, included

Kalvari departed for home waters. The Suez being the most favourable of terms, from every angle,

closed due to the Arab–Israeli war, the passage

particularly that of fi nance. Accordingly, sixteen

from Riga to Visakhapatnam was a long haul of

officers and about a hundred sailors were

nearly 19,000nm, through some of the heaviest

dispatched to Vladivostok on 24 June 1966.

seas enroute. The Kalvari entered her home port of Little time was lost before the training began.

Visakhapatnam, for the fi rst time, on 6 July 1968.

The planned training duration of two years was cut

The advance planning of infrastructure is one

down by hard bargaining to about fi fteen months,

of the unique features

Indian Navy's

including a three-month-long language course.

of the Submarine Arm’s

Guided by the ‘veterans’ who had been trained with

development. The newly fi rst submarine,

the RN, the crew established warm and friendly

formed Directorate of the INS Kalvari , was relations with their Soviet instructors and got

Submarine Arm, staffed commissioned on

down to the business of learning everything about

b y s u b m a r i n e t r a i n e d 8 December 1967.

‘submarining’. The experience and competence of

officers and headed by

those who had trained in HMS Dolphin and in the Commodore B.K. Dang, had worked meticulously

RN boats came to good use. Their understanding

to ensure that infrastructure facilities were

of British submarine practices helped bridge the gap

planned, initiated and executed despite complete

caused by language and unfamiliar Soviet practices.

lack of experience.

The Indian crew excelled during their training and

The

fi rst four submarines were constituted into

earned the respect and admiration of the Soviets.

the 8th Submarine Squadron, with Captain K.S.

In October 1967, the training in Vladivostok

Subra-manian as the fi rst Captain (Submarines).

was completed and the crew of the fi rst submarine

The submarine base had meanwhile been

departed for Baltisk, near Kaliningrad on the Baltic

constructed and was commissioned on 19 May

Guarding the Subsurface

243

1971, as INS Virbahu, meaning ‘the Heroic Arm’.

policy, agreements were reached at approximately

Starting 1973, the next four Foxtrot s (with

the same time with both Germany and the Soviet

Vela12 as the lead boat) were commissioned and Union for new classes of boats that were to be

based at Mumbai.

inducted into the Navy within the same decade.

The contract with the German submarine

The SSKs and EKMs

b u i l d i n g c o n g l o m e r a t e , H o w a l d t s w e r k e -

The trusty Kalvari/ Vela class that formed the Deutsche Werft Company or HDW, envisaged the

backbone of the Indian Navy’s submarine

procurement of four modern submarines of the

force was designed in the late fifties and was in

HDW 1500 class13, popularly referred to as SSK s.

Service till the end of fi rst decade of the twenty-

Two of these were built in German yards and the

first century. Over the years, there had been

latter two, constructed in Bombay by MDL.

major advances in submarine technology which

The

fi rst submarine of the class, INS Shishumar, made a qualitative difference to the operational

was commissioned at Kiel, erstwhile Federal

capabilities of the submarine as a war fighting

Republic of Germany (FRG), on 22 September

machine. In the early 1980s, it became clear to the

1986, with Cdr P.M. Bhate as the Commanding

Indian Navy that the Foxtrot would soon become Offi cer. This heralded the entry of our Submarine

outdated and steps would have to be initiated to

Arm into the modern era. Shishumar was followed modernize the submarine force to remain abreast

two months later by her sister boat, Shankush.

with contemporary technology and operating

Meanwhile, an agreement with the Soviet

philosophies.

Union had been concluded for the transfer of eight

The early 1980s saw efforts to modernize the

Kilo-class submarines ( EKM s), these drawing submarine force, the process being linked to the

from Soviet technology (different from the West

overall plan of force modernization. The Navy

in electronics as well as the design of the hull).

chose to look at both Western as well as Soviet

The crew for both the German as well as Soviet-

technologies for new boats. As a result of this

built submarines had to be sent simultaneously

A fl eet of EKM and SSK boats on surface 12 The first of the class INS Vela was commissioned on 31

13 The HDW 1500 class was generations ahead of the Foxtrot August 1973.

and truly contemporary in all its functions.

244

Blue Waters Ahoy!

to the respective countries, and the pressure on

the squadron in 1992 and 1994 respectively. The

them was intense. The fi rst ‘ Kilo’-class submarine, next four Sindhughosh-class submarines arrived by INS Sindhughosh, was commissioned under the

1990 and were based at Bombay. They formed the

command of Commander K.C. Verghese, at

12th Submarine Squadron.

Riga, erstwhile USSR, on 30 April 1986, and she

arrived in India on 1 September 1986. Over the

Stepping into the Nuclear Era

next fi ve years, the remaining submarines of this

H o w s o e v e r m o d e r n a n d s o p h i s t i c a t e d a class followed in quick succession. Once again, the

conventional diesel-electric submarine might

Navy was faced with the challenge of absorbing

be, she suffers from a fundamental limitation

new technology in a short span of time with limited

of dependence on periodic charges for her main

human and material resources.

batteries, for which she has to expose herself by

The

fi rst four submarines of the Sindhughosh

raising a snorkel tube, to suck in air to run the

class had arrived by 1988 and constituted the 11th

diesels. The nuclear submarine is free from this

Submarine Squadron based at Visakhapatnam.

limitation, and as a result, is a true submarine,

Concurrently, the first two submarines of the

with virtually no necessity to show any part of

Shishumar class formed the 10th Submarine

her structure above the water. Because of their

Squadron at Bombay. The third and the fourth

limitless endurance, these submarines can remain

indigenously built submarines of this class joined

at sea for prolonged periods, the duration of their

Then PM, Shri Rajiv Gandhi on the leased nuclear submarine, Chakra Guarding the Subsurface

245

patrols being limited only by the endurance of enable the Indian Navy to master the skills involved

the crew.

in operating and maintaining a nuclear propelled

The Indian Government had for some time

submarine.

been considering the acquisition of a nuclear

The next three years that the Chakra was

submarine, in order to

with the Indian Navy were years of exciting

On 5 January

train our personnel in this

discovery. She was a submariner’s dream come

1988, the Indian

very important area of

true, with deadly fire power, tremendous

Navy’s fi rst nuclear

propulsion technology.

sustained speeds, and unlimited endurance.

submarine on lease

To this end, an agreement

The Navy benefited enormously from this

from the USSR for

was concluded with the

experience. Special facilities had been set up

a three-year period

Soviet Union, and a team

in record time due to the tireless zeal of the

— INS Chakra— was o f o f f i c e r s , u n d e r t h e project team. The operation of a nuclear power

supervision of Vice Admiral

commissioned.

plant was a new skill which was acquired by our

M.K. Roy, was formed

submarine technical officers with confidence. At

to steer the project. After a rigorous selection

the end of her lease, she returned to the Russian

procedure, the fi rst batch of the nuclear submarine

Federation in January 1991.

crew, under the command of Captain S. Daniel

commenced their training in USSR. The training

The Submarine Arm (2001–10)

was perhaps the most thorough and taxing course

that any of the Indian submariners before them,

Operations

had ever undergone. They absorbed the new

Indian Naval submarines continued participating

technology with professional aplomb, and on

in major bilateral exercises with the US, UK,

completion, had the pleasure of hearing the Soviet

Singapore and French The period of 2001–

Admiral who had come to inspect them say that

Navies, apart from the

he would be pleased to see such standards in his

10 saw, among other

many passage exercises

own Navy!

notable events, the

or PASSEXs with other

After a few delays that invariably dog such

decommissioning

navies. The major bilateral

ventures, the Indian Navy’s fi rst (leased) nuclear

exercises included the of the legendary

submarine, INS Chakra was commissioned on

MALABAR, KONKAN,

Foxtrots , the shifting

5 January 1988, under the command of Captain

SIMBEX and VARUNA,

of base ports for both

R.N. Ganesh. He had been the junior-most offi cer

which demanded greater INS Sindhukirti and onboard the first conventional boat, Kalvari

thrust on interoperability Sindhuraj and major

during her commissioning, a little over twenty

a n d s h a r i n g o f n e w bilateral exercises years earlier. It was a golden moment for the

concepts in submarining, with the US, UK,

Navy and the crew of the mighty Chakra when

including exercises with Singapore and French

the Indian Naval Ensign fluttered proudly on

nuclear submarines from Navies.

board the fi rst ‘nuke’ of the Navy.

Western navies. Apart from

On her maiden homeward journey, INS

these exercises, the period saw various deployments,

Chakra negotiated the long underwater passage joint exercises and weapon fi rings by the submarines from Vladivostok and arrived at her home port,

to maintain the confi dence and confi rm the highest

Visakhapatnam, on 3 February 1988. She was on

levels of assurance.

lease from the USSR for a three-year period to

It was during this period that INS Sindhukirti

246

Blue Waters Ahoy!

and INS Sindhuraj shifted base port from Mumbai refurbishment of major machinery and control

to Visakhapatnam in 2002 and 2007 respectively.

systems of the submarines. The first to return

The last of the two Foxtrots— Vela and Vagli—

were Sindhuraj and Sindhukesari, followed by were decommisioned14 on 25 June and 9 December

Sindhuratna and then Sindhughosh. The last 2010 after 37 and 36 years of glorious service,

submarine to arrive post modernization was

respectively. The decommisioning ceremonies were

Sindhuvijay. These submarines had got a new

held in Visakhapatnam and were attended by veteran

lease of life post MR in Russia and participated

submariners who had served on these boats.

in Op Parakram in a sea denial role. The Tube

Launched Land Attack Missile (TLAM) capability

Achievements

saw the addition of another arsenal into the Indian

Some of the major achievements for the submarine

Navy’s kitty of weapons. The land attack capability

arm of the Indian Navy during the decade included

made the submarines a more potent force to

deployments of over 66 days from base port to

infl uence affairs on land. On the Eastern seaboard,

continuous dived deployment of 60 days, live escape

Sindhurakshak was docked on MV Rolldock and

of personnel from the submarines and, deployment

departed Visakhapatnam for Severodvinsk, Russia,

of eight submarines together at sea.

in June 2010 for her MR-cum-modernization

package. In the interim, the process of building

Major Refi ts/Modernization

up our own capabilities for MR gained pace and

Shishumar-class Submarines. The Shishumar-class Sindhudhvaj became the fi rst Sindhughosh-class submarines underwent medium refits (MRs) at

submarine to undergo MR at ND (V) from 15 July

MDL, Mumbai between 2000 and 2010. The major

1999 to 15 March 2005.

sensor package of the 1970s’ vintage was replaced

with the latest technology in terms of sonars, the

Developments in the Nuclear Submarine Force.

fire control system, and the electronic warfare

Due to the delays in the indigenous programs,

suites. The Navy saw almost concurrent induction

the skills involved in operating and maintaining a

of the periscopes with the Western navies, during

nuclear propelled submarine were gradually lost in

these refits. Many of the machineries too were

the Indian Navy. The Indian government decided

replaced with contemporary systems. The most

to lease another nuclear attack submarine from

satisfying part of this modernization was induction

Russia. The talks with Russia resulted in the leasing of many an indigenous equipment.

of another nuclear attack submarine on a ten-year

lease. The construction of the Nerpa submarine

Sindhughosh-class Submarines. The modernization was started by the Russian Navy in 1993, but was

program involving Sindhughosh-class submarines then suspended due to lack of funding. The Indian

which began in 1997 had started fructifying

Navy sponsored the building and sea trials of the

and submarines started returning from Russia

submarine provided it was given to the Indian Navy

with fi tment of Tube Launched Missile15 (TLM)

on lease for ten years. It was launched as K-152

capability, modernized Navigation Complex,

Nerpa in October 2008 and entered service with Trailing Wire Antenna (TWA) systems and

the Russian Navy in late 200916.

14 After a certain time, a naval platform becomes unreasonable 16 The submarine was leased to the Indian Navy in 2011 after to sustain due to issues of reliability/maintainability.

extensive trials, and was formally commissioned as INS Chakra II at a ceremony held in Visakhapatnam on 4 April 2012.

15 Both Anti-Ship Missiles and Land Attack Missiles.

Guarding the Subsurface

247

The Indian Navy’s Advanced Technology Vessel

modernization of the Kilo and SSK (HDW) class project to design and construct a nuclear submarine

submarines, initiation of induction of the Akula

took shape in the 1990s. The then Defence Minister,

SSN (inducted in 2012 as INS Chakra II, on a ten-Shri George Fernandes, had confi rmed the project

year lease), induction of the Klub tube launched

in 1998. The initial intent of the project was to

cruise missiles (both 3M 54E anti-ship and 3M

design nuclear-powered fast-attack submarines,

14E land attack types), and finally the visionary

though following nuclear tests conducted by India

‘30-year submarine building plan’ approved by the

in 1998 at the Pokhran Test Range and the Indian

government.

pledge of ‘no fi rst use’, the project was realigned

towards the design of a ballistic missile submarine

Post of ACNS (SM). The post of ACNS (SM) as

in order to complete India’s nuclear triad. The

an independent billet was constituted in January

Arihant (Sanskrit for ‘Slayer of Enemies’) is a class 2001 and it continued till March 2007. The post

of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines

was reconstituted post 2010. ACNS (SM) has

being built for the Indian Navy.

been the senior submarine advisor at IHQ MoD

and is responsible to the Vice Chief of Naval Staff

Organizational Changes

(VCNS) for advice on all submarine matters.

Post of Commodore Submarines (COMSUB).

The ACNS (SM) Secretariat has been the nodal

COMSUB (West) was constituted in April 1987

Secretariat for coordinating and formulation of

comprising the 9th ( Foxtrot s), 10th ( SSK s) and Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs) for all

12th ( Kilo) squadrons. In April 1988, the post underwater platforms, their equipment, weapons

of Commodore Submarines (East) or COMSUB

and sensors. It is also charged with processing cases (East) was created which had both the 11th and

and contract management for procurement of these

8th Submarine Squadrons comprising Kilo- and

platforms/related equipment. He is consulted on

Foxtrot-class boats, and also the command of the all important policy matters related to perspective

Submarine Base, INS Virbahu at Visakhapatnam.

planning, operations, material and personnel of the

In December 1996, COMSUB was redesignated

submarine arm. The ACNS (SM) also interacts with

as the Commodore Commanding Submarines

the Personnel Branch, on the placement and career

(COMCOS).

planning of all submarine offi cers.

Post of Flag Offi cer Submarines (FOSM). In 1987, Post of ACNS (SSP). The post of Assistant Chief the post of FOSM was created at Visakhapatnam and

of Naval Staff (Special Submarine Projects) (ACNS

a great amount of work has been done by successive

[SSP]) was created in November 2001, placing him

FOSMs with regard to submarine safety, submarine

under the VCNS. However, it was discontinued after

training, maintenance and operating schedules,

some time, only to be reconstituted in 2014. The

operational readiness inspections (ORIs), etc.

ACNS (SSP) is responsible for all aspects related to

the acquisition of special platforms built indigenously Dual-Hatted FOSM AND ACNS (SM). In 1996, the

or from abroad and creation of related infrastructure post of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Submarines)

for all special projects. He monitors and supervises

or ACNS (SM) was created at NHQ. The fi rst ACNS

the Directorates of Nuclear Submarine Acquisition

(SM) was dual hatted with the joint task of ACNS

(DNuSMAQ) and the Nuclear Submarine Projects

(SM) and FOSM. This was the time that saw the

and Infrastructure (DNSPI).

248

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Post of IGNS. The post of Inspector General In Conclusion

Nuclear Safety (IGNS) was constituted on 9 March

2007. The charter of duties of IGNS included being

The submarine arguably continues to remain the

responsible to the VCNS for all aspects related

most feared weapon platform in maritime warfare.

to nuclear and radiation safety and inspection of

Because of its stealthy nature and the medium it

naval nuclear reactors, handling of fi ssile material operates in (under water), it has proved to be

and nuclear waste in the Indian Navy. IGNS is the

the best sea denial weapon. From not having a

competent regulatory authority for naval nuclear

submarine arm at all (till 1967), the Navy has

plants and infrastructure and in this respect, reports since built up its underwater arm to a formidable

to the appropriate safety authority constituted by

standard in a short time. Having started with the

the GoI. He has the powers to lay down safety

post-World War II vintage Foxtrot s , the Navy standards and frame rules and regulations in

rapidly graduated to the ultra silent Kilo class and regard to the regulatory and safety requirement

subsequently the SSK s, which remain contemporary envisaged under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

even today, owing to timely upgradation of their

He is responsible for induction and acquisition

weapon-sensors package. The Submarine Arm

of special projects in the Indian Navy and setting

of today is a force to reckon with—one that has

up of related shore-based berthing and support

attained confi dence through professional skills in

infrastructure for which he is assisted by ACNS

the silent service. The next platform in waiting—

(SSP) and the Principal Director Submarine Safety

the Scorpène—will only enhance the force profi le (PDSMS).17

of this arm.

17 The PDSMS is the nodal Directorate for activities related to in respect of the Navy’s nuclear platforms/facilities.

nuclear/radiation safety. He also performs regulatory functions Guarding the Subsurface

249

3

Logistics in the Indian Navy

Ensuring Op Readiness and Sustenance

The Place of Logistics in Armed Forces*

undertaken—benefited considerably from his

meticulous attention to the provisioning of his

The etymology of the word ‘logistics’ is derived

army1; Hannibal is credited to have ‘taught

from the Greek adjective logistikos meaning

logistics’ to the Romans during the Punic Wars2;

‘skilled in calculating’ and its first military use,

and the success of the Anglo-Portuguese army in

administratively, dates back to the Roman and the

the Peninsular War was due to the effectiveness of

Byzantine times for a military administrative offi cial Wellington’s supply system (despite the numerical

with the title Logista. Military strategists, from

disadvantage in terms of military force)3. The defeat time immemorial, have impressed upon the crucial

of the British in the American War of Independence

importance of protecting their own logistics supply

and the defeat of the Axis Powers in the African

lines while disrupting those of the enemy to achieve

theatre of World War II are also attributed by some

victory in battle. This is a tenet that has been

scholars to logistical failures.4

followed to this day and one that will invariably

The military logistics framework encompasses

be followed in all future battles. Some of history’s

a very large canvas of supplies, spares and support

greatest leaders like Hannibal, Alexander the Great,

systems starting from continuous provision of

and the Duke of Wellington are considered to have

rations to the ‘boots-on-ground’; ammunition

been geniuses at managing logistics: Alexander’s

supplies ranging from the cartridges to missiles in the expedition—the longest military campaign ever

forward operating bases; to spares and fuel to run

*

3

With inputs from Capt Neeraj Malhotra, INS Hamla.

Troy T. Kirby, The Duke of Wellington and the Supply System During the Peninsula War, CreateSpace Independent 1 Donald W. Engels, Alexander the Great and the Logistics of Publishing Platform, 2014.

the Macedonian Army, University of California Press, 1980.

4 Roger Morriss, ‘Colonization, Conquest, and the Supply 2

of Food and Transport: The Reorganization of Logistics Theodore Ayrault Dodge, Hannibal: A History of the Art Management, 1780-1795,’ War in History, vol. 14, no. 3 (July of War Among the Carthaginians and Romans Down to the 2007), pp. 310–24.

Battle of Pydna, 168 BC, Da Capo Press, 1995.

the war waging machinery, all of which are by no War II. In anticipation of the need for rapid

means a small task irrespective of the size and might expansion in case of confl ict, volunteers from civil of a nation. Naval historians around the world agree

life were invited to join the Reserves5. They were

on the fact that it was the ingenious employment of

called upon for basic training for brief periods.

logistics by the British that won them the Falklands

They were also called upon declaration of war.

War in 1982. The rushed deployment of a large

Simultaneously, suitably educated and experienced

Task Force nearly 8,000nm from British base ports

individuals were offered commission as offi cers.

to fi ght the Argentinians who had shorter supply

Then, within a short span of time after the

chains, and come victorious is an ode to naval

beginning of World War II, the RIN rapidly

logistics supply chain management which is ‘case-

expanded on the recruitment of RINR and

studied’ to this day. Over the seven decades since

RINVR Offi cers, ‘Hostilities Only’ and SS ratings.

Independence, the Indian Navy’s Logistics Cadre has

The Accountant Branch, as it was then known,

grown in its aspirations, in tandem with the Navy’s

consisted of a few Warrant Offi cers promoted from

own growing footprint.

Chief Writer ratings and a handful of ‘Paymaster’

Sub-Lieutenants and Lieutenants of the Volunteer

The Beginning: Logistics in the

Reserve, who were called up for active service from

Pre-Independence Era and the World

professions of business executives, accountants,

War Years

lawyers, etc. The Paymaster Officers were

responsible for demanding, maintaining stocks and

The history of logistics in the Indian Navy has had

accounting of victuals, including meat-on-hoof,

its phases of growth, as also (almost) oblivion at one which was arranged through contractors who

stage with the phasing out of the erstwhile Supply

supplied directly to the ships or establishments.

& Secretariat (S&S) Branch, and a subsequent rise They also looked after the supply and accounting

in its new avatar when the Logistics arm of the

of clothing and mess traps .

Navy was constituted as a Cadre of the Executive

A selected few offi cers of the Paymaster Branch

Branch. The former S&S Branch, as the name

were also inducted into the Cipher department of

suggested, dealt with the supplies and secretarial

the signals section dealing with coding and decoding

tasks of the fl edgling Indian Navy, reconstituted

of secret and confidential messages. Gradually,

in 1950 from the Royal Indian Navy (RIN). The

officers’ wives were assigned to these duties, in

branch itself was a product of the World War effort

order to keep Paymaster Offi cers with the important

by the RIN which saw enormous growth during

functions of logistics management. A Paymaster

that period. It primarily dispensed secretarial duties, Lieutenant onboard a ship was responsible for pay,

pay and allowances, pension, victualing, inventory

naval stores, clothing, victualling including meat-

management, travel, civil works, quartering,

on-hoof onboard small ships without the facility

management of non-public funds, information

of a cold room. Cash was accounted under a Cash-

technology, and even law, to name a few.

and-Ledger system. Objection Statements would

The S&S Branch did not exist before World

be raised by the erstwhile Principal Controller of

5 Reserves (Military) or Naval Reserves refers to a body of gentlemen with seafaring experience (e.g., merchant navy), troops to reinforce or additional to the regular forces and and the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RINVR) from available in an emergency. In so far as the RIN was concerned, those with no such experience. At the beginning of the War, the Royal Indian Naval Reserve (RINR) was composed of there were no RINR Offi cers.

Logistics in the Indian Navy

251

Marine Accounts, the forerunner to the Principal were responsible for fi nalizing the account of each

Controllers of Defence Accounts (Navy) or PCDA

offi cer and rating coming up for demobilization.

(Navy), on cash, clothing and stores.

Simultaneously, the new Individual Running Ledger

With the progress of war, the offi cer strength

Account (IRLA) system was introduced. An IRLA

of the RIN and its Reserves increased considerably.

was opened for each officer and rating in the

About that time, the Government decided that a

Service, transferring his entitlement from Cash-

few Reserve Offi cers should be given Permanent

and-Ledger to IRLA.

Commission after a thorough scrutiny of their

In 1941, for the first time in the Navy, a

record, and evaluation by the Services Selection

Cookery School was established at HMIS Khanjar

Board. The first batch of seven RINVR Supply

and later in 1944, it was shifted to HMIS Akbar

Offi cers was selected for Permanent Commission

at Kolshet, Bombay. The cooks and stewards were

in February l946. They were Acting Commander (S)

recruited on the merit of their previous experience.

ED Scane Sands, Acting Lt Commander (S) C.E.

To meet the increasing demand for writers in

Davis, Lieutenant (S) D. McNair, Lieutenant (S)

the rapidly expanding Navy in the early 1940s,

R. Pratap, Lieutenant (S) S.J. Lalkaka, Acting Cdr (S) the Training Centre at the Naval Depot, Bombay,

C. Srinivassan and Lieutenant (S) R.B. Aibara.

took the initial responsibility to recruit and train

In the 1940s, the victualling arrangements

offi cers and sailors for the S&S Branch in as short onboard a ship required special attention as they

a time as was possible. In 1945, the S&S school

always posed problems peculiar to a seagoing

was also moved to HMIS Akbar. For the fi rst time, service.

training for the writers, store assistants, cooks and stewards was conducted in a single unit. The fi rst

In an instance on HMIS Ratnagiri, a coastal

Offi cer-in-Charge of the combined training school

passenger merchantman converted for

was Lt. (S) R. Pratap.

anti-submarine patrol, the ship received a

consignment of bleating goats and sheep

The Post-Independence Years

prior to her departure from Bombay for the

Persian Gulf in 1944. Paymaster Lieutenant

The logistics arm of the Navy after Independence

P.G. Gokhale faced a new type of victualling

was a motley group of a few spirited offi cers and

store: grass (being carried for the cattle)

men. It was an ad-hoc structure of organizational

which hardly lasted the passage. The Ship’s

framework and personnel.

Company was marched off to the hills to

The S&S Branch proved its mettle through

collect grass—a rare commodity in the Gulf—

the trying periods of 1962, 1965 and 1971 but

as the ship could not sail from there until the

a strong need for a major revamp was felt in

goats had had their full meal!

the way the Branch conducted and carried out

functions in the rapidly growing Indian Navy.

With the conclusion of World War II, the

The Branch was formally subsumed into the

demobilization of offi cers and ratings started in full Executive Branch in 1978 and thereafter instituted

swing. A ‘Demob’ Centre, HMIS Kakauri (HMIS

as the Logistics Cadre in 1989. It has continued

Hamla II recommissioned in September 1945),

with that nomenclature since. The organizational

was set up in Versova, Bombay which could house

restructuring was implemented by placing material-

1,400 ratings. The Pay Offi ce was set up next to

related functions under the COM, personnel

the Demob Centre, where Paymaster Lieutenants

logistics-related functions under the ‘P’ branch,

252

Blue Waters Ahoy!

aviation stores under the Staff Branch II and the fund account for both offi cers and sailors, was

remaining functions under the Staff Branch I. The

transferred to NPO in April 1976 from the

scale of growth of the Cadre

Joint Controller of Defence Accounts or JCDA

The Logistics

had to be in concert with the

(Funds) Meerut.

Cadre was formed

growing status of the Indian

• The desire of the Branch to have a fully

on 15 August 1989.

Navy, a formidable force to

autonomous training establishment finally

reckon with, in the region. With its increasing reach came to fruition in 1953 when a decision was

beyond brown waters, the logistic support system

taken to temporarily site the school at Marve,

of the Indian Navy had to keep pace in maintaining

as an independent establishment headed by a

and supporting the fl eet farther and farther from

Supply Offi cer as the Commanding Offi cer of

shore. Some of the notable waypoints along the

INS Hamla. The S&S School shifted from Kochi route were:

to its present site at Marve, Mumbai with Cdr

• Training for the S&S personnel including

T.R. Singh having the privilege of taking over

catering personnel under one roof at HMIS

the maiden command of the establishment on

Akbar in Mumbai ended within two years of

6 January 1954 and Lt. Cdr Krishnan Dev (who

commencement, when it was closed down in

later commanded Hamla and also rose to Flag

1947. The Cookery School along with the S&S

rank) as the Training Commander.

School was shifted to HMIS Venduruthy at

• The exercise of deputing offi cers to the United

Cochin (renamed Kochi in 1996).

Kingdom for the S&S Advanced Course (SSAC)

• The Naval Pay Offi ce (NPO) was established as

was discontinued after 1958 and in lieu of that,

a Centralized Pay Accounting organization to

a course was started at Hamla, Mumbai.

maintain pay accounts of all RIN personnel in

• In 1981, the Long Logistics and Management

1945 and was rechristened several times over

Course (LLMC) was introduced at INS Hamla

the period of its long journey. It was located in

for equipping offi cers from various branches to

the Sanatorium Building, Versova, Bombay, and

undertake logistics functions. The fi rst LLMC

functioned under the stewardship of Paymaster-

that lasted for 47 weeks was launched on 7

in-Chief, RIN Pay Offi ce. In 1946, the Offi cers’

September 1981. The fi rst batch consisting of

section of this offi ce was shifted to the Chicago

13 offi cers (two Engineer Offi cers, two Electrical

Building, Bombay. In the later part of 1946,

Officers, two Executive Officers and seven

both offi cers’ and sailors’ sections were shifted

erstwhile S&S Officers) commenced training

to Fort Barracks in the same city adjacent to

at Hamla. This was a specialization course at the old Rex Cinema. On 15 August 1947,

par with other Executive Branch specialization

the offi ce was again shifted to Talwar Camp,

courses. This course was initially recognized by

presently, the Naval Transport Pool. In 1950,

the Goa University for award of MBA, in the

the offi ce was renamed as the Indian Naval Pay

year 2000.6

Offi ce. Finally, in 1952, the entire NPO was

• On 24 April 1984, with a princely holding of two

shifted to its present location at Castle Park.

desktop computers, a very modest beginning

The responsibility of maintaining the provident

was made in computer training with the

6 Major specialization courses (generally of more than six-started recognizing such courses for award of degrees/diplomas month duration) are conducted in the IN’s training schools (including MPhil in some cases), based on certain criteria for various branches. Starting the 1990s, some universities related to the syllabi.

Logistics in the Indian Navy

253

commissioning of an Electronic Data Processing be a useful management tool which interlinked

(EDP) Training Centre. The first Long EDP

the MOs and NHQ and aided effective material

Course of 24 weeks duration commenced on

management. The project was inaugurated on

2 September 1987. The necessity for a revamped

17 May 1993 at INS The Indian Navy was

and modern Computer School materialized,

Hamla and the system

when a section of the Catering School was

analysis commenced one of the earliest to

reconstructed with the then state-of-the-art

on 1 September 1993, embark upon the IT

computer equipment and the IN EDP School

at four centres. The bandwagon, while

was inaugurated therein on 27 December 1989.

ILMS team was formed

implementing the

Additionally, the Systems Applications Centre

in February 1993 and Integrated Logistics

which functioned as the hub for development

closure of the project Management System

of all in-house software and system programs

was done on 30 June (ILMS), a material-

in the IN EDP School was inaugurated on

1997, followed by the management

9 September 1990 and was rechristened as

appointments of System

software, with

the Naval Institute of Computer Applications

Administrators and in-house effort.

(NICA) in 2002.

Maintenance Teams.

• A new Catering School at the present site in

The months July–December 1997 witnessed fi ne-

Hamla, with state-of-the-art catering equipment, tuning of the modules as well as data capture and

was inaugurated by Vice Admiral R.P. Sawhney,

refi nement. The system was formally inaugurated

then Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief,

on 29 December 1997 by the then CNS.

Southern Naval Command, on 18 June 1990,

• Towards the end of 1997, the NPO switched

giving a major boost to dedicated training in

the disbursement of sailors’ salaries from cash

catering in the Navy.

to the banking system. In 1999, a beginning

• A Government directive of 1991 to induct

was made to exploit the Electronic Clearance

women offi cers into the Navy saw 22 women

Service (ECS) facility introduced in banks by the

inducted as Logistics (10), Education (9) and

Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In August 1999,

Law (3) offi cers for a seven-year SSC.

for the fi rst time, personnel posted at Mumbai,

• As the significance of logistics for a fighting

Visakhapatnam, Delhi and Kolkata were paid

force such as the Navy dawned again, the focus

salaries through banks rather than the Payship

shifted to get the best possible talent. Offi cers

system followed earlier. After 1 December 1999,

from both the NDA and the Naval Academy

all the Individual Pay Accounts (IPA) of sailors

were provided the option onboard the Cadets

were computerized and the system was changed

Training Ship, to opt for logistics. The fi rst Sub

from quarterly accounting cycle to monthly

Lieutenants’ Logistics Course comprising fi ve

Statement of Entitlement for sailors.

cadet entry offi cers was conducted at Hamla

from September 1991 to February 1992.

The Years 2001–10: Towards Operational

• The Indian Navy was one of the earliest

Logistics

amongst the three armed forces to embark

upon the IT bandwagon, while implementing

The fi rst three decades after Independence had seen

the Integrated Logistics Management System

the Indian Navy trying to fi nd its path towards the

(ILMS), a material-management software, with

twenty-fi rst century and the next two decades for

in-house effort. This software was to prove to

consolidating resources and reaching beyond our

254

Blue Waters Ahoy!

shores. The advent of the twenty-fi rst century saw

• The next stage of innovation was achieved

logisticians improvising and reinventing systems and

with the introduction of Self Service Centres at

procedures to supply and support a growing navy.

Naval Dockyard (Mumbai), called the Material

• Prior to 1997, cases for most demands for

Organization Extension Centre (MOXCEN),

spares required by ships, would be received

followed by waterfront support facility at

at NHQ due to limited financial powers at

all yards. The implementation of smart

lower formations including Commands. This

cards loaded with a predetermined budget in

procedure was changed permanently, with

possession of individual ships led to the creation

the implementation of the New Management

of a mall-like system, where a customer enters,

Strategy (NMS) as suffi cient fi nancial powers

chooses the items required, swipes a smart card

were delegated to the Commands and MOs for

and just leaves with the items!

indigenous as well as foreign procurements.

• In 2005, the Sub Lieutenant (Logistics)

Further modifications during the decade

course got affi liated to the Symbiosis Institute

(2001–10), have enhanced the satisfaction

of Management Studies (SIMS), Pune, for

level in the fi eld.

the award of Post Graduate Diploma in

• The ILMS, which was introduced in 1997, International Logistics and Supply Chain

underwent major changes in both software

Management (PGDILSCM).

adaptation and inventory management.

• Another innovation—that of Afloat Clothing

Active Naval inventory had increased from

Centres (ACC)—was incorporated in April 2007,

about 3,70,000 in 1997 to almost double that

with a view to cater for clothing requirements

fi gure by 2010 with over one thousand users

of personnel serving afl oat. The ACCs managed

logging into the ILMS. The architecture of the

an inventory of 223 items with shelf life ranging

system was changed with the implementation

between three months and 10 years. The earlier

of a single server at MO (Mbi) in the year

procedure for issue of clothing, using the

2010 which made it a truly real-time online

cumbersome personal Clothing History Books

inventory management system.

(CHB), was abolished and replaced with the

• Two ambitious in-house projects were embarked

Integrated Clothing Management System (ICMS).

upon by the NPO; one was called the Integrated

• A modernization project of ACC was conceived

Pay Accounting and Disbursement System

in July 2009. The modernized ACCs, where

(IPADS) and the other called the Genform

every sailor could utilize the ‘pick-n-go’

Management System (GMS). Implemented

facility, were inaugurated in September 2010.

in 2004, both systems utilized contemporary

With its implementation, clothing management

technology to enable seamless and accurate

has seen total asset visibility and complete

processing of pay and allowances and for

migration to e-CHB for sailors in the Navy.

units to raise the entire range of genforms7 and

• Finally launched in June 2008, the ICMS was

transmit them electronically to the NPO.

the initiative of the Eastern Naval Command

7 GENFORM, an acronym for an offi cial form where ‘general of occurrences requiring a GENFORM). Original copy of the information’ is recorded, is intended to communicate

genform is sent to the organizations that have to effect changes occurrences such as transfer, leave, punishment, changes in in records or effect fi nancial or legal changes and one copy is rank, engagement, etc., affecting pay and allowances and maintained by the concerned unit.

other entitlements of an offi cer or a sailor (this is the range Logistics in the Indian Navy

255

which pursued the Clothing Management system which enables retrieval of stores through

Software project. The ICMS was planned to

a computer application called Warehousing

ride on the NEWN network and bring about

Management System (WMS) inside a store

a paradigm shift which would empower each

house. A plan to install an ASRS at MO (Mbi)

sailor to choose what clothing he would want

was conceived in 2008–9 in anticipation of

as per his entitlement and at what time. The

the large quantity of spares expected with the

acceptance of online audit by PCDA (N) further

arrival of INS Vikramaditya, apart from the

enhanced its relevance. The implementation of

already huge inventory of existing stores. The

the ICMS resulted in a transparent clothing

ASRS-WMS application would be integrated

inventory management system and also

with ILMS for online data exchange between

helped individual personnel in discarding the

the systems.9

cumbersome and ‘bureaucratic’ CHB.

• Increase in the number of operational units

• Supply of rations through Army Supply Corps

and increase in Op tasking to all corners of

(ASC) to all naval units was always a big

the globe warranted establishment of a system

problem due to peculiarities involved in ships’

of delivery of spares at a ship’s location.

operational deployments and movements even

A rate contract with Balmer & Lawrie and

within a harbour. Therefore,

institutionalization of the transportation

The Navy was able

the Navy progressively

process at each MO has helped in meeting the

to establish its own

delinked supply of rations

requirement of operational logistics spares

supply chain thus

from the APO system8 of

support with 100 per cent assurance across

solving the issues

the ASC, starting with fresh

the globe.

involved in supplying provisions in the 1980s to

• The years 2001 to 2010 witnessed numerous

rations through the

delinking dry rations in

initiatives and improvements in the area of

ASC. The coming

2009 and established its own

Mechanical Transport (MT). Various upgrades

to fore of the IVMS

supply chain. This, coupled

in vehicles while phasing out their predecessors

added to the system

with the implementation of

like the Mahindra Bolero replacing the jeep,

the Integrated Victualling

the early 2000s saw the ushering in of Tata

becoming more

M a n a g e m e n t S y s t e m

Indigo cars and the introduction of Maruti SX4

effi cient.

(IVMS), has not only made

as replacement to Ambassador cars in 2010.

the system efficient and effective but also

This period also saw indigenous ships being

resulted in improvement in the quality of the

commissioned with integral transport as part of

victuals and timely delivery with a visible

their Hull Allowance List. In December 2008,

surge in satisfaction levels. IVMS was created

an MT manual was promulgated. The manual

in-house with the assistance of a fi rm. It was

was a compendium of rules, regulations and

commissioned on 12 November 2009.

policy letters pertaining to MT, designed to

• The Automated Storage Retrieval System

serve as a ready reckoner for offi cers carrying

(ASRS) is a computerized material-handling

out the duties of MTO in a unit.

8 The APO or Army Purchase Organisation procures the entire 9 The ASRS is a software managed system that does not require Army’s dry rations centrally to derive economies of scale and manual ledger keeping. It keeps accounts online and the same one price for every item throughout the country.

can be retrieved anytime from the system.

256

Blue Waters Ahoy!

In Conclusion

commensurate with the induction of front-end

manpower and material, logistics in the Navy has

Logistics in the Indian Navy has indeed come

become the inescapable mainstay. Management of

a long way since its inception. The days when

victualling stores, pay and allowances and clothing

demand for each item from a ship was physically

stores through innovative software tools have

registered at the depot and was scheduled for issue

remarkably improved their quality and delivery.

only after a series of manual processes entailing

Besides, the urge to continue to improve adds to the

delays, are history. Labour-intensive procedures of

effi cacy of the organization. Multiple studies have

retrieving stores and spares maintained on physical

been carried out by various expert committees and

ledgers or even time-consuming delivery system of

teams and recommendations based on those studies

clothing and victualling no longer exist. Matching

have been implemented. The rise of the logisticians

pace with the ever-changing technology by

from a motley crew of RIN’s Paymasters to the

creation of systems, procedures and infrastructure

present cadre has indeed been remarkable.

Interesting correspondence was exchanged between the audit authorities and ships in the earlier years when accounting of stores was done in the Cash and Ledger system.

An unauthenticated story goes thus—once a ship’s anchor was lost and reasons were to be furnished to the audit authority. The audit was informed that it was eaten by white ants.

The explanation was accepted and the objection settled!

Logistics in the Indian Navy

257

4

Hydrography

The Naval Cartographers’ Domain

Introduction

testimony to the importance attached to this vital

Service by successive governments in both pre- and

Hydrography is that branch of applied science which

post-Independent India. That narrative has evolved

deals with the measurement and description of the

over centuries from star sights, angular measurement

physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes of latitudes, hand lead lines and hand-drawn

and rivers, as well as with the prediction of changes charts to Differential Global Positioning Systems

in them over time. It is essential in order to ensure (DGPS), multi-beam swath echo sounding system

the safety of navigation and in support of all other

with digital data collection, processing and display, marine activities, including economic development,

culminating in the latest innovation, the Electronic

defence and security, scientific research and

Navigational Charts (ENCs). The extensive role

environmental protection.1 Hydrography demands

played by the western countries that colonized parts

utmost diligence and accuracy, as errors can prove

of India, especially the Portuguese, the British and

to be disastrous resulting in, among others, marine

the French, in mapping the waters surrounding the

accidents, pollution, loss of life and property.

Indian subcontinent through hydrographic charts

The Indian Navy’s history of marine survey and

since the fi fteenth century, bears testimony to the

production of navigational charts can be traced

relevance of hydrography towards state prosperity.

back to the seventeenth century CE. During that

period, surveyors based in India had charted the

The Indian Naval Hydrographic

coastline and harbours of the entire North Indian

Department (INHD)

Ocean Region. As a result, trade fl ourished along

routes that are, today, amongst the most important

The Hydrographic Department of the Navy

sea lanes of communication in the world. The long

has evolved over centuries, concurrent with sea

illustrious history of Indian hydrography bears

travel. While the early sailors navigated their

1 Defi nition as promulgated by International Hydrographic Organization (IHO).

ships, discovering routes by trial and error and fisheries, in concert with the requisite security

documenting such precious information on

mechanisms. In recognition of the quality of

closely guarded maps, the art of discovering safe

work, the Department was awarded the ISO 9002

routes grew into the highly specialized branch

certifi cate in 1999.2

of hydrography. The present Indian Naval

Hydrographic Department (INHD) derives its

Hydrographic Training

origin from the charting activities of the British

East India Company, but stands on a foundation of

The fi rst attempt to provide systematic training

centuries of maritime tradition that go far beyond

to offi cers and sailors in hydrography began with

the colonial times.

the establishment of a Hydrographic Training

After Independence in 1947, the Department

Unit at Bombay in 1959. Until then, training in

continued to function under the Surveyor-in-

hydrography used to be conducted onboard survey

Charge, Marine Survey of India whose office

vessels. The Hydrographic Training Unit was

was shifted from Calcutta to Bombay. On 1 June

shifted to INS Venduruthy, Cochin (now Kochi), 1954, the Offi ce was fi nally shifted to Dehradun,

on 21 October 1961. For a short period of time,

where the Naval Hydrographic Office (NHO)

it operated from a temporary facility provided

was established with the appointment of Captain

at the Gunnery School,

(later Admiral, Chief of Naval Staff) Jal Cursetji,

Kochi. Subsequently, the In 1999, the IHO/

as the Chief Hydrographer. Since Independence,

Training Unit shifted to FIG International

the INHD has risen to meet various challenges

the Navigation Direction Advisory Board

facing the economic development and security

School, Kochi.

awarded the CAT ‘B’

of the nation. With a long coastline that extends

Government

sanction certifi cation for the

over 7516km and an Exclusive Economic Zone

f o r a p e r m a n e n t Basic Hydrographic (EEZ) of 2.02 million (mn) sq. km, the surveying

Hydrographic School to Course conducted

responsibility of the Hydrographic Department is

be established at Goa, by the Hydrographic

vast.

was obtained in April School.

In 1964, the Chief Hydrographer of the

1965 and the new school

Indian Navy became the Chief Hydrographer

was inaugurated on 29 November 1978. It was

to the Government of India, in keeping with

fully equipped to meet the training requirements

the growing national responsibilities of the

of various naval personnel, survey organizations,

department. The NHO, that was formerly the

major Port Trusts, Ministry of Shipping and

Naval Hydrographic Offi ce, was also elevated as

Transport, survey launch pools, and other

the National Hydrographic Offi ce. Today, all its

hydrographic surveying agencies within and

activities, as indeed its publications, are of truly

outside India.

international standard. It is a matter of pride to

In 1980, the Hydrographic School was

see Indian surveys and charts being widely used in

accorded the status of a Regional Training

the development of ports and harbours, offshore

Centre in hydrographic survey for the Asian

energy platforms, refineries, power projects,

region. In May 1981, the second wing of the

tourism, integrated coastal zone management and

Hydrographic School was completed and in

2 See http://indiannavy.gov.in/hydro.htm accessed on 15 September 2017

Hydrography

259

1982, the school’s Long Hydrography (Long publishing nautical charts and publications, the

H) training program/curriculum was recognized

INHD is an integral part of the Indian Navy and has

by the International Hydrographic Organization

established itself as a globally reputed organization.

(IHO) as a Category ‘A’ course. This is the highest

As part of its international responsibilities,

recognition for a Hydrographic specialization

it provides the entire range of hydrographic

course by an international body. In 1984, the school

information pertaining to that expanse of the Indian

was recognized as the regional Hydrographic

Ocean which includes the Arabian Sea and the Bay

Training Centre for South-east Asian and African

of Bengal. Navigational (paper) charts, ENCs and

countries, thus extending its reach to Africa and the nautical publications are

South-east Asian shores.

produced and an inventory

The globally

In 1997, the Hydrographic School was awarded

of 294 paper charts, 320 renowned INHD,

the Cat ‘A’ Certification by IHO for offering

ENCs and 14 navigational an integral part

Industrial Offshore Surveying training under the

p u b l i c a t i o n s i s , a s o f of the IN, has standards of the IHO/FIG3 International Advisory

2010, being maintained been providing

Board. It was the first in the world to offer this

by the department. It hydrographic and

optional subject. Considering the regional stature

also provides timely and oceanographic

of the school, it was redesignated the National

accurate hydrographic data to support

Hydrographic School in 1997.

and oceanographic data the Navy in their

The institute was affi liated to the Goa University

to support the platforms

for the award of a Masters Degree in Hydrographic

of the Indian Navy to operational role as

Survey to the Long H course. In 1999, the IHO/FIG

meet their operational one of their several

International Advisory Board awarded the CAT

role. The organization responsibilities.

‘B’4 certifi cation for Basic Hydrographic Course

a l s o c o o r d i n a t e s t h e

conducted by the school, as per the new standards

international chart scheme of Region ‘J’5 and

of the Board. Thus, by 1999, both the professional

maritime safety services in NAVAREA VIII.6

offi cers’ courses conducted by the School had IHO

recognition. The school was subsequently awarded

Milestones: 2001–10

the ISO 9001 certifi cation on 19 April 2000.

New Inductions

The INHD’s Role

On 28 April 2001, INS Darshak was commissioned into the fleet of survey vessels. The ship was

Apart from being the national authority for

equipped with state-of-the-art survey equipment

3 Founded in 1878 in Paris, the Fédération

5 India is the coordinator for the North Indian Ocean within Region ‘J’

I n t e r n a t i o n a l d e s G é o m è t r e s ( F I G ) i s a n (see image on the following page). Exact dimensions, limits of the region international umbrella organization for national

and the navigational charts printed for the Region are elucidated in the surveying associations which covers all disciplines

IHO website. Source: iho.int/iho-pubs/standard/S-11/S-11.htm, accessed of the surveying profession.

on 29 September 2018

4 FIG/IHO International Advisory Board recognize

6 NAVAREAs are geographic areas recognized and promulgated by the courses in hydrography and nautical cartography

International Maritime Organization (IMO). The oceans of the world as Cat ‘A’ and ‘B’. Normally, a person has to have

are divided into 21 NAVAREAs with India being the coordinator of fi nished a Cat ‘B’ course before undergoing Cat ‘A’

NAVAREA VIII. NAVAREA VIII covers most of that part of the Indian course.

Ocean that is directly East, West and South of the Indian Peninsula.

260

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Region ‘J’

including deep sea and shallow water multi-beam

Environment Award), for the year 2001 by the World

swath sounding systems. On 14 January 2002,

Underwater Federation, Monaco, for its contribution

the next ship of the class, INS Sarvekshak was towards the preservation of the marine environment.

commissioned into the survey fl eet. Both ships were

built by the Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL).

T h e N o r t h I n d i a n O c e a n H y d r o g r a p h i c Commission (NIOHC)

International Recognition

In January 2002, the North Indian Ocean

The decade saw the INHD being awarded the fi rst

Hydrographic Commission was established as a

Laureate award, the GPIEM (International Marine

Regional Hydrographic Commission under the

Hydrography

261

aegis of the IHO. India was at the forefront of this in June 2004. This function was presided over by

initiative and the Chief Hydrographer was elected

the then President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

as the Founder Chairman of NIOHC.7

New Press Building

Overseas Deployment (OSD)

On 29 November 2005, the new Press and

In April 2002, the INS Darshak was deployed to Repository building—one that houses the entire

Monaco for the XVIth International Hydrographic

production infrastructure of the INHD—was

Conference. In the course of this OSD, the ship

inaugurated by the then CNS.

also visited Egypt, Italy, Monaco, Algeria, Malta,

Greece and Saudi Arabia, where she displayed

World Hydrographic Day

India’s hydrographic prowess to the world.

For the first time on 21 June 2006, the World

Hydrographic Day was celebrated. Indian Naval

Silver Jubilee Celebrations

Ships Investigator and Nirdeshak coordinated the The Hydrographic School celebrated its Silver

celebrations in the Western Naval Command and

Jubilee on 21 November 2003. A seminar on

INS Sandhayak coordinated the corresponding

Hydrography was conducted in the presence of

events in the Eastern Naval Command. A

the FOC-in-C (South).

seminar to commemorate the day was organized

The School, due to its ‘national’ status in

and professional papers were presented by

training in a specialized fi eld, was rechristened as Hydrographic and Cartographic personages

the National Institute of Hydrography (NIH), on

specially invited for the event. In order to give

5 June 2009.

an insight into the profession of hydrography,

organized visits for school children to the survey

Affi liation with University

ships and the Naval Chart Depot were conducted.

In 2005, the sailor’s course was affi liated to the

A seminar on ‘Safety of Navigation at Sea’ was also

Cochin University of Science and Technology

organized for the naval personnel of the Command.

(CUSAT) for the Award of Diploma in Hydrography,

upon successful completion of the PO ‘Q’ course.

The NHO Website

The NHO website www.hydrobharat.gov.in

Three Centuries of Hydrography in India

(originally www.hydroindia.org), launched in the

The year 2004 saw the celebration of 300 years

year 2000, was being hosted on a private server.

of hydrographic surveying in Indian waters and

In 2006, it was shifted to the government server

concurrently, the Golden Jubilee of the NHO,

(NIC). The website hosts critical navigational safety Dehradun. An International Hydrographic Seminar,

information which is required for the mariners

‘HYDROIND—2004’ was conducted in Mumbai,

operating at sea and provides quick updates that

to commemorate the event which was followed by

enable mariners receive online Maritime Safety

the Golden Jubilee celebrations at NHO, Dehradun,

Information (MSI).

7 The NIOHC has no fi xed location. As the chairperson is nominated, the primary responsibility shifts.

262

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Indo–Pak Maritime Boundary Talks

August 2009. The unit is primarily responsible

Indo–Pak Maritime Boundary talks resumed after a

for the conduct of all Some of the major

long hiatus, in 2006, when an Indian delegation led

field hydrographic tasks milestones during

by the then Chief Hydrographer visited Pakistan.

in the waters surrounding the decade of

Based on the discussion, a joint survey was

the Andaman & Nicobar

2001– 10 included

undertaken in 2007 by INS Sutlej and PNS Behr Islands, besides assisting

Paima. Subsequently, delegation level talks were also Headquarters Andaman &

establishment of the

held between the two countries for resolving the

Nicobar Command (HQ NIOHC and the

maritime boundary issue. However, due to differing

ANC) in planning various Hydrographic Survey

perceptions in the Sir Creek area, the boundary talks hydrographic requirements

Unit at Port Blair

could not be progressed to fruitful conclusion.

of the region.

The Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA) Role of the IN’s Survey Ships during

The XXVIIth INCA International Congress was

tsunami 2004

conducted by the INHD, at Visakhapatnam

from 21–23 November 2007, under the aegis

The 2004 tsunami caused extensive damage to

of the Eastern Naval Command. The Congress

port infrastructure and other coastal facilities, most was attended by a large number of senior Civil

importantly leading to the loss of thousands of human and Service dignitaries and a total of 50 papers

lives and property in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and were presented on the theme of the Congress,

the Maldives. Seven Indian Hydrographic Survey ships

‘Cartography for Coastal Management’.

(with two of them having been quickly converted

into Hospital Ships) were deployed along the east

Upgradation of Rank of Chief Hydrographer to the

coast of India, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sri Government of India

Lanka and Indonesia for assistance. The multifaceted

Considering the national stature of the Chief

capabilities of the Indian Navy’s survey ships were

Hydrographer and the fact that he represents India

displayed during the relief operations. In addition

at important international dialogues, the rank of

to the allotted Annual Survey Tasks for the season,

the Chief Hydrographer to the Government of

these ships carried out extensive check-surveys of the India was upgraded to that of Vice Admiral, in

tsunami-affected areas to ensure immediate clearance

2009. Consequently, the rank of the Joint Chief

of the affected harbours/ports for shipping. Based on Hydrographer was also upgraded from Commodore

the check-surveys and requests received from local

to Rear Admiral. Vice Admiral B.R. Rao became

governments/port authorities, detailed hydrographic

the fi rst Chief Hydrographer in the rank of Vice

surveys of six major harbours and ports in the A&N

Admiral and Rear Admiral S.K. Jha the fi rst Joint

Islands were completed in record time.

Chief Hydrographer in the rank of Rear Admiral.

During this evolution, INS Sutlej was the fi rst ship to sail for Galle Harbour, Sri Lanka, to provide Establishment of the Hydrographic Survey Unit,

HADR. Later, INS Jamuna (which was swiftly

Port Blair

converted into a hospital ship) and Sarvekshak too The long-felt need for a large-scale nautical

sailed for Galle. These ships played an instrumental

survey and hydrography unit in the Andaman &

role in clearing the harbour and location/charting of Nicobar Islands was fulfi lled by the establishment

numerous wrecks and other debris. This effort led to

of a Hydrographic Survey Unit at Port Blair, in

the port being opened for operation in record time,

Hydrography

263

and enabled relief to fl ow to the southern coast of Diglipur; clearing them for shipping traffi c. The

Sri Lanka. Post clearance of Galle, Sutlej proceeded ship was deployed around the southern group of

to carry out the survey of Colombo harbour as

islands, for extensive casualty evacuation, medical

well, while Sarvekshak proceeded to Kankesanturai assistance and aerial reconnaissance for survivors

Harbour, and completed its survey, resulting in that

around Katchal, Kamorta, Trinkat, Tarasa,

harbour also opening in quick time.

Bompaka Islands and Campbell Bay. During the

INS

Nirupak undertook check surveys in

period, the ship had also embarked a team from

Visakhapatnam harbour to open the harbour to

the Survey of India (SOI) that carried out geodetic

traffi c. Subsequently, the ship embarked 18 tons of

survey to establish the positional shift amongst the

relief material and sailed for Meulaboh, Indonesia,

islands.

to set up a medical relief camp. A total of 1,710

patients were treated at the ship’s medical camp

Foreign Cooperation

in addition to several who had various surgeries—

all performed onboard. The humanitarian relief

The Naval Hydrographic Department’s role in

activities of this Indian ship were widely acclaimed

maritime diplomacy was initiated through conduct

by the locals.

of foreign cooperation surveys in Indonesia in 2001

INS

Nirdeshak was converted into a Hospital

by Indian Naval ships Jamuna and Sutlej. It was to Ship at short notice and deployed in Sri Lanka for

pave the way for multiple MoUs on hydrographic/

post-tsunami relief operations. The ship embarked

defence cooperation with neighbouring countries

110 Army and Naval personnel as part of the

in the ensuing decade.

medical and technical support team to carry out

the operation. A total of 115 tons of relief stores

Indo–Seychelles Cooperation

were ferried by the ship for handing over to the

On 10 September 2003, an MoU on Defence

Sri Lankan authorities. After disembarking relief

Cooperation was signed between India and

material, the ship carried out check surveys off

Seychelles. The MoU required both the parties

Kolachel and Kanyakumari, based on the requests

to strengthen mutual cooperation in the area of

of the state Government.

hydrography. It further required the conduct of

INS Sandhayak entered Trincomalee Harbour to

joint surveys of critical maritime areas of Seychelles.

provide relief immediately after the Tsunami. On

Just after conclusion of the MoU, INS Nirdeshak

arrival, she carried out a survey to clear the harbour was the fi rst ship to undertake hydrographic surveys for commercial operations. Post clearance of the

i n S e y c h e l l e s d u r i n g

harbour she sailed for the A&N Islands where

November and December Following the signing

she rendered large-scale assistance at different

2003. These included of the MoU, INS

islands. During this period, the ship also provided

surveys of approaches to Nirdeshak was the

assistance to the Directorate General of Lighthouses

Praslin, Mahe and Port fi rst ship to undertake

and Light-ships (DGLL), to help restore lighthouses

Victoria. Next, Sarvekshak

hydrographic surveys

on various islands.

was deployed in the area in

in Seychelles during

INS

Darshak took active part in relief operations April 2006 and undertook

November and

in the tsunami-stricken A&N Islands. It undertook surveys of Coetivy Island December 2003.

check surveys of four major ports of the Islands

and approaches to Port

namely Port Blair, Rangat, Mayabandar and

Victoria and Mahe. In addition to navigation safety

264

Blue Waters Ahoy!

surveys, the department also carried out CLCS8

survey of Mauritius waters in 2005, wherein she

surveys to enable Seychelles’ claim to its continental carried out the survey of Port Louis and the pioneer

shelf. A total of three navigational charts were

survey of Agalega Island. The navigational chart of

published as the result of the various surveys carried Agalega Island was released by the Prime Minister

out in Seychelles.

of Mauritius in the presence of the then CNS, on

21 March 2007. Subsequently (as of 2010), a total

Indo–Mauritius Cooperation

of 11 surveys have been carried out in Mauritius

An MoU with Mauritius was signed on 24

resulting in the publication of seven navigational

October 2005 at New Delhi. This MoU catered

charts. In addition to navigation safety surveys, the to hydrographic survey of

department also undertook surveys to determine

INS Sarvekshak

important ports, harbours

the continental shelf claim of Mauritius, as required was the fi rst ship to

and designated sea areas

by the CLCS.

a r o u n d t h e M a u r i t i a n

carry out survey of

i s l a n d s , t r a i n i n g o f

Indo–Maldives Cooperation

Mauritius in 2005.

Mauritian personnel at

A request seeking Indian assistance for setting up a

the NIH, Goa, and provision of survey expertise

Hydrographic Unit and undertaking surveys in the

for setting up hydrographic infrastructure and a

Maldives was received from the Maldives in 2004.

Hydrographic Offi ce at Mauritius. Subsequently,

During the visit of the then CNS to the Maldives

a protocol on sale of charts was signed between

in November 2005, the Navy agreed to provide

the two countries on 2 April 2009, to enable the

hydrographic assistance to the islands by carrying

department to sell Mauritius-produced charts.

out surveys of its various regions. A total of fi ve

Based on the MoU, a joint Sub Committee was

surveys were undertaken including a CLCS survey

set up to decide on the survey tasking required.

for delineation of the Maldives Continental Shelf.

INS Sarvekshak was the first ship to carry out In addition to these activities, the department also

trained personnel from the Maldives National

Defence Force.

Indian Hydrographers in Antarctica

The INHD maintains both a regional standing and

a strong presence in international fora. The IHO,

Monaco, of which India is a member, has identifi ed

the Antarctic region as one of the most inadequately

surveyed regions. The formation of the International

Hydrographic Organisation-Hydrographic Co-

operation on Antarctica (IHO-HCA), of which

Indo–Mauritius Hydrographic Cooperation:

Signing of the MoU on 24 October 2005

8 Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, under the aegis of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Hydrography

265

INHD is a permanent member, has been an commissioned at Larsemann Hills, charting of

important step in this direction.9

the waters in the vicinity of the Indian station has

Since 1994, Indian Naval Hydrographic Scientifi c

been considered a national priority. This is essential Teams have been deputed to the Antarctica and have

for the safety of our ships plying to and from the

formed part of the Indian Scientifi c Expedition to

station.

Antarctica. As per the charting scheme promulgated

by the IHO, International (INT) Chart Nos.

Hydrography and Soft Power

9050 and 9051 are required to be co-produced

by Russia and India. In INT Chart 9050, fairly

INHD, one of the pioneering members of the

wide blank areas existed due to non-availability of

NIOHC, played host to the Commission’s VIIIth

bathymetric data. These areas are close to India’s

meeting at Goa from 14 to 17 April 2008. Though

Permanent Station in the Antarctica. Concerted

still in its infancy, this Commission has come a

efforts are, therefore, required to fi ll in these gaps long way since its inception in 2002. It has been

by undertaking systematic hydrographic surveys, a

successful in voicing the opinion of the member

process that is still ongoing. Data collected during

States in various world fora and has been effective

the expeditions has immensely enriched NHO’s

in improving the hydrographic capacity of the

data bank and has been effectively utilized for

member nations of the region.

compilation of Navigational Chart INT 9051.

The prominent Indian training institution, NIH,

Valuable data has been gathered over the years

has imparted quality training to all personnel

besides gaining the experience and knowledge

involved in the fi eld of the hydrographic surveying.

of carrying out hydrographic surveys in the

This initiative has been specially tailored for

Antarctica. More than 2452nm of sounding has

different categories of personnel from the National

been completed. The Indian Hydrographic teams

Hydrographic Departments and other maritime

have collected meteorological and oceanographic

and port organizations—both from India and

data in collaboration with other scientifi c teams.

friendly foreign countries. By the end of 2010, the

Tidal stream and current observations have also been

institute has trained 101 Indian naval offi cers, 167

undertaken at various locations by the Indian teams.

international trainees, 1052 sailors and personnel

Since 2008, the team has also been surveying

from various port authorities in India.

off Larsemann Hills. There has also been the

Indian Hydrography has for long been holding

publication of Chart 901 ‘Approaches to India

its own against the very best (read the British

Bay’ based on Indian survey in this area. There

Admiralty and the ilk) in terms of quality of work

are presently three stations in the area belonging

in the fi eld of hydrography and cartography. With

to China, the Russian Federation and a station

quality training being imparted to trainees from

operated jointly by Australia and Romania. A

various countries and with its presence all the way

fourth station, Bharti is being established by till Antarctica, INHD has proven to be a worthy

India. With the second dedicated station being

forebearer of national soft power.

9 The IHO Hydrographic Commission on Antarctica is a special conformity with IHO Resolution 2/1997 as amended from Hydrographic Commission of the International Hydrographic time to time. India was one of the initial signatory countries Organisation (IHO). The IHO-HCA was established in

to IHO-HCA on 9 September 2003.

266

Blue Waters Ahoy!

5

The Naval Armament

Inspection (NAI)

Organization

Ensuring Weapon and Ordnance Reliability

The Naval Armament Inspection (NAI) organization

communication systems. The NAI organization’s

is a premier agency engaged in ensuring ‘sharpness

s u p p o r t t o t h e I n d i a n N a v y i n t e r m s o f of the fighting teeth’ of

indigenization and life extension of naval armament

Responsible for

the Indian Navy. Set up

saves huge costs to the national exchequer. It also

providing support to

to provide shore-based/

lends its expertise to the other two sister Services, issues related to naval online support for issues besides the Defence Research and Development

related to naval armament,

Organization (DRDO), the Strategic Systems

armament, its design

i t i s d e e p l y i n v o l v e d

Quality Assurance Group (SSQAG), the Missile

and construction,

throughout the life cycle

Systems Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA) and

repair, life-assessment, of any weapon/ordnance: the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

among other crucial

its design, development,

This has been achieved through establishment

aspects, the Naval

indigenization, in-service

of state-of-the-art test laboratories, proof-firing

Armament Inspection surveillance, proofing, facilities, and a repository of armament knowledge organization is a

failure-investigation, life-

aside from the creation of the digital networks.

premier agency

assessment and extension of

Specialist NAI offi cers have been instrumental in

that ensures the

life, and safety and disposal.

improving the quality of all ongoing projects of

effectiveness of the

The NAI organization is

these organizations through inputs fed during the

main ammunition

responsible for inspection of

design, development, testing and technical/user

required to fi ght

not only basic ordnance, but

acceptance trials.1

and win wars.

also for quality assurance of

all conventional armament,

A Brief Look at the History of NAI

torpedoes, missiles, torpedo tubes, decoys, etc.,

the inspection also encompassing the launch and

Owing its origins to the British Army in the fi rst

1 See A Journey Extraordinaire, 1948–2017, DGNAI, Gopesh Print O Pack Pvt Ltd, New Delhi/Greater Noida, 2017, pp. ii–v.

half of the twentieth century, the inspection and Roles, Responsibilities and Functions

acceptance of naval armament was taken over by the

Royal Navy in 1929 with the establishment of the

The charter of NAI was to manage operational

fi rst Royal Navy Ordnance Inspectorate at Bombay

logistics of NA Stores. Thus, NAI offi cers were tasked (now Mumbai), under a Captain of the Royal Navy

with inspection, research/design, experimentation

based at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

and other duties related to armament that fell

In 1948, a year following Independence, the

within this charter. The role of NAI was enhanced

Royal Indian Navy (RIN) decided to set up its own

in the 1970s to cover torpedoes and later, in the

inspection agency and thus the NAI Organization

1980s, to undertake the inspection of missiles.

came into existence on 11 November 1949. It

In August 1991, its role Apart from

was headquartered in Bombay. Major Lancelot

was further expanded to carrying out the

Priestley of the British Army was appointed as the

include torpedo tubes of

fi rst Deputy Inspector of Naval Ordnance (DINO),

ships and submarines.

task of quality

again in Bombay. The offi ce of DINO was shifted

The ordnance in the assurance of the

to Naval Headquarters, New Delhi in 1951 and

Navy, i.e., NA Stores, NA Stores, the NAI

redesignated as Director of Naval Armament

comprise the entire range organization began

Inspection (DNAI). The first independent NAI

o f g u n a m m u n i t i o n , to participate heavily unit was set up in October 1953 at the Gun &

torpedoes, missiles, mines in helping the

Shell factory, Cossipore, Calcutta (now Kolkata).

a n d o t h e r e x p l o s i v e Indian Navy attain In order to meet the growing inspection and

materials. The reliable self-reliance in the

Quality Assurance (QA) requirements of Naval

performance of the latter area of ensuring

Armament Stores (NA Stores), various NAI

during their prescribed reliability of all

units were, in the subsequent years, established

shelf life, is vital to winning

ordnance.

at Kanpur, Jabalpur, Pune, Delhi, Trombay,

wars. At the same time, the

Ambarnath, Karanja, Alwaye, Kochi, Hyderabad,

safety of the men handling the material, and the

Sunabeda and Trivandrum. The initial batches

stores themselves, during storage and disposal, is

of NAI offi cers were drawn from the Executive

also a major consideration.

Branch of the Navy who had the option of either

The NAI organization is responsible for

reverting to the General Service or remaining

inspecting and carrying out QA of NA Stores at:

with the NAI. Accordingly, on 12 May 1961,

• Naval Armament Depots (NAD) during

the fi rst Indian offi cer to become the DNAI was

storage, issue and fi nal disposal of NA Stores.

Captain V.A. Kamath, who later rose to become

• Various production agencies like Ordnance

the Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS). However,

Factories, PSUs and private fi rms for successful

with increasing technology content that required

production and delivery of NA Stores.

integration, a need was felt to directly induct

• DRDO Labs, while involved in various

technically qualifi ed offi cers, thus carving out a

prestigious projects during their design/

new, independent identity for the organization.

development.

The post of the head of the organization, DNAI

• Platforms for undertaking routine inspection

was redesignated as Director General of Naval

o f t h e e x i s t i n g l a u n c h e r s o r d u r i n g Armament Inspection (DGNAI) in 1997, and the rank

installation.

of this authority upgraded from that of Commodore

to Flag Rank (Rear Admiral) in March 2002.

268

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Focus Areas and Infrastructure During new generation missiles being maintained in the the Decade (2001–10)

Navy’s inventory. This has also led to signifi cant

savings to the exchequer.

The aim of the cadre has always been to ensure

that only serviceable and reliable armament is

Test Facilities for Life Assessment and Life

sent to the fleet. However, with the collapse of

E x t e n s i o n o f N A S t o r e s . C o n t e m p o r a r y the Soviet Union, it became increasingly diffi cult

technology was imbibed with state-of-the-art

to sustain an ageing inventory. This necessitated

test facilities established at NAI units located in

the NAI to broaden its expertise from mere defect

Mumbai, Vishakapatanam and Alwaye. These test

identifi cation to becoming a solution provider for

facilities are the centres of excellence of the NAI

defects and inadequacies within the system. Thus

organization aimed towards evaluating quality,

arose the need to indigenize and attain self-reliance.

safety, functionality and reliability of in-service NA Accordingly, expertise was developed in:

Stores and those under indigenization, production

• Assessment of technical parameters of stores

and life extension of ordnance.

at hand for which Rocket Motor Static

Firing Facility (RMSFF) and test labs for

Radiography Centre. The Radiography Centre at metal, rubbers, oil, greases and paints were

NAI, Karanja was established in 2001 to undertake

established.

radiography of NA Stores in aid of in-service

• Interpretation of technical parameters and

surveillance and life assessment/extension. Used

identifying their equivalents if any, available

extensively, this facility has saved valuable time for within the country. Standardization was

assessment of serviceability of NA Stores besides

a primary focus area during the decade

saving transportation and other costs.

and therefore, NAI organization found an

increasing role/interaction with the Directorate

of Standardization and MoD/Department of

Defence Production (DDP).

• Direct indigenization through producers, viz.

Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), DPSUs and

trade.

Establishment of Test Facilities

Rocket Motor Static Firing Facility (RMSFF).

Fully operational by 2001, the RMSFF was

set up in 1996 at NAI, Karanja. The objective

behind its establishment was evaluating critical

performance parameters of rocket motors of

missiles and conventional armament by firing

Radiography facility at NAI, Karanja

them in static condition. This unique facility

with state-of-the-art data acquisition systems,

Indigenization and Life Extension

sensors and instrumentation, has resulted

Indigenization of Missile Explosives and Sub-

in the indigenization of all explosives of the

assemblies. Soviet-origin missiles, viz. P-Series SSMs P-series SSMs and RZ-61 SAMs along with

and RZ-61 SAMs had life-expired explosives and

The Naval Armament Inspection (NAI) Organization

269

sub-assemblies.This necessitated indigenization Life Extension of Missiles and Ammunition. During of their components-explosive and non-explosive

the decade, the NAI organization also established

ones—to ensure continued operational availability

core competency in life extension of missiles

of these articles. By 2005–6, the DGNAI had

and conventional ammunition. Accordingly, life

indigenized all the P-Series and RZ-61 missile

extension of new missiles in the Navy such as

explosives through in-house engineering and

Barak SAM, Igla MANPADS and Uran SSM was

generation of drawings and technical parameters in

undertaken without any support from the OEM.

association with the OFB.

Seminars and Workshops3

Indigenization of Torpedo and Missile Batteries.

Introspection 2006. The first edition of the NAI The batteries for a wide spectrum of guided

Workshop, ‘Introspection 2006’ was conducted

weapons held in the Navy, viz. P-Series Missiles

between 6 and 7 July 2006 in Hyderabad. The

and the SUT, CET-65E, TEST-71ME, AT1ME,

workshop provided a platform for the Navy to

A244S torpedoes were successfully indigenized in

define its expectations from designers as well

association with private vendors identifi ed by the

as for manufacturers/suppliers to showcase the

DGNAI.

characteristics/unique properties of their hardware.

The deliberation also provided an in-depth perspective Indigenization of Underwater Warhead. The

on the users’ requirement during indigenization and

warheads of underwater weapons such as CET-

acceptance.

65E/53-65 KE torpedo, SUT, Depth Charges,

PLAB Bombs, etc., were successfully indigenized

NAVARMS 2007. The first ever International

through the establishment of warhead composition

Seminar and Exhibition on Naval Armament hosted

equivalent as well as the boiling-out2 and re-fi lling by the Indian Navy—NAVARMS 2007—was

facility by the OFB.

conducted from 19 to 20 July 2007 in New Delhi

in association with the Confederation of Indian

Indigenization of Conventional Ammunition. The Industry (CII). The aim was to create awareness

DGNAI endeavoured to indigenize conventional

about fresh opportunities for greater participation

ammunition from the level of drawing board and

of Indian and foreign industries in domestic defence

using in-house expertise. Indigenization gathered

production. It provided a platform for substantive

momentum in tandem with the growth of naval share

deliberations on evolving policies towards vendor

in the product range of the OFB which, until then, had selection, sourcing and product support, apart

restricted itself mainly to Army stores. Accordingly, from harnessing the potential of public and private

the DGNAI spearheaded the successful indigenization

partnership for production of naval armament.

of armament for the Kavach chaff system (launcher

and rockets), 76/62 SRGM gun’s ammunition, sub-

Introspection 2010. The second NAI Workshop,

assemblies, 140mm, RGB-12 and RGB-60 rockets,

‘Introspection 2010’, was held in Hyderabad from

through direct association with the OFB.

2 Boiling-out is the process of melting the explosive (warhead 3 See A Journey Extraordinaire, 1948–2017, pp. 70–77.

fi lling) by passing high pressure steam into the warhead casing/

shell.

270

Blue Waters Ahoy!

30 to 31 July 2010 with all stakeholders involved in In Conclusion

indigenous production of NA Stores participating.

The workshop was conducted to discuss methods

Since inception, the NAI organization has not

of synergizing QA with the (various) phases of

only expanded its footprint across the country

design, development, manufacture and maintenance

(for last-mile service to the user), but has also

with respect to the emerging technologies and

achieved many a conspicuous skill through sheer

advancement in QA procedures/methodologies.

dedication. Liberal treatment of innovation and

The deliberations during the workshop enabled

drawing from the collective brain power available

the resolution of many important as well as routine

through interaction between stakeholders like

issues faced in design and development of NA

designers, OEMs and suppliers of armament in

Stores at the DRDO, and manufacturing by the

seminars and workshops, the organization has

OFB/DPSUs/private industries, as also maintenance

acquired indigenous capabilities. This focus, in

at depots.

turn, has borne rich dividends towards the Navy’s

long-standing aim of self-reliance.

The Naval Armament Inspection (NAI) Organization

271

6

The Medical Branch of the Navy

A Vital Support System

Amongst all human professions, if there is one

density can be higher than those in an incident

where the client is treated by a professional

ashore. This problem is further compounded in

often considered akin to God, it is the medical

a submarine, the operating medium of which

profession. In the Armed Forces, the Medical

itself poses a natural (occupational) hazard.

Branch draws a similar kind of awe. While men of

Additionally, in a submarine, the maintenance of a

arms are known to overcome all obstacles, when

well-controlled microclimate is absolutely essential

it comes to serious sickness and unseemly injury,

to ensure optimum health standards and fi tness of

the Medical Branch steps in. Officers from the

the personnel. In the diving branch, for personnel

Medical Branch are in fact the support behind the

operating at deep depths, decompression sickness

men behind the machines.

has always been a serious cause for concern.

For the Air arm, the physical and psychological

A Multidimensional Service Provider

requirements to optimally handle various types of

aircraft and to ensure success of missions needs

The Indian Navy of today is a truly multidimensional

medical fi tness.

force to be reckoned with. From carrier-borne

fi ghters and MR aircraft to deep diving submarines

Early History of the Medical Branch

as part of the fray, the need to look after the health of the personnel who man these platforms, has

Medical Offi cers (MOs)

always been a priority.

It was the (British) East India Company that effected In an operational scenario, the nature of

the first changes in the system of the Medical

casualties and their numbers depend upon the

Services afl oat. Till then, Captains of Royal Naval

nature of the platform involved in an operation and

ships (and even masters of the British Mercantile

the nature of the operation itself. Surface ships have Fleet), considered themselves competent to decide/

their own limitations in terms of space. Since more

act upon health issues. Impressed with the medical

personnel are present in a relatively small area, in

organization in the East India Company, the Royal

case of a direct hit or an accident, casualty fi gures/

Navy, in 1626 CE, handed over to the Company,

the task of procurement of medicines and medical Dr Daisy Pereira, was commissioned on 4 September

equipment for warships.

1944. She was posted to HMIS Dalhousie (now

The foundation of the medical services was

INS Angre) to look after members of the WRINS

laid, drawing from the experiences of both

in station.

seafarers and surgeons afl oat. Initially, surgeons

were recruited from amongst medical personnel

Dental Offi cers

in shore establishments, principally from the three

As the Navy expanded in its size and deployment

Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras, each

pattern, facilities for dental treatment too began to of which had its own medical establishment under

get established. Initially, dental care was provided

the nomenclature Presidency Medical Services. On

by civilian dental surgeons who were hired on

23 May 1786, a hospital board was constituted to

annual contracts. The first such dental surgeon

oversee the functioning of all Military Hospitals

was one Dr Vacha, who established the fi rst Naval

(MHs) under the East India Company. A decade

Dental Care Room in Castle Barracks (present day

later, this was changed to a ‘Medical Board’,

Angre). The fi rst dental surgeon in uniform was which assumed the responsibility of overseeing all

Surg. Lt ARS Hossen who was seconded from the

military and civil hospitals providing medical care

Army Dental Corps, on 2 April 1943. He, however,

to personnel of the East India Company. The fi rst

migrated to Pakistan after Independence.

Director General (DG) of the Medical Department

Only two Dental Centres existed in 1948—one

was appointed in 1858, and in 1896, the three

in Bombay and the other in Lonavala—both in

Presidency Medical Services were merged to form

Maharashtra. Today, the Dental Corps has a large

the Indian Medical Service (IMS), with a DG as its

force of variously specialized offi cers who provide

head. Doctors of the IMS were active combatants.

dental care. The Naval Dental Centre at INHS

By the close of the nineteenth century, each

Asvini was established in June 1961. This centre warship of the Royal Indian Marine carried an

eventually blossomed into the Naval Institute of

‘Assistant Surgeon’, seconded from the Army for

Dental Sciences (NIDS). The Director, NIDS is also

three year tenures. Three of the largest warships, viz.

the Dental Adviser to the Navy. Today, NIDS is a

Dufferin, Hardinge and Northbrooke, also carried a full-fl edged, multi-specialty dental centre with the Medical Offi cer each, who was either from the IMS

availability of all major facilties.

cadre, or from the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

(RNVR). The arrangement of seconding Army

Nursing Offi cers

offi cers to the Navy continued well into the 1930s.

The Navy never had nurses as it did not own a

Starting 1943, doctors were granted commission in

hospital of its own till the early 1940s. Therefore,

the RIN and it was these doctors who constituted the

up until then, the Service depended upon the

RIN’s Medical Branch. Some Army medical offi cers

Army and civil hospitals for in-patient care of its

who volunteered were also included. By an order of

personnel.

1944, the Medical Branch of the RINVR was raised

The first hospital to be owned by the Navy

and Medical Offi cers (MOs) of the Navy were, for

was the Royal Indian Navy Hospital at Sewri

the fi rst time, allowed to wear Naval Ranks with a

near Bombay. This was established in April

scarlet band in their rank badges as a distinguishing 1943. Thus came the fi rst requirement of nursing

mark of the Medical Branch. The Women’s Royal

staff. The Medical Offi cer-in-Charge of the RIN

Indian Naval Service (WRINS) was raised in March

Hospital started recruiting nurses from the local

1945. The fi rst woman Medical Offi cer of the Navy,

populace. RINH Sewri was closed down in 1946.

The Medical Branch of the Navy

273

Subsequently, nursing staff for INHS Asvini the cornerstone of the multi-specialty of medical

(commissioned in 1951) came from the Military

services in the Navy—also acting as a referral

Nursing Service (MNS). Even though the nursing

hospital for several naval stations and units. Asvini staff were addressed by their army ranks, they wore

celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2001.

equivalent naval badges. This practice ended on

On Navy Day (4 December) in 2004, its new

1 July 2000 when their uniform was changed to

buildings were inaugurated. INHS Asvini was

the regular army uniform. Subsequently, in May

now an 825-bed modern hospital with all possible

2004, their uniforms and rank badges changed to

facilities dealing with every specialty and every

distinctly represent the MNS.

treatment. Asvini was awarded the Defence

Minister’s trophy for the Best Command Hospital

Medical Assistants (MAs)

in 2010. In December 2010, the School of Nursing

Though the Royal Navy’s ships had surgeons from

was upgraded to the ‘College’ of Nursing.

1612 onwards, there was no dedicated paramedical

staff to assist them. In times of need, any rating

INHS Kalyani

who was unoccupied was assigned as the Surgeon’s

Located in Visakhapatnam, this hospital caters to

Mate. Unqualifi ed and often disinterested, these

the Eastern Naval Command. It was commissioned

mates could do little more than provide physical

on 18 May 1962 within the base depot INS Circars

help. Therefore, in 1833, a separate cadre of

as a humble 60-bedder. It shifted to its present

paramedics called Sick Berth Attendants was

location on 17 September 1986 and by 2010, it

created. In 1883, the process of posting physically

had a capacity for 306 beds, with facilities for a

fi t boys onboard ships was started before sending

majority of diagnosis/treatments. Being the only

them to the Halsar Hospital in England for basic

major naval hospital on the east coast, Kalyani

medical training lasting 18 months. In India, it

also caters to a large number of ex-Servicemen that

was in 1914 that a decision was taken to have a

are dependent on the hospital (apart from the co-

dedicated branch of Sick Berth Attendants. The

located ECHS Polyclinic) for their medical needs.

initial 10 volunteers from the Stoker and Seaman

With the Eastern Naval Command as one of the

Branches were the forerunners of the MAs of

two operational Commands of the Navy, and with

today’s Navy. In 1954, the Sick Berth Attendant

increasing workload and major advances in the

School was established at INHS Asvini. In 1967, fi eld of medicine, the GoI’s decision sanctioning

this establishment became the School of Medical

upgradation of the Kalyani to a 600-bed Command Assistants (SOMA).

Hospital with ten super-specialty centers, in April

2010, was a much-awaited one.

Hospitals in the Indian Navy

INHS Sanjivani

INHS Asvini

This hospital was commissioned at Kochi on

The oldest and largest hospital of the Indian

8 March 1958 within the premises of INS

Navy—located at Colaba, South Mumbai— Asvini,

Venduruthy, with a capacity of 75 beds. It was has a rich history of over two and a half centuries.

subsequently shifted to its present location within

Starting life as The King’s (Seamen’s) Hospital in

the base on 15 December 1979. The hospital has

1756, the hospital donned several avatars before

seen iterative capacity and capability enhancements

settling in its present iteration of INHS Asvini

over the years, and has a capacity of 333 beds, with

on 18 September 1951. Since then, it has been

contemporary facilities catering to varied kinds of

274

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Portuguese. On 7 December 1999, Jeevanti became the first naval unit (and in turn, the first Indian

naval hospital) to be commanded by a woman MO

when Surgeon Captain Manorama Pawah assumed

command.

INHS Kasturi

Although INS Shivaji came into existence in

1945, its medical facilities converted from a

mere Sickbay into a commissioned hospital unit,

Visit of then President, HE Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,

INHS Kasturi, on 2 June 1980. It was located

to INHS Sanjivani, Kochi, 25 April 2004

in Lonavala, Maharashtra. Having undergone

substantial changes, the hospital shifted from

ailments. For its continued efforts, the hospital was its old buildings into a more modern block on

awarded ‘Unit Citation’ by the Chief of the Naval

20 November 2001. By end 2010, INHS Kasturi

Staff (CNS), for the year 2002–3, the singular naval

was a 54-bed hospital with facilities for all

hospital to have been so awarded.

basic specialties.

Sanjivani made history when it became the fi rst naval hospital team to win the prestigious ‘Cock’1

INHS Nivarini

at the Command Pulling Regatta in 2010.2

The Sailors Training Establishment, INS Chilka

(located in Odisha) needed a hospital of its own

INHS Dhanvantari

in view of the numbers it was catering for, as

The first Naval Hospital in the Andamans was

well as its location and distance from specialized

located at Haddo and inaugurated on 1 August 1974.

medical facilities. Nivarini was commissioned on It was later commissioned as INHS Dhanvantari

3 June 1980. Starting off as a small 30-bedder, the

on 7 October that same year. The present avatar of

hospital, in 2010, had become a 72-bed mid-zonal,

the hospital at Minnie Bay started functioning on 5

secondary-care referral centre.

August 1992. With the formation of the Tri-Services

Command on 8 October 2001, the hospital was

INHS Patanjali

placed under the Commander-in-Chief, Andaman

The naval base at Karwar was conceptualized and

& Nicobar Command (earlier under the Eastern

built as ‘one for the future’. It was necessary that

Naval Command). Today, it has a capacity of 107

an associated hospital was in place which was

beds and facilities for all basic specialties.

consonant with this vision. The medical facilities

at Karwar took roots in a small MI Room. These

INHS Jeevanti

facilities shifted to ‘Naval Hospital Karwar’ at

The naval hospital in Goa was commissioned on

INS Kadamba (the base depot ship at Karwar).

18 April 1966 following Goa’s liberation from the

Patanjali, in its present avatar, was commissioned 1

2

Along with the Tug-of-War, the Boat-pulling regatta is a The team sealed its legendary status by successfully defending naval sporting event that exudes the maximum enthusiasm its crown the subsequent year—a record that will be diffi cult and cheering, notwithstanding the participating numbers. The to beat.

winner is awarded a trophy in the shape of a fi ghter cock.

The Medical Branch of the Navy

275

on 26 December 2006, becoming the fi rst naval

• To develop, maintain and impart standardized

hospital to be commissioned in nearly 27 years.

professional training in marine medicine,

specifi cally for MOs and MAs.

Medical Training in the Navy

• To carry out basic and advanced research

related to Naval Medicine and allied subjects

Located in Mumbai, premier establishments

independently, or in conjunction with INHS

providing medical training in the Navy have

Asvini and the DRDO.

grown over the years. Some of the other

• To conduct medical examinations and medical

hospitals of the Navy located outside Mumbai

boards of divers and submariners.

are also recognized for training courses to be

• To conduct Naval medical symposia,

conducted but limited to certain specific types.

workshops/CMEs and manage the Marine

The office of ‘Commodore Academics’ was

Medical Society, including publication of the

established in the year 2002 to coordinate all

Journal of the Marine Medical Society.

training pertaining to MOs and to liaise with

• To control and coordinate the AFMRC

the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences

research projects of the Navy.

(MUHS) for matters pertaining to such training.

• Editing, publishing and documenting naval

medical research papers.

Selection of Medical Offi cers for Specialization

MOs of the Navy are selected for specialization

School of Naval Medicine (SNM)

and further sub-specialization by the offi ce of the

The School of Naval Medicine (SNM) was

Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services

established as an integral part of INM in 1964,

(DGAFMS) through entrance examinations where

to cater for training of MOs and sailors. It was

MOs from all three Services compete.

redesignated as the Under Sea Medicine Department

following the restructuring of INM in December

Institute of Naval Medicine (INM)

2004. SNM has been instrumental in orienting

The Institute of Naval Medicine (INM) is the nodal

young MOs to the professional (occupational)

agency to coordinate all the research projects of

requirements of the Navy. It conducts the Naval

the Navy in the Armed Forces Medical Research

Orientation Course for MOs, Diploma in Marine

Committee (AFMRC) and the Defence Research

Medicine for PG Residents and a course in

and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is also

Underwater Medicine for Friendly Foreign Navies’

responsible for conducting professional conferences

medical personnel.

like the Annual Conference of the Marine Medical

Society, the Bombay Medical Congress and

College of Nursing

‘continuing medical education’ (CME) programs in

The School of Nursing was started in 1963 at INHS

Marine/Aviation Medicine. Originally established

Asvini. It used to conduct a three-year diploma in 1964 as the Naval Medical Research and

program in ‘General Nursing and Midwifery’,

Training Centre (NMRTC), it was redesignated

recognized by the Indian Nursing Council. The

as INM in 1974 and placed under the control of

institute was upgraded to the College of Nursing in

Headquarters, Western Naval Command, in 1986.

2010 to provide training in nursing leading to the

It was restructured and placed under the command

award of a BSc degree in Nursing. The college is

and control of INHS Asvini in 2004. The charter of affi liated to the MUHS and is under the statutory

responsibilities of INM include the following:

body, Indian Nursing Council (INC). As of 2010,

276

Blue Waters Ahoy!

it has 24 permanent teaching faculty and a hostel divers, submariners and MARCOS. It is only UWM

for over 140 nursing cadets.

specialists who can certify fitness for diving and

submarine duties.

School of Medical Assistants (SOMA)

Established in 1967 at INHS Asvini, this school Aerospace Medicine

is responsible for the basic medical training of

Much like submarine operations, air operations too

the sailors of the Medical Branch. It also imparts

require a great deal of attention to safety. The role training for diplomas in various specialties, in

of Aerospace Medicine is to ensure that the pilot

addition to holding regular and periodic refresher

fl ying the machine is perfectly fi t in all respects.

courses.

For training in Aerospace Medicine, selected MOs

from the Navy undergo training at the Air Force

The Specialists

Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Bangalore, where

While the largest clientele of the Medical Branch

they receive an MD (degree) after three years

are the personnel of the surface fl eet and personnel of training. On 4 December 2004, the NAMC

ashore, the medical situations arising from incidents was established in Goa in the old INHS Jeevanti

in the air and underwater pose particularly peculiar

building, with the objectives of providing expertise

challenges to the medical fraternity. Therefore, the

on aero-medical issues and issues regarding fl ight

INM and the Naval Aero-Medical Centre (NAMC)

safety in the context of naval aviation. The NAMC

were established in 1974 and 2005 respectively,

is also the Referral Centre for medical evaluation of which led to the development of specialization in

aircrew and provides specialized training to aircrew

underwater and aerospace medicine.

in the fi eld of spatial disorientation, night vision, hypoxia and survival.

Marine Medicine

Submarines are naturally susceptible to a distinct set Outreach Efforts

of problems as compared to surface ships. In the mid-

1960s, after the Navy decided to have a submarine

A p a r t f r o m t h e m a n d a t e d p r o v i s i o n o f arm, a group of MOs were sent to the erstwhile

comprehensive medical cover to entitled people,

USSR for training in ‘underwater medicine’. With

medical teams from the Indian Navy are also

the induction of submarines, the onboard MO was

routinely deputed as part of outreach programs

also designated as the Escape Offi cer. The subject

that provide medical facilities to civilian

‘Underwater Medicine’ (UWM) is now taught at

population.

the SNM. The role of these specialists has expanded

over the years and now they also cater to the medical Natural Calamities

care (special contingencies) of Marine Commandos

Naval Hospitals are known to render yeoman

(MARCOS). Navy’s diving rescue platform, INS

service in the face of natural calamities. Those

Nireekshak also has a UWM specialist, in addition encountered during the period 2001–2010 include

to those onboard submarines. This specialist is a

the devastating earthquake at Bhuj, Gujarat

very important member of the selection board for

(2001), the Tsunami (2004),3 the Maharashtra

3 The medical personnel from Sanjivani were the fi rst foreign medical team to reach Sri Lanka when tsunami hit in 2004.

The Medical Branch of the Navy

277

fl oods (2005), the Tamil Nadu cyclones (2005 and by Kalsi, in the Dehradun district of Uttarakhand

2008), and frequent fl oods and cyclones in Orissa

in 2004, and Tosham, situated in the Bhiwani

(now Odisha)4 and Andhra Pradesh.

district of Haryana, in 2005. A common feature of

all these locations was their remoteness. The idea

UN Peace Keeping (UNPK) Missions

was to impart healthcare and education in hygiene

The Navy’s MOs have long been part of UNPK

to people in dispersed locations—generally distant

missions. Two surgical specialists of the Indian

from towns.

Navy were posted at the UN Mission at Congo

On similar lines, in 2010, the local population

in 2005–6.

of Hoshangabad District in Madhya Pradesh

were provided free medical facilities. This

USNS Mercy Mission 2005 and 2008

included echocardiography and ultrasonography

Six MOs and three MAs formed part of the Indian

in addition to consultation by specialist medical

contingent onboard the American Hospital Ship,

personnel. All these camps are typically received

USNS Mercy, in early 2005. The USNS Mercy had with enthusiasm, anticipation and a sense of

launched a humanitarian and goodwill mission in

satisfaction by the local populace.

the tsunami-affected areas in the South-east Asian

region. In 2008, an Indian Naval Medical Team

Some Interesting Facts

was again embarked on the same ship for providing

medical aid to the local populations of Philippines,

Six Doctors in One Family

Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and Micronesia.

In 2002, six MOs from the same family achieved

the rare distinction of being in the Navy at the

Humanitarian Mission—USS Paleliu, 2007

same time. This included Surgeon Capt. Vijay

In June 2007, two Naval MOs and two MAs were

Kumar Tarneja and Surgeon Capt. (Mrs) Pramila

embarked onboard USS Paleliu on a humanitarian Tarneja, their two sons Surgeon Lt Cdr Sameer

mission covering Philippines, Vietnam, Papua New

Tarneja and Surgeon Lt Cdr Sachin Tarneja and

Guinea, Solomon Islands and Marshall Islands.

their respective wives Surg Lt Cdr Shilpa and Surg

Lt Cdr Kavita.

Medical Camps

The Navy periodically conducts multi-specialty

First Woman Medical Offi cer to Command

medical camps in remote locations like Campbell

a Parade

Bay in Great Nicobar, as also in villages in close

On 13 March 2006, Surg Lt Cdr Wahida Prizm

proximity to naval hospitals. Apart from free

created history by becoming the first woman

distribution of medicines, preventive healthcare is

offi cer of the Indian Armed Forces to command

taught to the populace in these areas.

a ceremonial parade. The parade was held at the

Since the turn of the millennium, an annual

Armed Forces Medical College, Pune.

medical camp has been regularly organized by the

Navy, as part of the Navy Week celebrations. The

Duty in Lands Afar

first such camp was held at Akhepura in Ajmer

On 28 March 2007, a Snowmobile driven by an

district of Rajasthan, in 2003. This was followed

Indian Army soldier was lost in a snow blizzard.

4 Nivarini, along with other military and civil agencies, played the super cyclone that hit Orissa in 1999.

a key role, in the massive relief operation in aid of victims of 278

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Surg Lt IB Udaya, using his skill with navigational The officer was awarded the Jeevan Raksha

aids, not only located the broken down vehicle in

Padak by the President of India in 2011.

the snow storm, but also brought the soldier back

to treat him for hypothermia, thus saving his life.

In Conclusion

The MO was awarded Nao-sena Medal (Gallantry)

for this feat.

The medical profession is most revered in the

human race because of the expertise involved

Courage in the Face of Attack

in diagnostics, treatment and prevention of

On 1 May 2010, while posted in the jungle of

disease. In the Navy, these professionals have a

Sundergarh district, a young commando with the

much tougher task—that of providing healthcare

Orissa Police sustained a grievous ballistic injury

and dealing with emergencies onboard ships

wherein an undetonated grenade, launched by a

and submarines where the luxury of space and

Naxalite, got embedded in the commando’s body.

hospital infrastructure is absent.

As no surgeon from the civil hospital was willing to

In naval hospitals across the commands, the

operate on the victim due to the fear and likelihood

urge for keeping abreast of the latest in medical

of the grenade detonating during surgery, INHS

science and technology has been instrumental in

Nivarini at Chilka was contacted. On 2 May 2010, making the major hospitals as modern as some of

Surg Cdr G.K. Shreeram performed the surgery in

the biggest names in metropolitan cities.

a fearless manner in Cuttack and saved the young

Above all, it is the do or die spirit of the MOs

commando’s life by successfully removing the four-

in uniform which make them perform miracles on

inch long grenade.

naval platforms as well as ashore.

The Medical Branch of the Navy

279

7

Naval Oceanology and

Meteorology

IN’s Continued Effort at Sophisticated

Weather Forecasting

Introduction

onboard vessels. Weather observations were started

initially by simply stepping outside and noting what

Meteorology is a core science for the seafaring

was ‘seen’, ‘heard’ and ‘felt’. These observations—

and aviation communities. In contemporary times,

initially carried out manually—slowly graduated to

the development of meteorology as a science has

record-keeping through instruments and equipment,

gone hand-in-hand with the growth of other

and have now seen progression to automatic

associated sciences/fields such as Aviation and

observation stations in the recent past.

Marine Navigation.

In the military domain, the changing nature of

The

fi rst International Meteorological Conference

warfare, advent of the information age and access to

was held at Brussels in 1853 at the initiative of

cutting-edge technologies have not only resulted in

Matthew Fontaine Maury1 of the US Navy. The

steady improvements in weather forecasting leading

objective of the conference was to devise a uniform

to improvement in air and surface navigational

system of meteorological observations at sea and to

safety but have also ensured a decisive edge to the

formulate a general plan of observation of the winds

Commander in the fi eld.

and currents which would aid and improve navigation

among all seafarers. The Conference recommended

Meteorological Training in the Navy:

a number of practices—standard observation times,

A Brief History

methods of observation and logging format for

weather reports from ships at sea—all intended at

Meteorological training in the Indian Navy

improving operating practices and record-keeping

began in 1949 when Lieutenant (later Captain)

1 Initially, a US Naval offi cer, Matthew Fontaine Maury went published maps of the main wind fi elds of the Earth. Maury’s on to become a pioneer hydrographer and one of the founders work inspired the fi rst International Marine Conference held of oceanography. In 1842 he was placed in charge of the in Brussels in 1853. See https://www.britannica.com/biography/

Depot of Charts and Instruments, out of which grew the US

Matthew-Fontaine-Maury

Naval Observatory and Hydrographic Office. In 1848, he

Inder Chowla, an Education Offi cer, was deputed (METOC) services. The expansion and growth

to the Royal Navy, UK, for a course in Naval

of the Naval Meteorological organization has

Meteorology. In consideration of the requisite

kept pace with the growth of the Navy—both in

educational qualifications of mathematics and

terms of size and the fast expanding spectrum of

physics, Education Offi cers (known at that time

technologies.

as Instructor Officers) were trained as ‘Weather

Forecasters’. This was followed, in 1952, by the

The Decade: 2001–10

deputation of four Instructor Officers and four

sailors for training, to meet the meteorological

The decade 2001–10 saw rapid growth in the

requirements of Naval Aviation. Meteorological

Indian Naval METOC organization in all aspects

services in the Navy formally commenced in the

of operational support services. It saw expansion,

year 1953, with the commissioning of the first

realignment and consolidation of METOC services

Naval Air Station, INS Garuda, with an integral with the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Ocean

Met Offi ce, at Kochi. Met Offi ces were established

Centre—the Naval Operations Data Processing and

one after another from the early 1950s with the

Analysis Centre (NODPAC) at Kochi. NODPAC

advent and subsequent growth of the Naval Air

was created through the merger of the erstwhile

Arm. All the Naval Air Stations were equipped

Ocean Forecasting Centre (OFC) and the Low

with Met hardware (modern equipment and

Frequency Analysis and

instruments) with the sustained support of the

In 1968, the DNE

R e c o r d i n g ( L O FA R )

India Meteorological Department (IMD), the

Centre. In addition, as part

was redesignated as

National Weather Agency. With the passage

of the integral Met support

the Directorate of

of time, a separate Meteorological Training

s e r v i c e s t o N a v a l A i r Naval Education Section (MTS) was established within the Met

Stations, one Met Office and Meteorology

Offi ce at INS Garuda to meet the training needs each was set up at INS (DNEM) and in

of the Indian Navy. In due course of time, three

Parundu and INS Dwarka

1982, a separate

independent Naval Met Offi ces (NMOs) were also

respectively.

Directorate of Naval

established at Bombay, Visakhapatnam and Port

Created in the year Oceanology and

Blair respectively. These NMOs started functioning

2 0 0 2 , N O D PA C w a s Meteorology was

as the Command Met Offices (of the respective

mandated as the nodal established.

Commands) to cater to the fl eet at sea and local

agency in the Indian Navy

forecasting requirements, besides overseeing the

for collating, processing, analysing and archiving

work of the Met offi ces at the various Naval Air

of oceanographic, environmental and LOFAR data.

Stations within their jurisdiction.

NODPAC sources ocean data from a number of

In 1957, a Staff Officer (Meteorology) was

organizations like the Indian National Centre for

positioned to assist the Director, Naval Education

Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), National

(DNE) to administer meteorological services. In

Institute of Oceanography (NIO), National

1968, the DNE was redesignated as the Directorate

Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) and from

of Naval Education and Meteorology (DNEM).

open sources, apart from the regular data received

Subsequently, in 1982, a separate Directorate of

from Indian Navy ships.

Naval Oceanology and Meteorology (DNOM) was

carved out of the parent directorate to meet the

Introduction to Wave and Ocean Modelling

requirements of meteorological and oceanologic

This decade also heralded the introduction of

Naval Oceanology and Meteorology

281

wave and ocean modelling in the Navy. The (DMDD) (since superseded by more modern

Wave Watch III model, optimized for the Indian

equipment)

Ocean Region (IOR) by the National Physical

• Pocket Weather Tracker

Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, was

• World Space Receiver (since superseded)

inducted into the Indian Navy in 2004. Two

years later, in 2006, the Physical Oceanographic

Training

Data Processing System (PODPS) was introduced

Recognition of SNOM as a Centre of Excellence.

to store the ‘legacy’ physical oceanography data

The School of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology

recorded by Indian Navy ships. This system

(SNOM) was recognized as a ‘Centre of Excellence

revamped data management and led to automation

in Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences’ by the Cochin

in the processing of all oceanographic data. The

University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) on

installation and operationalization of advanced

7 October 2002 under an MoU which affi liated the

ocean state forecast models like Simulating Waves

Southern Naval Command as the Command for

Nearshore (SWAN), Wave Ocean Model (WAM)

Maritime and Strategic Studies (CMASS). Under

and Modular Ocean Model (MOM) in May 2009,

this MoU, the trainees of the school could register

further enhanced the accuracy of the forecasts made

for a postgraduate (MPhil, MSc) qualifi cation as

by the units. Moreover, collaboration with the

well as for a diploma from CUSAT, for the courses

National Weather and Oceanographic agencies like

they had undergone at SNOM.

the National Centre for Medium Range Weather

Forecast (NCMRWF), INCOIS, NIOT, and the

The Tale of Many ‘Firsts’. CUSAT accorded

NIO, brought a sea change in the way data was

approval for the syllabi and regulations of the two

collected and analysed in the fi eld of oceanographic courses, viz. MSc Met (Lateral Entry) and BSc Met

observation and modelling.

(Lateral entry) with effect from October 2002. The

First Satellite Meteorology Course was conducted

Induction of Modern Equipment

at SNOM in 2005 while the maiden Petty Offi cer

In keeping with advancements in technology, the

Qualifying (PO ‘Q’) Met Course was conducted

Navy’s METOC organization made steady progress

from 13 August 2007 to 9 February 2008. The First

through induction of highly sophisticated equipment

Advanced Oceanography Course was conducted

for the Met offices located at various Naval Air

in 2006 and the course was later recognized for

Stations. The inductions spanned the years from the

the award of an MPhil (Oceanography) degree by

1980s till 2010. These helped dramatically improve

CUSAT in January 2007.

the profi ling of the upper air as well as monitoring of cloud cover (and types of cloud). Improved

Seminars and Symposiums

monitoring of weather and oceanic parameters has

The Navy’s METOC organization was quick

helped the METOC organization in providing full to recognize the importance of avenues such

spectrum support for naval operations that extend

as seminars and symposiums that allow for

from strategic planning to tactical manoeuvres, in all knowledge-sharing, particularly towards enhancing

three dimensions. These included:

the understanding of the complex science of the

• Upper Air Sounding System (UASS)

atmosphere–ocean system. Keeping these benefi ts

• Automatic Picture Transmission (APT) receiver

in mind, the METOC organization envisaged and

Lightning Detector

conducted three national-level symposiums in

• Digital Met Data Dissemination System

2004, 2007 and 2010. These centred on topics

282

Blue Waters Ahoy!

such as ‘Emerging Trends in Meteorology and in IT, and methodologies like atmosphere and

Oceanography’ (2004 and 2007) and ‘Nowcasting

ocean modelling techniques to keep pace with the

to Forecasting: Needs and Challenges for Naval

developments outside. This has also been with

Operations’ (2010) respectively. Professionals,

the aim of optimally enhancing naval operational

scientists and scholars from many well-reputed

effectiveness. Towards this end, the setting up of a

institutions such as the IMD, CUSAT, Andhra

centralized meteorological forecasting and analysis

University, INCOIS, NCMRWF, NIO, NIOT,

centre was conceptualized in the year 2000 for

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM),

reception of all meteorological data at a single

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),

hub, and its automatic plotting, processing, analysis Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) at Delhi

and dissemination to all users. This (initially seen

and Kharagpur, and the National Aerospace

as hazy) concept took concrete shape in the form

Laboratories (NAL), Bangalore, came together

of a new unit—the Indian Naval Meteorological

to initiate important discussions and present

Analysis Centre (INMAC), equipped with state-of-

papers that were found immensely enriching to all

the-art hardware and software.

participating institutions/organizations.

With the formation of regional and global

meteorological observation networks, adequate

Publications

weather and ocean data has started fl owing in for

While the spoken word, unless recorded,

weather and ocean state forecasting. The Naval

disappears, it is the written word that endures the

METOC organization is engaged in a process of

vagaries of time and is remembered by posterity.

multi-domain transformation through a process

In the scientific community especially, journals

of technology induction, capability building and

and publications assume great importance. In

capacity development through upgradation,

2003, the DNOM published the first edition of

procurement and installation of various modern

its professional journal Rainbow. This journal has generation meteorological equipment and

seen wide participation including contributions

instruments. UASS with sophisticated radiosonde

from meteorologists from the IMD, the National

devices,2 carried by hydrogen-filled balloons to

Weather Agency and other sister services. The scope

upper atmospheric levels for scanning the upper-air

of enquiry has been further broadened after the

atmospheric characteristics, have been procured for

2010 edition, now titled Sagar Manthan.

Naval Air Stations and all capital ships of the fl eet.

Currently, the METOC organization is engaged

In Conclusion

in the modernization and further augmentation

of Met facilities at all nine Naval Air Stations for

The last few decades have seen disruptive

enhanced operational capability and fl ight safety.

technological growth in the field of weather

The modernization program involves setting up of

forecasting. The Naval METOC community has

an Integrated Automatic Aviation Meteorological

therefore found it imperative to rapidly induct/

System (IAAMS) at Naval Air Stations.3 IAAMS

assimilate various technological advancements

is an ambitious project involving state-of-the-art

2

3

T h i s e q u i p m e n t p r o f i l e s t h e The contract for IAAMS was signed in 2016 and work started in all nine Naval Air atmosphere vertically for temperature,

Stations by June/July 2016. As on date, IAAMS in six Air Stations has been completed humidity and in some cases, wind

and is fully functional. In the remaining three Air Stations, it is in various stages of speed and direction also.

installation/integration and the planned completion date (for all nine) is 31 March 2019.

Naval Oceanology and Meteorology

283

meteorological sensors, viz. Radar Vertical Wind reports to users, as per World Meteorological

Profi ler, Transmissometer, Ceilometer and Automatic

Organization (WMO) standards.

Weather Observation System that undertake

Over the years, the Indian Navy METOC

automatic and continuous recording of relevant

organization has made steady progress in all

weather parameters that are vital for accurate

dimensions of meteorological and oceanographic

weather forecasting. The system has special alarm

forecasting. It continuously strives to scan

features that alert the duty staff during abnormal

the environment so that best practices can

changes in weather parameters that may affect safe

be adapted by the service through scientific

flying operations. The system also has provision

collaboration with other operational/scientific/

for the automatic dissemination of routine weather

academic institutions dealing with the subjects.

Prelude

• 1953 Meteorological services in the Navy formally begin with the commissioning of the fi rst Naval Air Station, INS Garuda, with an integral Met Offi ce, at Kochi

• 1968 DNE redesignated as the Directorate of Naval Education and Meteorology

• 1982 A separate Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology established The Last Decade: Milestones

• 2002 NODPAC created and mandated to be the nodal agency in the Indian Navy for collating, processing, analysing and archiving of oceanographic, environmental and LOFAR data

• 2002 SNOM recognized as a ‘Centre of Excellence in Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences’ by CUSAT

• 2003 DNOM published the fi rst edition of its professional journal Rainbow (now titled Sagar Manthan) that included contributions from meteorologists from the IMD, the National Weather Agency and other sister services

• 2004 The Wave Watch III model, optimized for the Indian Ocean Region by the NPOL (Kochi), inducted into the Navy

• 2006 PODPS introduced to store the ‘legacy’ physical oceanography data recorded by Indian Navy ships; leads to automation of oceanographic data management

• 2009 Advanced ocean state forecast models like SWAN, WAM and MOM installed and operationalized

• In progress: IAAMS is an ambitious project involving state-of-the-art meteorological sensors, viz.

Radar Vertical Wind Profi ler, Transmissometer, Ceilometer and Automatic Weather Observation System, that undertake automatic and continuous recording of relevant weather parameters that are vital for accurate weather forecasting.

284

Blue Waters Ahoy!

8

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

Overseeing Coastal Security and Maritime Zones

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) came into being

other ministries as provided by legislation. The

on 11 February 1977. It was constituted as an

additional responsibilities comprise:

Armed Force of the Union by an Act of Parliament

• Enforcement of anti-poaching measures,

on 18 August 1978, predominantly to undertake

monitoring and surveillance of Deep Sea

the peacetime tasks of ensuring the security and

Fishing Vessels.

other national interests of the maritime zones of

• Search and Rescue (SAR) for merchant ships.

India (MZI). The roles and responsibilities of ICG

• Marine oil pollution response measures

include,

• Lead Intelligence Agency for coastal and sea

• Ensuring safety of artifi cial islands, offshore

borders.

terminals, installations and other structures

• Protection of sensitive marine flora and

and devices in any maritime zone.

endangered marine species.

• Protection of fishermen, including assisting

• Overseeing coastal security in territorial waters

them at sea while in distress.

since ICG is the authority responsible for the same.

• P r e s e r v a t i o n a n d p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e maritime environment and prevention and

In pursuance of the ICG’s missions, the Director

control of marine pollution.

General Indian Coast Guard (DG, ICG) has also

• Assisting Customs and other authorities in

been designated as:

anti-smuggling operations.

• Chairman, National Maritime Search and

• Undertaking necessary measures for the safety

Rescue Board (NMSARB)

of life and property at sea.

• Chairman, National Oil-spill Disaster

• Assisting in collection of scientifi c data.

Contingency Plan Committee (NOSDCP)

• Chairman, Offshore Security Co-ordination

Additional Responsibilities

Committee (OSCC)

• Indian Governor to Regional Co-operation

Besides the duties and functions provided in the

Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed

ICG Act mentioned earlier, the service also supports

Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP)

These duties are carried out by the ICG over Search and Rescue (SAR)

an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) measuring

2.02 million sq. km and a coastline of approximately

One of the most important functions of a maritime

7516km.

force, particularly of a Coast Guard, is SAR at

sea. The ICG is the nodal agency for coordinating

Organization

maritime search and rescue in the Indian Search

and Rescue Region (ISRR) extending to 4.6

The ICG Headquarters is located in New Delhi. The

million sq. km. To coordinate the national SAR

organizational hierarchy consists of Coast Guard

objectives in accordance with the provisions of

‘Regions’, ‘Districts’ and ‘Stations’. In 2001, the

international conventions, the NMSARB was

ICG had an organizational spread of three Regional

constituted on 28 January 2002, with members

Headquarters located in Mumbai, Chennai and Port

drawn from other stakeholders, viz. the Indian

Blair with 11 District HQs (DHQs) and 18 Coast

Space Research Organisation (ISRO), DG

Guard (CG) stations.

(Shipping), Department of Telecommunications

In 2010, one more Regional Headquarters was

(DoT), Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

added in Kolkata, to ensure optimal functioning

DG, ICG is the Chairman of the NMSARB. The

of the organization in the Northeastern Region. By

ICG has also formulated the National Maritime

the end of 2010, there were 12 DHQs and 29 CG

Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Plan which,

Stations in the structure.

h a v i n g d e f i n e d t h e Over the decade measures to be adopted under survey, the

Force Levels

b y t h e p a r t i c i p a t i n g ICG’s force level agencies, coordinates the

has expanded

On being established in 1977, the service began

use of their resources,

its function with two frigates (INS Kuthar and w h e n r e q u i r e d , w h i l e impressively. From Kirpan), seconded from the Indian Navy, and fi ve responding to incidents a force strength of

patrol vessels seconded from the Central Board

at sea.

57 surface platforms,

of Excise and Customs (CBEC). From this force

S i n c e 1 F e b r u a r y 21 Dorniers, 17

level of seven vessels at the time of inception,

2 0 0 3 , t h e I C G h a s Chetak helicopters the ICG has made impressive strides through its

commenced operation of in 2001, it expanded

developmental plans over more than three decades

an indigenously developed

to 71 ships, 25

till 2010. Looking at 2001–10, from a force level

Indian Maritime Search Dorniers, 18 Chetaks

of 57 surface platforms, 21 Dorniers, 17 Chetak

and Rescue (INDSAR) and 4 ALHs.

helicopters in 2001, the force expanded to 71 ships,

Ship Reporting System

25 Dorniers, 18 Chetaks and 4 ALHs.

which is a voluntary, toll-free system. This system

The various types of units envisaged for

helps the ICG in deploying/diverting the most

induction in the near future include Offshore Patrol

suitable ship to the scene of distress.

Vessels (OPVs), Pollution Control Vessels (PCVs),

It has also established a chain of Maritime

Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), Interceptor Boats (IBs)

Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) and Sub-

and more Hovercraft.

Centres (MRSCs) along the coastline, operating

round-the-clock, in fulfi lment of India’s obligation 286

Blue Waters Ahoy!

under the International Maritime Organisation’s

propulsion system and set sail towards Seychelles

SAR Convention, 1979, as ratified in 2001.

on 15 November 2003.

These MRCCs and MRSCs facilitate receipt and

coordination of distress alerts under the Global

Assistance to MV Nand Kawas. On 15 December Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). A

2003, MV Nand Kawas was reported to be caught total of 3,914 lives have been saved in 803 missions

in a fi erce tropical cyclone and was adrift about

between the years 2001 and 2010.

30nm off Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, with 13

crew preparing to abandon the ship. ICGS Vijaya

Major SAR/Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC)

was sailed from Chennai for the SAR mission. All

Operations

13 crew members of the Nand Kawas were safely The major SAR/MEDEVAC operations conducted

rescued by ICGS Vijaya, braving the rough sea by the ICG during the period 2001–10 are

including a wind speed of 80kmph and a 15 degree

highlighted in the succeeding lines.

list on the ship.

Rescue of persons from crashed Pawan Hans

Rescue of Crew of MSV Jal Jyoti. On 20 February Dauphin Helicopter off Agatti. On 30 October

2004, MRCC Okha received information that

2003, a Pawan Hans Dauphin helicopter with fi ve

MSV Jal Jyoti had sunk about 22nm north-west of persons onboard whilst on passage from Bingaram

Okha at 2330 hrs on 19 February 2004 and the

to Agatti ditched in the sea just off Agatti. On being 10 crew members had abandoned the vessel in a life

alerted by the ATC, ICGS Samar, on an exercise raft. CG Hovercraft H-184 was sailed from Okha

mission, was diverted and it rescued four of the fi ve immediately, while Craft C-141 on patrol was also

persons onboard.

diverted for rescue. The life raft with the crew was

located after a search and the crew of MSV Jal Jyoti was successfully rescued.

Lives Saved on MV Genius Star VI. MRCC, Chennai received a distress alert from MV Genius Star VI in the early hours of 13 April 2004. The vessel was

160nm south-east of Sagar Island, off Kolkata, and

was listing dangerously. The vessel had 16 Chinese

and one Taiwanese crew onboard. The Coast Guard

Dornier aircraft, ICGS Razia Sultana and ICGS

The crashed Pawan Hans helicopter

Varaha were promptly deployed for assistance. Three merchant vessels in the vicinity were also diverted by Assistance to Yacht ZULU. On 6 November 2003, the MRCC to render assistance. At about 1200 hrs,

a yacht named Zulu was reported in distress, about the Dornier reported sinking of the ill-fated vessel

1000nm, south-west of Mumbai, while enroute

and sighting of the crew in two lifeboats and one life from Goa to Seychelles. Three merchant vessels in

raft. Fifteen of the crew were rescued by ICG ships

the vicinity were requested by MRCC Mumbai,

in a swift sea–air coordinated SAR operation.

which carried out replenishment of food and fresh

water. Under the watchful eye of MRCC, the yacht

SAR of MV IIDA Off Tuticorin. On 29 August was fi nally able to rectify a technical snag in her

2005, MRCC Chennai received a distress call

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

287

from MV IIDA, a cargo vessel which had suffered of its containers fell overboard. ICG’s Regional

excessive fl ooding, 28nm south-east of Tuticorin.

Headquarters ‘West’ (RHQ West) launched a large-

CGS Naikidevi was deployed from Tuticorin.

scale pollution response operation, code-named

Of the 10 crew members, seven were rescued by

‘Op Chitra’, to mitigate oil pollution in Mumbai

Naikidevi, while the remaining three were rescued harbour (as oil had escaped from the grounded

by a merchant vessel transiting through the area.

vessel).

This was as freak an accident as could get—a

Splashdown and recovery of Space Recoverable

double whammy and perhaps a Jonah on the

Experimental Capsule (SRE). Consequent to trials Khalijia-III, at their most dramatic! The Khalijia-III in space, the SRE capsule, designed by ISRO to

which collided with MSC Chitra, was the same vessel demonstrate the capability to recover an orbiting

that had suffered massive fl ooding and grounding

space capsule, was successfully recovered by ICGS

just outside Mumbai harbour on 10 July 2010

Sarang in the Bay of Bengal on 22 January 2007.

(described above). After her crew were then rescued

by the ICG, the owner’s repair agency managed

Assistance to MV Khalijia-III. On 18 July 2010, to fl oat her after days of de-fl ooding/blockage of

MRCC Mumbai received information regarding

water access points. On 7 August 2010, sailing in

excessive fl ooding onboard MV Khalijia-III, with 22

to harbour, she had half-negotiated the entrance

crew and six external technical repairers. The vessel navigation channel under her own power, when she

was just off Mumbai harbour, on its way to the

struck the MSC Chitra that was leaving Mumbai, port for repairs. The MRCC Mumbai sailed ICGS

causing a massive disaster with the Chitra running Subhadra Kumari and simultaneously directed MV

aground, hundreds of the latter’s containers sunk/

Garware-3 in the vicinity, to render assistance. By fl oating in harbour, and a massive oil spill—another the time the CG ship arrived, the distressed vessel

major task for the ICG in the midst of the south-west had run aground just beyond the Mumbai harbour,

monsoons.

due to uncontrolled fl ooding. All members of the

crew and repair team were safely evacuated by the

Pollution Response

ICGS Subhadra Kumari.

ICG is the nodal agency for combating oil pollution

Rescue Operation Post Collision of MV MSC

at sea and is the Central Coordinating Authority

Chitra with MV Khalijia-III. At 0940 hrs on 7

(CCA) for implementing the provisions of the

August 2010, while leaving Mumbai harbour,

National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-

ICGS Kamladevi reported sighting of a collision between MV MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-III just off Prongs Reef Light House (in the Outer Channel

of Mumbai harbour). Following the collision, MSC

Chitra ran aground and also listed by 25 degrees to port. Thirty-three of the crew were evacuated by

ICGS Kamladevi and Tug Vamsee-III of the Port Trust, while the remaining four from the crew stayed

onboard to be evacuated in the second phase. The

vessel continued to list and subsequently many

Flooding and grounding of MSC Chitra

288

Blue Waters Ahoy!

DCP). The ICG’s charter mandates preservation International Cooperation

and protection of the maritime environment and

to prevent and control marine pollution in Indian

India is part of various international conventions1

waters.

dealing with maritime safety and security, SAR,

The force is also responsible for the enforcement

and marine environment protection. In compliance

of the laws under the Merchant Shipping Act

with IMO guidelines and the SAR Convention of

(MSA), 1958, wherein it has powers to serve

1979, ICG has developed professional relationships

notice to polluting ships for clean-up and for taking towards meaningful regional cooperation with the

remedial action. A total of 27 pollution-response

Coast Guards of various littoral states of the IOR.

operations have been undertaken between 2001

and 2010.

Coastal Security

Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea

In the wake of the 26/11 episode, ICG was also

designated as the authority responsible for Coastal

India is a party to the Regional Co-operation

Security in Territorial waters with the DG, ICG,

A g r e e m e n t t o C o m b a t P i r a c y a n d A r m e d designated as Commander Coastal Command,

Robbery (ReCAAP) against ships in Asia, which

responsible for overall coordination between

aims at information-sharing, capacity-building,

Central and State agencies, in all matters related to m u t u a l l e g a l a s s i s t a n c e a n d c o o p e r a t i v e Coastal Security.

arrangements in the field of prevention of piracy

and armed robbery. The agreement involves 20

Fleet Review of the ICG

countries and promotes regional cooperation.

ICG is the designated nodal organization in

Review of the ICG fl eet at sea was undertaken by then India for the implementation of the measures

Defence Minister Shri A.K. Antony on 18 February

under this agreement. DG, ICG, as the Indian

2008 off Goa. Four Advanced Offshore Patrol

Governor to ReCAAP Information Sharing

Vessels (AOPVs), two OPVs, six FPVs, two IBs, one

Centre (ISC), has been extensively involved in

Air Cushion Vehicle, three Dornier aircraft and fi ve capacity-building initiatives in the region.

helicopters participated during the ICG fl eet review.

The ICG MRCCs are designated as Piracy

Reporting Centres for initial reporting of incidents

Major Pollution Response Operations/

of piracy and armed robbery by Masters of vessels,

Exercises

in consonance with the practice established by the

IMO. The MRCCs further coordinate the efforts for

‘Sagar Manthan’, a Simulated Oil Spill Response

information sharing and action with the littoral states.

Exercise. The ICG periodically carries out mock 1 For instance, India is a signatory to the International is the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), 1979, the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf ratifi ed by India in May 2001. On 6 March 1948, India had (SUA Convention), which was adopted during the Conference also signed the Convention on the International Maritime organized under the auspices of International Maritime Organization which India accepted on 6 January 1959.

Organization (IMO) in London on 10 March 1988.

Another important convention, which India is a signatory to, The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

289

Coast Guard Fleet Review

drills to enhance operational efficiency in the

trapped in the submerged pipeline. An ICG Dornier,

management of oil spill. These drills serve an

deployed for surveillance reported the extent of

important purpose of maintaining personnel and oil

oil slick spreading up to be 7nm in the vicinity of

spill infrastructure of the ICG in fully operational

the source. Three OSVs, besides two ICG ships,

condition.

were pressed into service over the next three days,

Response to a major oil spill involves extensive

for the operation. The oil spill was contained and

inter-agency coordination. The implementation of

neutralized by spray of OSD by ICG’s ships and

the procedures laid down in NOS-DCP, particularly

aircraft.

those pertaining to the allocation of responsibilities, are dictated by the events that unfold during a real-Oil Spill Off Aguada, Goa. Due to a collision

time oil spill disaster situation. Such exercises saw between Barge Prapti and MV Maritime Wisdom an increased tempo and enhanced effi ciency during

(anchored off Goa), on 23 March 2005, the latter’s

the period 2001–10.

fuel tank was ruptured, resulting in leakage of

approximately 60 tons of heavy fuel oil. In order to

Oil Spill at Bombay High. On 10 August 2003,

combat oil pollution effectively and to prevent the

crude oil leakage from the Uran Trunk Line at

slick reaching the pristine coastal stretch of Goa,

Bombay High fi eld, was reported by the Oil and

a number of ICG ships and aircraft were deployed

Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The leakage

and the oil spill successfully neutralized by spray of from the ruptured pipeline detected, it was

OSD in the area.

ascertained that a spillage of about 300 tons lay

290

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Pollution Response Operation in Mumbai Offshore Finally, after 23 days of sustained operation, 226

Area. On 27 July 2005, the OSV Samudra Suraksha tons of oil was removed from the wreck and the

collided with ONGC’s major processing platform

degree of pollution threat was largely eliminated.

‘BHN’ resulting in a major fi re with an estimated

spill of 80 tons of crude oil. ICG ships and aircraft Oil Spill off Gopalpur, Orissa. On 12 April 2010, effectively responded to the oil spill and neutralized an oil spill incident was reported due to a collision it before it could reach the Mumbai coast.

between MV Malavika and Barge Sneh IV at Gopalpur anchorage (Odisha coast). An ICG ship

Pollution Response off Karwar, Karnataka. On 31

with its helicopter was diverted from patrol and the

May 2006, a Panamanian fl agged bulker MV Seraya

helicopter sprayed OSD, thus neutralizing the spill.

ran aground off Karwar. Out of the total crew of

21, 20 persons were saved by Indian Navy and ICG

In Conclusion

helicopters, while one crew member went missing.

The ship was carrying a large quantity of oil which

A total of 785 boats with 5292 crew were

became a major source of concern for the marine

apprehended by the ICG between the years 2001

environment and beaches of Karwar/Goa. Within

and 2010 for violation of various provisions of the

two days of grounding, due to severe weather

MZI Act 1981 and rules thereunder.

and higher swell conditions, the vessel cracked

In the wake of the 26/11 episode, a range of

into two pieces resulting in a spill of more than

measures was implemented which were intended to

70 tons of oil into the sea. Coast Guard Pollution

enhance the capacity building of the ICG in terms

Response assets were mobilized which included

of manpower and platforms.

ICGS Sagar, equipped with booms, skimmers

As on 10 April 2018, the Coast Guard fl eet had

and OSD spray system and an integral helicopter.

a strength of 135 surface platforms and 62 aircraft

ICG, in coordination with civil administration/

comprising of 17 OPVs, three PCVs, 40 FPVs, 57

Port Authority, took preventive measures for

IBs, 18 Hovercraft, 39 Dornier aircraft, 19 Chetak

protecting the beaches by laying preventive booms

helicopters and four ALHs.

on the beaches of Karwar and the Kali river mouth.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

291

Prologue

The Indian Navy has always been conscious of the

IHQ MoD (N), and the FODC (with MDCC)

maxim ‘Change is the only constant’. To keep up

in Mumbai were created to channelize existing

with the increasing tempo of operations, the Navy

research and staff work with dedicated

underwent many pivotal changes including in the

‘verticals’ meant to provide conceptual

organizational structure of IHQ MoD (N) itself

thinking and execution in respective fi elds.

during the decade. This section lays out some of

T h e d y n a m i s m e n g e n d e r e d b y t h e the most crucial transformations the Indian Navy

Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering

experienced during the decade following 2001.

Establishment (WESEE) during the decade

T h e K a r g i l c o n f l i c t o f 1 9 9 9 l e d t o a demonstrated the ability to develop and deliver

comprehensive review of national security including

cutting-edge technologies complying with

higher defence management. Based on this review,

international standards.

the Integrated Defence Staff or IDS (including

The section also covers creation of the fi rst

substantial representation by the Navy) was

greenfi eld naval base at Karwar under Project

established and the fi rst tri-Service Command came

Seabird. Further, it elucidates the various

up in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in October

new inductions in weapons and sensors,

2001.

the establishment of the National Maritime

To harness the revolutionary advantage of

Foundation (NMF) and the changes in the

network-centric warfare at sea, a full-fledged

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).

Directorate of Network Centric Operations

Finally, the section records how, as a fi rst,

( D N C O ) w a s e s t a b l i s h e d j u s t a s a n o t h e r the Indian Navy succeeded in converting a

path-breaking change was made through the

decommissioned Foxtrot-class submarine into

establishment of the Directorate of Strategy,

a museum on the beach at Visakhapatnam—a

Concepts and Transformation (DSCT), to provide

feat that has made India a part of the exclusive

an in-Service research bank for all matters related

club of countries who have been able to

to strategy, doctrines and the future of the Navy.

preserve old submarines as museums, and that

At the higher level, an APSO, the ACNS (FCI) at

too on land!

294

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

Creation of HQIDS

Towards Better Synergy between the Services

After the Kargil Confl ict of 1999, the Government

the Service HQs in the Government will further

of India (GoI) constituted the Kargil Review

enhance civilian supremacy.2

Committee1 (KRC) on 29 July 1999 to carry out an

in-depth review and analysis of national security in

The KRC was scathing in its indictments3

the country. Probing into many areas of weakness

pointing out glaring defi ciencies in the intelligence in our system, the KRC report stated that,

Services, border management and higher defence

organization. ‘It led to the formation of a Group

India is perhaps the only major democracy where

of Ministers (GoM) to examine reforms in the

the Armed Forces Headquarters are outside the

national security system.’4 The recommendations of

apex governmental structure.… what is required

the KRC were considered by the GoM which made

is a National Defence HQ. Most opposition to

specifi c proposals for implementation based on the

change comes from inadequate knowledge of

analysis carried out by four Task Forces (TFs).5

the national security decision making process

After five months of deliberations, all four TFs

elsewhere in the world … and a reluctance to move

submitted their reports to the GoM which, after

away from considerations of parochial interest.

processing them quickly, issued their consolidated

The status quo is often mistakenly defended as

recommendations on Reforming the National

embodying civilian ascendancy over the armed

Security System in February 2001.6

forces, which is not the real issue. In fact, locating The proposal for creating a Chief of Defence

1 The Committee comprised four members: Shri K.

3 Admiral Arun Prakash, National Security Reforms: Ten Years Subrahmanyam (Chairman), Lt Gen K.K. Hazari (Retd), B.G.

After the Kargil Committee Report, USI National Security Varghese and Satish Chandra, Secretary, National Security Lecture at USI on 5 December 2012.

Council Secretariat (NSCS).

4 Prakash, National Security Reforms.

5

2 From Surprise to Reckoning: The Kargil Review Committee Task Forces (TFs) on Intelligence Apparatus, Internal Security, Report, Government of India, National Security Council, Sage, Border Management and Management of Defence.

New Delhi, 2000, pp. 258–59.

6 Prakash, National Security Reforms.

Staff (CDS), to assist the Defence Minister in two new Integrated Commands, and devolution of

providing strategic direction to the three Services,

fi nancial and administrative powers to the Service

preparing long-term plans and formulating a joint

Headquarters (SHQ) and Commands. The IDS,

doctrine were deliberated at length. The Cabinet

envisaged to be under a VCDS, had originally

Committee on Security (CCS) met in 2000, to

been visualized to provide support to the CDS,

deliberate/conclude on the selection process for

and to function as his HQ. However, since there

(the fi rst) CDS.7

was neither a CDS nor a VCDS, the title ‘Chief of

Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs

The GoM Report expressed that,

of Staff Committee’, or CISC, was created for a

three-star offi cer to head the IDS.

capabilities of Armed Forces can be enhanced

Based on the recommendations of the GoM,

significantly, if rather than operating as three

the IDS was set up in September 2001 and Lt

individual units, they operate with a high degree

Gen Pankaj Joshi was appointed as the CISC

of jointness and in close tandem with one another

o n 1 O c t o b e r 2 0 0 1 . With the aim of in conduct of various tasks, including training.

Headquarters Integrated building synergy

Modern warfare demands much higher degree of

Defence Staff (HQIDS)

coordination in operations by all the three Services

was formaly sanctioned amongst the Armed

than ever before. Creation of CDS would promote

by a Government letter Forces, including in

greater jointness in the Armed Forces.8

of 23 November 2001

the areas of long-

by merging the erstwhile term plans, force

The CDS was proposed to be a four-star officer

Directorate General of capabilities, joint

from one of the three Services in rotation, and

Defence Planning Staff training, among

would function as the permanent Chairman of the

and the Military Wing. It others, the IDS was

COSC. He would fulfi l the following functions:

was created to enhance set up in September

• Provide single-point military advice to the

jointness and build synergy

2001. Lt Gen Pankaj

Government.

a m o n g s t t h e A r m e d Joshi was appointed

• Administer the Strategic Forces.

Forces, including in the as the CISC on

• Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness

areas of long-term plans, 1 October 2001.

of the planning process through intra and

force capabilities, joint

inter-Services prioritization.

training, intelligence, capital acquisitions, joint

• Ensure the required ‘jointness’ in the armed

doctrines, etc. The head of the organization, the

forces.

CISC, a three-star General Offi cer (equivalent to

However, the meeting proved inconclusive and the

the Vice Chief of Staff), was placed directly under

appointment of the fi rst CDS was deferred. Many

the Chairman COSC. The CISC was vested with

of the less important GoM recommendations were

wide-ranging roles and functions, as assigned by

cleared for implementation, and by the end of

the Chairman COSC/Defence Minister.

2001, some changes had been wrought in the realm

As part of the creation of HQIDS, it was

of higher defence organization.9 These included

envisaged that all the tri-Services organizations/

the creation of an Integrated Defence Staff (IDS),

institutions/establishments would function under

7 P r a k a s h , N a t i o n a l

8 Brig. Vinod Anand, ‘Integrating the Indian Military: Retrospect 9 Prakash, National Security

Security Reforms.

and Prospect’, Journal of Defence Studies, vol. 2, no. 2, 2008, p. 25.

Reforms.

296

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the direction of the Chairman COSC and the

• Prepare Long Range Plans; Five-year Plans;

control would be exercised through HQIDS,

and Annual Budgets for any (new/existing)

the de facto staff of the Chairman COSC. The

structures placed directly under the command

organization had representation from all the three

of the Chairman COSC, in consultation with

Services, MEA, DRDO, DoD and the Defence

the Services’ Headquarters.

(Finance) division of the MoD. The envisaged role

• Be responsible to the COSC for coordinating

of the HQIDS was organized into sets of coherent

analyses of critical deficiencies in force

functions and matching organizational blocks in the

capabilities; assessing the impact of such

form of Branches, Divisions (Divs) and Directorates

defi ciencies on National Military Objectives; and

(Dtes). The branches are headed by Deputy Chiefs

prioritizing requirements of individual Services

of Integrated Defence Staff (DCIDS) who are of the

to remove specifi c defi ciencies so identifi ed.

rank of Lt Gen/equivalent rank, the Divisions are

• Finalize Net Assessments comprising the

headed by Assistant Chiefs of Integrated Defence

totality of national capability, likely intentions

Staff (ACIDS) who are of Maj Gen/equivalent

and risk assessments of potential adversaries

rank, and the Directorates are headed by offi cers

for presentation to the Government.

of Brigadier/equivalent rank.

• Formulate Joint Doctrines, in consultation

As the head of HQ IDS, the CISC performs the

with the Services’ Headquarters, for the

following roles:

optimal employment of all military capabilities

• Oversee the functioning of the Integrated

in all strategic and joint operations.

Defence Staff which, apart from being the

• Formulate policy and programs on joint

‘joint staff’, also acts as the principal arm of,

employment, joint training and military

and the Secretariat to, the COSC.

education for personnel of the Defence Services.

• Serve as a non-voting member of the COSC.

Coordinate all aspects of Defence Intelligence,

• Chair all multi-Service bodies.

keeping the COSC informed.

• Chair the Defence Crisis Management

• Coordinate Defence Services’ doctrines and

Group (DCMG) which is composed of the

responses to non-conventional (nuclear,

representatives of the operations/intelligence

c h e m i c a l o r b i o l o g i c a l t h r e a t s ) a n d wings of the Services’ Headquarters and those

unconventional threats (terrorism, non-state

of the Department of Defence (DoD), with

actors, etc.) to national security in areas like

other officials co-opted on an as required

energy, environment, health, etc.

basis. (Whenever called upon, the DCMG

• Set Inter-Service prioritization of capital

readies contingency plans and assessments

schemes in consultation with COSC and

for consideration of the COSC and their

review and re-fi x priorities of capital schemes

subsequent approval by the Defence Minister/

during the Plan period and the fi nancial year.

CCS, as required).

• Coordinate Long-term Integrated Plans, Five-year

In Conclusion

Plans and Annual Budgetary proposals for the

three Services, before presenting a coordinated

The unexpected Pakistani intrusion into Indian

set of proposals to the Defence Minister. (The

territory, followed by the Kargil Confl ict prompted

IDS is primarily expected to function as the

the GoI to review national security on an urgent

military fi lter to signifi cant capital commitments

basis. The KRC, set up by the GoI, had recommended

being made in the plans and budget).

drastic revamping of the military structure and a

Creation of HQIDS

297

review of civil–military relations. However, the term integrated perspective plans, decision-chain for appointment of a CDS was held in abeyance, at the

procurements for the three forces, HADR planning

last moment, and this has left the most important

and execution, joint doctrines and training. By the

part of the GoM recommendations incomplete in

end of 2001, most of the recommendations of the

so far as reforming the national security system

KRC were implemented. Many new organizations

was concerned. Having said that, the HQIDS has,

such as HQIDS, ANC and the Defence Intelligence

however, achieved considerable progress in most

Agency (DIA) were created too.

of the areas of its defi ned mission including long-

Recalls Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh, then OSD to the MoD, for implementation of measures approved by the GoM for Higher Defence Management in India:

‘The primary objective of the Task Force on Management of Defence, headed by Shri Arun Singh, was to review organizational structures to make them more effi cient, giving due regard to the nuclearized environment, the revolution in military affairs and the IT revolution. Other aims included improving the apex level decision-making structures; implementing measures for more effi cient coordination between the political executive, the MoD and Services’ HQs; and introducing ways to improve procurement procedures and also to overcome impediments in modernization of armed forces. This apart, measures for establishing synergy between civil, defence, research and production agencies were also considered.

‘It was towards these aims, that fi rstly, the Services’ HQs were designated as ‘‘Integrated Headquarters’’ rather than ‘‘Attached Offi ces’’—as earlier—of the MoD. Another important change was the accord of greater financial and administrative powers to the Services. And lastly, in order to practically introduce jointness, and improve overall effi ciency in defence, it was decided to create the following: an Integrated Defence Staff, the HQIDS; a unifi ed (joint) Command in the ANC; another joint Command, i.e., the Strategic Forces Command or SFC; the Defence Intelligence Agency; the Defence Acquisition Council, the Defence Procurement Board, the Defence Production Board and Defence R&D Board to hasten the process of procurements; and a National Defence University.

‘The constitution of the A.V. Singh Committee led to younger-age profile of operational commanders and improved promotion profi les.

‘Some of the other measures that reaped benefi ts included cross-posting of Service offi cers at the SHQs; reforms in DRDO and rationalization of DRDO Labs; increased private-sector participation in defence production; preparation of LTIPP by CISC; enhanced jointness in operations, which would eventually lead to creation of Theatre Commands.

‘As you can see, each of these measures have proved the fact that ‘‘integration’’ engenders greater effi ciency and understanding of each other’s domain.

‘The only measure left to be implemented by the GoI is the constitution of a CDS who was to head the IDS HQs and the newly created Commands (ANC and SFC), including being a key part of the National Command Post to control strategic forces and be the single-point military advisor to the political leadership of the country.’

298

Blue Waters Ahoy!

2

The Andaman & Nicobar

Command (ANC)

A Natural Strategic Outpost

The Andaman & Nicobar Islands (ANI), lying

Committee (COSC) decided that the overall

more than 1,200km east of mainland India, in

responsibility for the conduct of operations in the

the Bay of Bengal, offer a signifi cant window of

ANI should rest with a single Commander. Due to

opportunity for India towards East and South-

the terrain/topography, the nature of operations

east Asia, serving well our strategic interests in the likely in any contingency were envisaged to be

region. This location is crucial, sitting astride vital amphibious. Therefore, the COSC decided that

sea lanes and strategic choke points between the

NOIC A&N should be vested with the operational

Indian and Pacifi c Oceans.

control of all forces in the Islands and be designated Following Independence, and especially post

as the ‘Fortress Commander’. Subsequently,

the 1962-Chinese aggression, when the impetus

a case was taken up by the Navy to change the

for developing the ANI was given, it was decided

title of NOIC A&N to that of Commodore

to set it up as an advance Naval base. Accordingly,

A&N (COMAN) which was approved by the

a Resident Naval Officer

COSC in October 1976. However, due to certain

The position of the

(RNO) was posted at Port

reservations on the part of one Service regarding

ANI was crucial

Blair. Subsequently, Naval

the designation of COMAN being purely a naval

for it served India’s

garrisons at Port Blair and

title, that designation was changed to Fortress

strategic interests

Kamorta were established

Commander, A&N (FORTAN).

towards the East

and the appointment of the

In March 1981, Government sanction was

in general, and

RNO upgraded to that of

accorded for upgrading the post of FORTAN to

Naval Officer-in-Charge,

the rank of Rear Admiral. In March 1984, another

South-east Asia

A n d a m a n & N i c o b a r

Government approval was accorded for the

in particular.

Islands (NOIC A&N), duly

formation of No. 4 ‘Maritime Element of Air Force’

approved by the Defence Committee of the Cabinet,

(MEAF) at the Fortress Headquarters (FHQ), Port

in 1968.

Blair. However, the functional and administrative

In 1971, in order to ensure proper coordination

control of IAF components in the ANI, was placed

amongst the three Services, the Chiefs of Staff

under Headquarters, Central Air Command

(HQ CAC). Thus, since 1984, the operational FORTAN had functioned under the Flag Offi cer

control of all Air Force elements in the ANI was

Commanding in Chief, Eastern Naval Command

being exercised directly by the IAF. Subsequent

(FOC-in-C East). He had a limited role (with

efforts by the COSC to review the command

extremely limited resources in the overall scheme of

and control arrangements (for integration/joint-

‘defence’ of the waters around the Islands).

ness) in the ANI were met with little success.

The command and control inadequacies became

Justifi cation

the basis of a COSC Paper in February 1986

which emphasized that

Upgrading FORTAN’s organization to the level of

The COSC Paper

in the interests of smooth

a full-fl edged operational Command would have

in February 1986

functioning and optimizing

provided the desired impetus to maintain a forward

emphasized that an

resources, the conduct

military posture in the ANI—a natural strategic

Overall Commander of operations in the ANI outpost. In the context of the region’s geostrategy, from the Navy must

should be vested with an

establishing vital maritime linkages with the

be made responsible

Overall Commander from

Asia-Pacifi c region in keeping with India’s ‘Look

for conducting

the Navy, with Component

East’1 policy would have proven benefi cial. Under

Commanders under him

operations in the

FORTAN, only a token naval presence existed in

from the three Services.

ANI.

the ANI. This was to be appropriately expanded.

Contrary to previous COSC

Force levels of the other Services too would have

Papers of 1971 and 1978 that had recommended

to be upgraded in the ANI. Therefore, not only

that administrative control of Service components

would the present FORTAN organization be

be with individual Services, this was the fi rst time revamped to the level of Command Headquarters

that a COSC paper had stressed on integration.

but suitable force levels that could form part of

Further, the paper recommended that the Overall

the Far Eastern Naval Fleet/Flotilla, would also be

Commander be designated Force Commander

provided. Consequently, apart from projecting a

A&N (FCAN).

befi tting deterrent posture, India’s increased military presence would reinforce its stake in the region.

The Far Eastern Naval Command

Reconsideration

In February 1998, NHQ proposed the creation of a

Far Eastern Naval Command (FENC), centered on

Despite having reached the penultimate link in the

the ANI. The idea was to revamp and upgrade the

decision-making chain of the GoI in early 1999,

existing organization under FORTAN and establish

NHQ proposed that the CCS case for FENC be

the fourth Command of the Navy, with the C-in-C

now taken up for ‘phased implementation’ as the

being designated as Flag Officer Commanding

media hype surrounding the creation of the FENC

-in-Chief Far Eastern Naval Command (FOC-in-C

had seen unexpected ripples in the region. It was

FENC), headquartered at Port Blair. Till then,

then proposed that FENC be created in two phases.

1 In November 2014, the Government of the day announced a change of that policy to ‘Act East’ Policy.

300

Blue Waters Ahoy!

• Phase I: Upgradation of FORTAN to the rank the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). However, in the

of Vice Admiral and sanction of two Rear

absence of that appointment having been constituted,

Admirals under him.

the CINCAN was to report to the COSC.

• Phase II: Creation of a full-fl edged Command In keeping with the ‘maritime’ orientation of

(FENC), at a more opportune time.

the ANI, the fi rst C-in-C of ANC was appointed

from the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Arun Prakash

The Kargil Review Committee (KRC) (later Admiral, CNS), was the first CINCAN

Report

who took over command The ANC, as a

o n 8 O c t o b e r 2 0 0 1 . Unifi ed Command, In the aftermath of the Kargil episode of June–

Subsequently, the post was

came into being

July 1999, the proposal for the establishment of

to be tenable by an offi cer

FENC, earlier forwarded for consideration of

from one of the three in October 2001.

the GoI, necessitated a change consequent to the

Services having requisite Vice Admiral Arun

report of the Kargil Review Committee (KRC),

prior exposure to maritime

Prakash (later

and the subsequent recommendations of the Group

operations.

Admiral, CNS), the

of Ministers2 (GoM). Considering the strategic

D e t a i l e d r o l e s a n d fi rst CINCAN, took importance of ANI, the GoM had, in its report,

functions of the CINCAN,

over command on

recommended the establishment of a tri-Services

along with structures, 8 October 2001.

Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC). The GoM

organization and systems

also recommended the replacement of FORTAN

required to be created, were elaborated in the

by a tri-Services (joint) Andaman & Nicobar

directives issued by the Chairman COSC.

Commander who would control the assets of the

three Services and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

Organizational Chain

Establishment of the Command

The CINCAN would exercise command and

control over assets of all Armed Forces (Army,

As per recommendations of the KRC Report, the

Navy and Air Force) and the ICG, deployed in

CCS approved the establishment of the ANC as a

his area of responsibility. While the CINCAN

Command on 11 May 2001. The directive from

was to be of the rank of Vice Admiral/equivalent

Chairman COSC on setting up of ANC as a Unifi ed

as in other Commands of the three Forces, the

Command was issued on 1 October 2001.

Chief of Staff (COS) was to be of the rank of Rear

In accordance with the GoM3 recommendations,

Admiral/equivalent and that appointment was to

the Commander-in-Chief Andaman & Nicobar

be held by the three forces, in rotation. It was also Command (CINCAN), was required to report to

formally directed that the COS would be from the

2 After careful consideration of the recommendations of 3 The GoM consisted of the Home Minister, the Defence the Kargil Review Committee (KRC), the Government had Minister, the External Affairs Minister and the Finance constituted a Group of Ministers (GoM) on 17 April 2000, to Minister. The GoM had, after consideration of various issues, thoroughly review the national security system in its entirety formulated a comprehensive Report that was presented to the and in particular, to consider the recommendations of the Prime Minister on 26 February 2001.

KRC, and to formulate specifi c proposals for implementation.

The Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC)

301

Navy in case the C-in-C was either from the Army

Responsibilities of ANC

or Air Force.

The staff of the Headquarters ANC (HQ ANC)

• To defend the territorial integrity of India

was drawn from the existing resources of the three

in the ANI, its waters and airspace.

Armed Forces and the ICG. While the Command

• To exercise command and control over all

deals with HQIDS on many issues, it also interacts

Armed Forces and the ICG assets deployed

directly with the concerned Service HQs on a case-

in the ANC.

to-case basis, for Service-specifi c issues, keeping

• To ensure that the eastern approaches to

HQIDS informed.

the Indian Ocean remain free from surface

and aerial threats for unhindered passage

Area of Responsibility

of own and friendly shipping.

• To m o n i t o r a n d p a t r o l S e a L a n e s While the ANI were under the FORTAN, the

of Communications (SLOCs) in the

organization was a subordinate formation of

designated zone of responsibility.

the ENC and therefore, it was the latter which

• To conduct joint planning, including

exercised responsibility over all waters up to the

strategic and tactical employment of

Andaman Sea. Following the establishment of the

air, sea and land resources for foreseen

ANC, a separate Area of Responsibility (AoR)

contingencies and to communicate the

of this Command was promulgated. It included

same to the Chairman COSC and HQIDS.

the island territories and their airspace, and the

• To carry out analysis and implementation

sea areas enclosed between the extension of the

of need-based infrastructure development

tri-junction of the eastern land borders of India,

dependent on contingency plans to be

Bangladesh and Myanmar to the point where

approved by the Chairman COSC/COSC.

they intersect with 18˚ N latitude and 91˚ 30’ E

• To collect intelligence with special

longitude southward till the Equator and eastward

reference to security-related issues and

thereon along the Equator till 100˚ East longitude

carry out regular threat assessments.

as depicted in the enclosed graphic.

• To provide assistance to the A&N

Administration in the event of dislocation

of essential services, breakdown of law

and order, and during natural disasters,

etc., in accordance with the procedures

laid down for ‘Aid to Civil Authorities’.

• To represent the Armed Forces at the State

Coordination and Intelligence Committee

AoR

forums in the ANI.

ANC

• After 26/11 and the additional measures

adopted, CINCAN has also been made

responsible for coastal security of the

ANI and is designated as C-in-C Coastal

Defence.

302

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Chain of Command

composed of personnel hailing from the

ANI. Currently, of the four companies

The CINCAN exercises command over all troops,

embodied in it, three are under the ANC,

ships, establishments and units of the ANC. The

a n d o n e i s a t t a c h e d t o A i r D e f e n c e , Component Commanders and ‘Commanding

Panagarh.

Offi cers’/‘Offi cers Commanding’ are responsible

(b) N a v a l C o m p o n e n t . S u b s e q u e n t t o t h e to the C-in-C for the operational readiness

formation of the ANC, the Naval Component

and efficient functioning of their respective

(commanded by the NOIC A&N) consists of

components/units. Though COs/OsC have direct

the following:

access to the C-in-C, they report to their respective

• A&N Flotilla. Today, the A&N Flotilla Component Commanders.

(ANFLOT) comprises an Offshore Patrol

The Chief of Staff is the Chief Coordinator of the

Vessel (OPV; commissioned after 2010),

three divisions, viz. Operations Division, Technical

a Survey Ship, one Khukri-class Missile

Division and Personnel & Administration Division.

Corvette, a Landing Ship Tank-Large (LST

Matters which have a bearing on operations,

[L]), four LSTs (M), a number of Landing

maintenance, discipline, training and welfare,

Craft Utility (LCUs), Fast Attack Craft

and those that require interaction between two or

(FACs), and Fast Interceptor Craft (FICs),

more divisions are referred to, and coordinated by,

operated by the newly raised Sagar Prahari

the COS.

Bal.

The Component Commanders of Army, Navy, Air

• INS Utkrosh. The Naval Air Station at Port Force and ICG, report directly to the C-in-C.

Blair, Utkrosh, is the hub of air activity for the Islands. In addition, it also controls the

Components

air station at Shibpur (Diglipur) in the North

Andaman Island.

The ANC comprises the following major

• INS Jarawa. INS Jarawa has the unique components.

d i s t i n c t i o n o f b e i n g t h e f i r s t n a v a l (a) Army Component. In 1972, the fi rst Infantry establishment commissioned (on 15 February

Battalion was positioned at Port Blair.

1964) at Port Blair, after Independence. On

This (Army element) was upgraded from a

raising of ANC, it was also charged with

Battalion to a Brigade with the induction

providing administrative support to the

of 108 Mountain Brigade plus a battalion

Command HQ, in addition to its tasks with

from Lekhabali (Arunachal Pradesh), on 15

respect to the Naval Component.

December 1990. This formation transformed

• INS Kardip. Commissioned on 28 April itself for its new role under a new operational

1973 at Kamorta Island (Nancowry Group),

e n v i r o n m e n t a n d w a s c h r i s t e n e d ‘ T h e Kardip provides logistical and other support

Amphibians’. It provides the land-fighting

to the southern group of Islands.

element to the Command. In addition to

its two integral Infantry Battalions and

(c) A i r F o r c e C o m p o n e n t . T h e A i r F o r c e sub units, the Brigade, with effect from

Component was raised on 12 December 2001.

the year 2005, also has co-located elements

HQ AFC, earlier co-located with 15 Forward

of 154 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army

Base Support Unit (FBSU), is now located

or TA). The TA Battalion is primarily

within INS Utkrosh. The Component has

The Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC)

303

grown over the years, and exercises control (MRCC), and the Pollution Response Team,

over all the AF assets in the Islands.

both located at Port Blair.

• 37 Wing AF. The air strip at Car Nicobar

i n i t i a l l y b u i l t b y t h e J a p a n e s e , w a s Support Organizations of the Command

operationalized by the IAF by raising the No.

1 Staging Post in the year 1956, with its role

(a) Naval Ship Repair Yard. The erstwhile Base as a refuelling station for all aircraft fl ying

Maintenance Unit (BMU), established in

across the Bay of Bengal. The 122 Helicopter

1972, was upgraded to a Naval Ship Repair

Flight and 151 Squadron AF (Rohini Radar),

Yard (NSRY) on 12 November 1993, for the

were later inducted on 1 April 1985 and

enhanced role of refit and repair of Naval

3 August 1991, respectively. The Base was

ships at Port Blair. The yard now has the

upgraded to 15 FBSU on 23 August 1986

infrastructure to undertake up to Normal Refi ts

and subsequently as ‘37 Wing’ on 15

(NRs) of all ships of the ANFLOT.5

September 1993. The unit was re-established

(b) INHS Dhanvantari. The Command Hospital, at Port Blair on 21 December 2000. The 153

Dhanvantari,6 has been named after Lord

Squadron AF, a Rohini Radar unit is under

Dhanvantari, who epitomizes Ayurveda—the

this FBSU.

science of life. The hospital, commissioned on

7 October 1974, has developed into a modern

(d) Coast Guard Component (CGC). The Regional 107-bed complex with basic specialties and

Headquarters A&N (RHQ A&N) of the ICG,

facilities like Telemedicine, Neonatal ICU,

was raised on 19 August 1978 with three patrol

Microbiology Laboratory and an ultramodern

vessels for patrolling the maritime zones. The

Phaco system for cataract surgery not

CGC comprises of the following:

involving sutures. In 2005, the Ex-Servicemen

• District HQ (DHQ-09) at Diglipur (originally

Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) was

raised in 1985).

added to its functions.

• District HQ (DHQ-10) at Campbell Bay

(c) Base Victualling Yard. The Base Victualling (originally raised in 1987).

Yard (BVY) was originally raised to cater to the

• Indian Coast Guard Stations at Hut Bay,

victualling of Naval and Coast Guard ships,

Mayabander and Kamorta.

and shore establishments at Port Blair. The yard

• District HQ at Port Blair (raised after 2010).

has now progressed into a fully computerized

• Coast Guard surface assets including an OPV,

establishment for the increased victualling

FPVs, Inshore Patrol Vessels and Interceptor

needs of all Components of the Command

Boats.

and the Border Roads Task Force (BRTF).

• A Coast Guard Enclave at Port Blair, with

(d) Naval Stores Depot. The Naval Stores Depot Dornier aircraft under the 745 Squadron, and

(NSD) was originally set up for the supply

a Chetak helicopter.

of logistic stores including petroleum, oil

• Other Coast Guard units including the

and lubricants for ships, aircraft and shore

Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre

establishments of the Navy. Since the formation

5 The role and charter of the NSRY has been covered in detail, 6 A mention of this hospital also appears in the chapter on the in the chapter titled ‘Maintenance: Ensuring Operational Medical Branch under Section 5 of this book.

Readiness and Reliability’ under Section 1 of this book.

304

Blue Waters Ahoy!

of the ANC, the demand, procurement and six independent Garrison Engineers (GEs)—

disposal of the stores have been automated

fi ve at Port Blair and one at Car Nicobar, and

through the Integrated Logistics Management

with outstation detachments at Kamorta and

System (ILMS) for all the forces. Due to

Campbell Bay. The zone provides ‘works’

enhanced load, owing to the formation of the

services to the Command, which, apart from

Command, the NSD has since been upgraded

infrastructure for the Armed Forces, includes

to a Material Organization (MO), commanded

tasks for the ICG, the Kendriya Vidyalaya

by an Indian Navy Capt/Commodore.

Sangathan and the Defence Audit Department.

(e) N a v a l A r m a m e n t D e p o t . T h e N a v a l Armament Depot (NAD) is a facility catering

In Conclusion

to armament stowage in two Magazines.

(f) Chief Engineer A&N Zone. The offi ce of the Established with fanfare in October 2001, the ANC

Chief Engineer, Military Engineer Services

is yet to realize its full potential with reckonable

(MES), Port Blair, was fi rst established in 1966

additions of force levels for all the three forces

for construction of the Naval Wharf and the

as well as the ICG. What is urgently needed is a

Dhanikari Dam. With the establishment of

substantive infusion of funds for capital acquisitions ANC, the appointment was further changed to

in a time-bound manner, so that the ANC can act as

‘Chief Engineer A&N Zone’. With the passage

a true outpost for India to defend its territory and

of time, its responsibility was expanded with

its maritime interests.

Recalls Admiral Arun Prakash, Former CNS and the fi rst CINCAN,

‘When I landed at Port Blair in October 2001, I saw that the only Naval infrastructure and support facilities that would be available to the ANC would be those belonging to the navy. The fi rst thing we did was to rename all such naval facilities under the designation “ANC”. Thus, HQ

FORTAN became HQANC. The Fortress Mess, a Naval facility, became the ANC Mess, and so on. We were far short of land for the new Command and I requested all three Service HQs to hand over land to ANC. While the COAS and CNS readily agreed, the CAS demurred until he had undertaken an on-the-spot survey. When he visited Port Blair, he turned down the request.

At this, the Army too withdrew concurrence and ANC was left only with Naval land. But the real problem that we faced was with the newcomers from the Services who had started landing up in numbers at Port Blair (“Kala-Pani” for most), to assume the newly created assignments at HQ ANC. Since it was a full-fl edged Command, the numbers in the Headquarters were to be much larger than in its previous avatar—FORTAN. There was no accommodation! But then the armed forces know how best to manage a situation. So, personnel were accommodated at various places, including in some hired or re-appropriated establishments.

‘There was also the case of a few who did not feel too happy in having been sent to a place that was yet to grow. My personal interaction in such cases helped in pushing the morale upwards. The most satisfying thing that I experienced was the successful outcome from jointmanship in the fi eld, brought about by different uniforms holding other Services’ appointments. It is the enthusiasm to learn another Service’s domain that made for great results.’

The Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC)

305

3

A Networked Force at Sea

From Organic AIO to Shared Plots

Introduction

messages, due to voice communications.

The year 1961 saw the coming of the fi rst carrier,

In the days of the just constituted Indian Navy—a

Vikrant, and with it, a paradigm shift in how and successor to the Royal Indian Navy—legacy

what we knew of organic AIO. That ship had two

platforms like the (old) Godavari-class frigates separate Ops Rooms, one for the overall picture

or Rajput-class destroyers barely possessed the and the other dedicated for Air Direction. This was

odd radar screen, a log repeater, an echo sounder,

a welcome departure from the AIO of the 1950s

and a couple of manual plots in the ‘Operations

which was more manual plot-dependent. The 1970s

Room’ (Ops Room). Those instruments constituted

and ’80s saw a bevy of new systems on the Leander the framework for a ship’s Action Information

class with the Nilgiri (1972) bringing in a modern Organization (AIO). Even the two cruisers, Delhi

AIO suite from the Royal Navy, followed by the

and Mysore, sourced from the UK, had only archaic Himgiri (1974) introducing the Dutch DS 22

AIO systems. With contemporary inductions in the

system integrated with three radars, the ZW-08,

late 1950s/early 1960s, including the Talwar- and DA-05 and LW-04. While this system meant a sea

Brahmaputra- class frigates, came a lot more in terms change from the past, intra-fl eet communications

of surveillance radars, plots, multiple screens and a still remained analog and ‘manual’ in nature. The

‘manning plan’ of radar plotters that enabled a more

new Godavari (1983) introduced the first-ever comprehensive and continuously updated picture to

fully computerized AIO (CAIO) system, called the

the command. To exchange information with other

IPN-10. Yet, initially, even this system was internal platforms, however, the only technology available

to the parent ship only.

was the good old voice-over Very High Frequency

The Navy’s yearning to graduate to network-

and High Frequency (VHF and HF) radio, that

centricity spurred a band of young Indian Naval

neither met the requirements of real-time exchange,

officers to innovate through self-education and

nor the requisite accuracy of plot. Signifi cantly, it experimentation. The aim was to create a system

was fraught with the dangers of interception of both

that would provide a common operational picture

the location of the ship as well as interpretation of across ships, submarines and aircraft, through a

communication system that would be secure from

62

interception and permit data exchange in real time.

.

Gopalpur

219

KMK

.

The First Steps

KPN

. .RNA

.

61

RNY

. RJP

The maiden attempt was made by a young offi cer in

1996, then commanding INS Vibhuti. Possessed of an innate talent to experiment and a self-acquired

658

TJ

skill at creating software, Lt Cdr (later Commodore)

170

2220

+

B.S. Ahluwalia successfully engineered a system

that could transfer a radar picture as an electronic

plot to other units at sea. Using the latest radio

available, he was able to demonstrate successful

Sensor Grid Application Trigun

sharing of plots between ships with a much lesser

probability of interception, acceptable accuracy of

Fleet—though much desired—was out of sight

positions and real-time exchange of information.

before the development of Sangharsh/ Trigun. The The resultant system, Sangharsh, later christened problem was particularly challenging for Flotilla

Trigun, evolved as the ‘Sensor Grid Application’ of units which had urgently needed a solution for

the Navy (‘Sensor Grid’ being one of the three grids

sharing their positions and of vessels detected by

of Network Centric Warfare [NCW], the other two

their sensors, whenever they were to operate from

being ‘Information’ and ‘Shooter’).

dispersed locations.

This innovation was a significant leap in the

It was at that stage that the then FOMA1,

Indian Navy’s operational capability at the time.

encouraged his Commanding Officers (Lt. Cdr

The story behind its development underscores the

B.S. Ahluwalia being one of them) to develop an

indigenous and ‘in-house’ efforts that contributed

in-house solution. With creative heads at work, a

to transform the Indian Navy.

software driver was soon developed that enabled

At the time of this development, the Navy

integration of the SMARTF radio with a standard

w a s a l r e a d y e x p e r i m e n t i n g w i t h d i g i t a l personal computer; this allowed the plotting of

communications. Three systems were inducted in

positional reports. Initially, these reports were

quick succession: ‘LARA’, ‘SMARTF’ and ‘SACU’.

hand-typed in pre-formatted messages. This

While LARA and SMARTF were primarily used for

system was called Sangharsh. It was also around Local Naval Defence (LND) forces or the Flotilla,

this time that (the hitherto cumbersome) Satellite

SACU was being used by Fleet ships. While most

Navigation systems started coming as portable

Fleet units were equipped with a CAIO system,

handheld Global Positioning System (GPS)

smaller units of the Flotilla had no such luxury.

devices, with a standard data output. Integrating

Even on the larger ships, these were not interfaced

the GPS with the Sangharsh application was

with digital communication systems and therefore,

achieved easily and added significantly to the

the generation of a common picture across the

system. The system gave a clear, graphic overview

1 FOMA (Flag Offi cer Commanding Maharashtra Area)

Raman Puri, was the FOMA in 1995–96.

is the head of the Flotilla; Rear Admiral (later Vice Admiral) A Networked Force at Sea

307

of all forces in real time, aiding Commanders young officers, Lt Cdr (now Commodore)

in effective assimilation of a situation in its

M.P. Anil Kumar and Lt Cdr (later Commander)

entirety and assisting in coordinated execution

J.T. Mundakel. The former developed a software

of a mission. The next step was to provide an

radio modem called the ‘Hurricane’ while the

underlay of electronic navigation charts to offer

latter integrated it with both Sangharsh and

better orientation to the user.

Trigun providing a secure high-bandwidth digital It was also during this time in 1996–97, that

communication system for the application. Initially

another system produced by BEL, the Colour

intended as a technology demonstrator, the

Tactical Display (CTD), was inducted into the Navy.

Hurricane proved to be so good that it was accepted

The CTD had digital features and could interface

as the mainstay digital communication system for

with the existing radars

Sangharsh. What the team had accomplished, after The GPS-integrated

onboard ships. The Flotilla

considerable patience and perseverance, was an

Sangharsh was able

seized upon the opportunity

extremely satisfying outcome.

to provide a graphic

and integrated Sangharsh

As time progressed, Sangharsh continued to

overview of all forces with the CTD to produce evolve, bringing out several operational overlays

in real time and

a comprehensive Common

and planning tools for the conduct of anti-

help Commanders

Operational Picture (COP).

submarine warfare (ASW) manoeuvres, anti-

effectively assimilate

What had started as an in-

aircraft (AA) coordination, searches/patrols, anti-

relevant data and

house initiative by and for

missile defence (AMD), SAR missions and many

execute a mission.

the Flotilla soon became

other tasks.

attractive even for the Fleet

and rapidly gained centrality in the Ops Rooms

Introduction of Trigun

of all ships. Inevitably, the Navy’s submarines and

aircraft were soon brought into the common net.

As its implementation spread to platforms/bases

Sangharsh was now an integral and effective part in all three domains, viz. sea, air and land, the

of naval operations.

system earned a new name: Trigun.2 The saga

of indigenously developed network solutions

Hurricane to the Rescue

continued with an ever-expanding list of platforms

getting integrated with Trigun, including UAVs, As the system grew and communications became

satellite-based communication systems, the

more effective and rapid, it brought about an

Automatic Identification System (AIS) and even

accompanying problem of ‘information-overload’.

‘white shipping’3 information received from various

While all units were ‘trigger-happy’ in sending

sources. The Trigun application continually grew messages on the network, as the quantum of

into a feature-rich system, wherein the requirement

information exchange increased, the available

it fulfi lled was no longer that of a unit-level AIO

bandwidth became a problem. The once popular

system, but one that now encompassed a Network-

SMARTF and SACU communication systems were

Centric Operations (NCO) system. Its Navy-wide

unable to handle the vast requirement of (dense)

integration led to the development of several new

data-transfer. A solution was soon found by two

initiatives such as the Indian Navy’s Management

2 The Hindi term ‘trigun’ implies three dimensions.

3 White shipping refers to ships that are identifi able as against dark ships whose movement or intent is not clear.

308

Blue Waters Ahoy!

of Operations Knowledge System (MOKS)4 and the that time with top software companies in India to

Merchant Ship Information System (MSIS)5 scripted

contribute to the Navy’s efforts towards developing

by Cdr Chaitanya Chandel (Retd), for collation of

NCO solutions. But, all had the same refrain: The

white shipping data.

work was diffi cult, payments were meagre and

the lack of domain awareness meant too much

In Hindsight

effort for no discernible long-term (commercial)

gain! That left in-house development as the only

Trigun changed the way the Indian Navy operated viable solution.

at sea; and it continues to be the primary means

for obtaining Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)

Genesis of Directorate of Network-Centric

for all naval operations. Today, one cannot imagine

Operations (DNCO)

a major deployment without its services to the

fleet. The concept and required framework for

As a result of Trigun’s stupendous successes, obtaining a COP is rather complex because of

many became convinced about the possibility of

the diverse network of shore MOCs (or Maritime

developing an advanced indigenous NCO system

Operations Centres), units at sea, and aircraft

with the Indian Navy’s own efforts. This led to

that ‘talk’ to each other for sharing this picture

the birth of a Directorate of Network-Centric

through multiple means (data links, radio, satellite

Operations (DNCO) in January 2006. The offi cers

and land networks). But, thanks to a small team

to be included in the Directorate were selected on

of highly talented officers, this path-breaking

the basis of their expertise and interest in software, transformational project was smoothly executed.

operations and problem-

The vision, drive and penchant for inspired action

solving. The team, that The DNCO was a

exhibited by the team stands testimony to the selfl ess grew rapidly from two result of the need felt

commitment to excellence that the Navy is known for.

individuals to several to come up with an

It was based on an attitude that said ‘anything could offi cers from the Executive

advanced indigenous

be done, if one worked hard enough, and understood

and Electrical branches, NCO system with the

the strength of teamwork’. It certainly helped that

was given the onerous Indian Navy’s own

the officers constituting the team had substantial

responsibility of framing efforts.

operational experience and were given a free hand

and executing the vision

to experiment. The advantage of such homegrown

for a network-centric Navy. It was mandated to ‘use

solutions was that they continually evolved and

existing systems to realize net-enabled capability’

developments were synchronized with the users’

and to ‘induct niche technologies to develop net-

requirements.

centric operations’. In 2006, Cdr S. Sivakumaran

The

Trigun model of development was not only

joined DNCO and made invaluable additions to the

workable, but also optimal. It was incremental in

Trigun software—no trivial task for such a complex its development and used the concept, ‘build a little, program.

fi eld a little’. Incidentally, meetings were also held at There were, primarily, three systems that the

4 MOKS was devised as a knowledge management system

5 MSIS is an indigenously developed (software) system for to enable the users (naval platforms) by capturing processed tracking merchant vessels in different parts of the world. This operational information for use in conduct of operations.

software assists Indian Navy units in enhancing their MDA in respect of merchant vessels at sea.

A Networked Force at Sea

309

DNCO had envisioned at the initial stages. One The journey was not an easy one, fraught as it was

was a COP across the globe, which was realized

with many challenges. Initially, attempts were made

through an upgraded Trigun; the second was a

to get support from the DRDO. These, however,

near real-time global MSIS and the third was a

didn’t make much headway at the time, because

Knowledge Management System (KMS). The

the DRDO had neither the domain awareness

DNCO had all the three systems running within

nor the operational orientation to solve such

a year. The next Navy-wide operational exercise

problems, especially in a fi eld requiring a regular

was duly planned using all three with expectations

development-testing-feedback cycle alongside an

running sky high. The exercise turned out to be a

integrated user-designer approach. Their project

trying evolution but, perhaps for that very reason,

lifecycle followed the ‘waterfall’ method which

the end result was a clear and satisfying success.

meant requirements had to be clearly written down

The operations teams were fully supportive of

before a project started. New concepts, such as

the DNCO’s efforts—from the units in the field

those which the DNCO was dealing with, could

all the way to IHQ MoD (N). As things panned

not succeed without incorporating this method.

out, the Directorate saw many successes, even as

Prototypes were built to prove or disprove

there were some failures. And while it showcased

concepts, and then immediately torn down

many a positive ability, the principal challenge that or enhanced, in a series of experiments aimed

remained was that of integrating ‘legacy’ systems

at solving essential problems. Nothing was a

on various onboard and shore-based nodes.

constraint. Work that seemed good enough would

at times be discarded to create something that

Towards ‘Excellence’

was beyond the expected. Only the best was kept;

high standards were maintained. There were some

The success of Sangharsh and Trigun led to the who didn’t understand much technology but were

development of several local-level initiatives. While willing to support the endeavour, because the young

addressing the need of the hour, these initiatives

Directorate was delivering

The journey to create

created a problem of ‘plenty’ and led to technical

something where nothing

incompatibilities due to the absence of a standard

had existed before. Every a truly networked

protocol. Thus, standardization became one of the

breakthrough brought Navy was fraught

mandates of the DNCO. A team of naval offi cers

increasing support and, with challenges for

from various other organizations including the

with it, the autonomy the DNCO, which

Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering

to explore new territory. the team overcame

Establishment (WESEE), Directorate of Naval

A l l t h o s e w h o w e r e with creativity, Signals (DNS), Directorate of Naval Operations

involved were creative, intelligence and

(DNO) and the Directorate of Staff Requirements

intelligent, comfortable a willingness to

(DSR) joined with the DNCO, to evolve a common

with change, and willing confront obstacles.

standard and also fi nd other innovative solutions to t o c o n f r o n t u n u s u a l

pave the way towards a networked Navy. The efforts

challenges. This was a key factor in the success

of this team, and the Naval leadership’s fl exibility achieved. The next, and logical, step was of course

to change led to many signifi cant achievements that

satellite communication. Commissioning a naval

helped build a robust network for ship-to-ship and

satellite system and its integration with Trigun saw

ship-to-shore information exchange and collation.

signifi cant capability enhancement in MDA.

310

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Having been considered pro-Soviet during broader partnerships within the Navy amongst the

the Cold War, India was, in any case, under the

growing stakeholders, including the Directorate

denial regime even long after. Keen to catch the

of Naval Air Staff (DNAS), the Directorate of

Information Revolution, Indian Naval personnel

Electrical Engineering (DEE), the Directorate

were determined to fi ll existing voids through their of Submarine Acquisition (DSMAQ) and the

own efforts, to breach barriers and get equal to the

Directorate of Network and Space Operations

task of making things indigenously. The enabling of

(DNSO); with the scientifi c community including

a network-centric force at sea—with in-house efforts

the DRDO and ISRO; with the defence and IT

alone—was no mean achievement, and underscores

industry, both public and private; and also the other what is possible when a system is willing to accept

armed and security forces, especially the Indian

and harness transformational change. Over time,

Army and Air Force.

the NCO efforts gathered momentum and enthused

A Networked Force at Sea

311

4

Strategic Thinking in the IN

Symbolizing Relevance through Evolution

History of Strategic Thinking in the Navy*

Study Group, established in 1996, was tasked to

articulate a maritime doctrine. The work done by

Traditionally, ‘planning/strategic thinking’ had

this group led to the formulation of the Indian Navy’s always belonged to the Directorate of Naval Plans

Maritime Doctrine, promulgated in the next decade.

(DNP). The fi rst important (Force-Level) Plans paper F r u i t f u l e f f o r t s f o l l o w e d , l e a d i n g t o a after Independence—the ‘Naval Plans Paper 1948’—

transformation of the Indian Navy into a

drafted by DNP, was a study in strategic appreciation technologically improved maritime force. In 1998,

centred on India’s geostrategic location. The paper is the Strategic Studies Group was formed. This group referred to/quoted from to this day, underlining the

comprised a mix of senior and junior offi cers who

imagination, perspective and aspirations of a nascent were tasked with studying issues of strategic and

Indian Navy.

operational value, and proposing ways for the

By the late 1980s, there was a need felt to

Indian Navy’s transformation. The tasking was,

develop a broader framework of the strategy that

in addition to their primary appointments, to be

would thence shape both policy (of induction of

carried out independently at respective Naval

technologies) and plans (related to force levels

stations. Studies on formulating long-term plans,

including infrastructure ashore). This need translated such as the Fifteen- Year Shipbuilding Plan, and a into the publication of the fi rst Maritime Military maritime doctrine, continued in the following years.

Strategy in 1988—a classified document—for

Concurrently, there was increasing focus on

dissemination to all units.

Foreign Cooperation (FC), in pursuance of the

The decade of the 1990s was witness to greater

various activities that were initiated as part of the thrust and support for conceptual thinking and

Government’s ‘Look East’ Policy over the decade

doctrine development—aimed at providing a broader

of the 1990s. This led to an FC cell being created

foundation to the development of strategy, resulting

within the DNP. Foreign cooperation would later

in formally researched policy and plans. A Doctrine

receive a greater fi llip, as we will see ahead.

* With inputs from Rear Admiral S.J. Singh (on historical background and reorganization at IHQ MoD [N]).

Changes at IHQ MoD (N)

This was also the time, when the Navy was

spreading its wings of foreign cooperation (FC)

A draft maritime doctrine was fi rst formulated in

across a wide canvas. Accordingly, two study

2002–3, and it underwent staff examination at

groups were set up to examine options for a think

IHQ MoD (N), leading to the fi rst Indian Maritime tank for IHQ MoD (N) (more specifi cally for the

Doctrine (INBR 8; INBR standing for the Indian CNS), and the FC structures. The study group for

Naval Book of Reference)

‘strategic thinking’ had recommended the creation

While in 1996,

being published in 2004 as

of a core team at IHQ MoD (N), called the Strategic

the Doctrine

an unclassified document.

Policy Group under the CNS. The primary charter

Study Group was

This was made available

of this group was to examine the priority areas,

established to

to both Naval officers

as laid down by the CNS, and provide out-of-the-

articulate a maritime and select members of the box options to ensure that the Navy remained in

doctrine, one that

Government and the public.

sync with evolving trends of maritime warfare and

was promulgated in

Another key document, the

strategy. On 5 September 2005 came about the

the decade to follow, Science and Technology

establishment of three new directorates: Directorate

Roadmap, was prepared

of Foreign Cooperation (DFC), Directorate of

the Strategic Studies

in 2004, by the DNP with

Foreign Liaison (DFL) and Directorate of Strategy,

Group was formed

a fi ve-year time-span. This

Concepts and Transformation (DSCT) with a broad

in 1998 to examine

was duly revised and a new

ambit of duties:

issues of strategic and version promulgated in

• DFC. Single point of contact with MoD/MEA on operational value,

2009.

all foreign cooperation issues, including policy,

and propose ways

Around 2005, when

material, training and operational aspects.

for the Indian Navy’s the Navy was on the cusp

• DFL. Handling of all foreign visits,

transformation.

of embarking on a journey

deputations and protocol issues concerning

There was

o f m o d e r n i z a t i o n a n d

Foreign Service Attaches and the single

simultaneously, an

transformation, there was

point of contact between IHQ MoD (N) and

increasing focus on

a growing feeling amongst

diplomatic missions in India.

foreign cooperation

the senior leadership that

• DSCT. A think tank for formulating strategic too.

‘strategic thinking’—the

concepts, doctrines, etc. Also, the lead agency

conceptual component of a

for the ongoing transformation process

strong maritime power—merited special focus. A

involving the Navy.

strong view was that while the DNP has one of the

heaviest responsibilities in terms of formulation of

Overseeing the three new directorates would be

Naval procurement plans and budget-management,

Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Foreign Cooperation

the task of undertaking broader studies for the

and Transformation (ACNS [FCT]), a new

formulation of strategy and doctrines could be

Assistant Principal Staff Offi cer (APSO) constituted entrusted to a separate organization, entirely

on 15 October 2005. Subsequently, during the

dedicated to strategic thought for the future of the

reorganization of IHQ MoD (N), ACNS (FCT)

Navy. The umbilical link between ‘strategy’ and

was rechristened as ACNS Foreign Cooperation

future ‘force structuring’ was well-accepted and

and Intelligence (FCI) on 16 February 2006,

thus the seeds were sown for a dedicated team to

with functional responsibility for the Directorate

look at strategic issues impacting the Navy.

Strategic Thinking in the IN

313

of Naval Intelligence (DNI), DFC, DFL and the The Journey So Far

Media and Public Relations Cell (MPRC). Vide the

same order, DSCT was placed functionally under

Since its inception, the DSCT has functioned as the

a governing council and administratively under

captive ‘think tank’ of IHQ MoD (N). In addition

the ACNS (P&P), in Staff Branch-I. The ACNS

to its core taskings, the Directorate acts as the

(FCI) would go on to achieve several milestones, as

nodal point for maritime strategy and concept

mentioned in the section on ‘Maritime Diplomacy’

formulation at the strategic level and for issues

of this book.

related to transformation of the Indian Navy.

Well enmeshed into the strategic and operational

Towards a Robust Doctrinal Organization

organization of the Navy, the DSCT maintains close

liaison with professional

In 2006, a Flag Officer Doctrines and Concepts

By 2006, the DSCT

Directorates at IHQ MoD

(FODC) was constituted in Mumbai, with a new (N) and also interacts became the nodal

Maritime Doctrines and Concepts Centre (MDCC)

with various think tanks/

Directorate for

placed under him. In addition, the existing Indian

Track II organizations on INSOC as well as

Naval Tactical Evaluation Group (INTEG) and the

maritime affairs impacting

FODC. The DSCT

College of Naval Warfare (CNW) were also placed

the regional as well as would eventually

under FODC.

global environment. The come to be placed

The governing body for FODC was the newly

DSCT also represents the directly under the

formed Indian Naval Strategic and Operational

Navy in the Joint Doctrines

CNS.

Council (INSOC), with the CNS as the Chairman

and Concepts development

and the Principal Director of Strategy, Concepts and

process coordinated by Headquarters, Integrated

Transformation (PDSCT) as its Member Secretary.

Defence Staff (HQIDS).

In principal, DSCT became the nodal Directorate

Despite all of them being fairly young, the

for INSOC and FODC. INSOC had fi ve ex-offi cio

FODC, DSCT and all associated organizations

members and another six nominated members.

have been at the business end of strategic

INSOC was entrusted with tasking the FODC

thinking in the Navy from the word ‘go’. Charged

and vetting the studies and doctrines produced

with the onerous responsibility of formulating

under his direction. INSOC members were also

strategic guidelines, these institutions have, in a

expected to lead/undertake studies on issues of

very short period of time, formalized a number

strategic and operational import which would

of important strategic guidance documents for

be placed before the full INSOC and then

the Navy. In addition to promulgation of these

handed over to the concerned staff branches

‘leading lights’, periodic reviews are undertaken

at IHQ MoD (N) for further action. In 2009,

to maintain their currency, based on the evolving

recognizing the crucial and expanded role of

geostrategic environment.

the DSCT for meeting the requirements of the

CNS for examining emerging strategic trends

Strategic Guidance for Transformation

and transformational issues, the directorate was

The DSCT has spearheaded the transformation

placed directly under the CNS.

vision of the Navy with the promulgation of the

maiden Strategic Guidance for Transformation

314

Blue Waters Ahoy!

in 2006.The document covers the principles for the Royal Navy, UK, have been considered as BRs

transformation and provides a clear roadmap for

for the Indian Navy as well. Accordingly, the fi rst

the future Indian Navy, by articulating the ‘Key

Indian Maritime Doctrine drew substantively from Enablers’ for transformation. This guiding publication the British Maritime Doctrine for its defi nitions

looks at the evolving threats, vulnerabilities, risks and of concepts and principles of maritime power.

opportunities that the Indian Navy will face in the time While some concepts of maritime power have

to come, and proposes a passage plan for navigating

universality of understanding and application, and

the way ahead. The progress made for transformation

would remain the same for most navies, it was felt

was to be reviewed annually by the CNS, and formed

that the time had come

the basis for the CNS’s Course to Steer: Long Term for the Indian Navy to With the view to

Goals and Short Term Tasks, promulgated initially comprehensively articulate

encapsulate the

for a set of three years and thereafter, annually. The its own maritime doctrine,

transformational vision

DSCT carried out a series of studies on strategic

bringing out its distinct of the Indian Navy,

issues, new concepts and transformational subjects,

beliefs, understanding several representative

whilst providing staff support for the functioning of and principles of maritime

documents have

the INSOC and FODC.

power, in the context of been published

India’s maritime interests during the decade.

Doctrine and Concept Development Handbook

a n d s t r u c t u r e s , a s a n Examples include the (2007)

a p e x - l e v e l d o c u m e n t . Strategic Guidance The FODC opened his account in doctrine

Accordingly, the FODC for Transformation

development with the promulgation, in 2007, of

prepared a revised draft in

the Doctrine and Concept Development Handbook

2007–8. It went through (2006), the Doctrine (INBR 29), which defi ned the structured process

yet another revision and and Concept

to be observed for developing new concepts and

t h e f i n a l l y a p p r o v e d Development

doctrines for the Indian Navy.

Indian Maritime Doctrine

Handbook (INBR 29,

2009 was promulgated in 2007) and the Indian

Freedom to use the Seas: India’s Maritime

August 2009. A successor Maritime Doctrine

Military Strategy (2007)

to the Indian Maritime (2009).

A watershed effort of its kind, this strategic

D o c t r i n e ( 2 0 0 4 ) , t h i s

document enunciated the Navy’s maritime strategic

edition of the Maritime Doctrine (INBR 8)

outlook, defi ned the parameters of its employment,

covered the fundamental framework of the

and provided overarching guidance for its

principles, practices and procedures that govern

evolution as a combat force. The publication was

the development and employment of the Indian

articulated with the singular intent of providing

Navy’s maritime military power. It also provided

greater clarity and understanding on various facets

a common language and uniform understanding

of maritime military power to our own people in

of maritime concepts along with a foundation for

particular and the world community at large.

the Navy’s operating, planning, organizational and

training philosophies. To nurture critical thinking

Indian Maritime Doctrine (2009)

from a national maritime doctrinal point of view at

The FODC was tasked with revising the Indian

an early stage, the book is issued to young offi cers Maritime Doctrine, so as to appropriately

during their ab-initio training.

‘indigenize’ it. Traditionally, Books of Reference of Strategic Thinking in the IN

315

Freedom to Use the Seas: India’s

INBR 8

Strategic Guidance for Transformation

Maritime Military Strategy

Follow-on Documents by MDCC

Relevance through Evolution

The MDCC, under the FODC, also took on

the task of producing follow-on doctrines on

A Navy cannot go to war with outdated policies,

specialized subjects. These included a doctrine

tactics and strategies. It is thus important not just on mine-countermeasures (MCM Doctrine-INBR

to establish new policies, but to revise them in

1836), in 2009, and Understanding NCO (INBR

the right way and at the right time. The Navy has

33), in 2010. A major task taken up by MDCC

endeavoured to meet these ends not just through

was reviewing and revising the Naval Operational

an evolution of thought processes, but also through

Planning Process and the Indian Navy’s Perspective

institutional and organizational changes.

on Operational Art, in amplifi cation of the outline

given in the Indian Maritime Doctrine 2009.1

Recalls Admiral Arun Prakash, then CNS,

‘One thing that I realized in my tenure as COP and VCNS, before taking over as CNS was, that a great deal of the time and energies of IHQ MoD (N), were devoted to international relations and particularly foreign cooperation with neighbouring navies, Since this seemed to be the navy’s prime peace-time preoccupation, I felt that NHQ needed to organize itself better to give this issue our “best shot”. The idea was to give maritime cooperation/diplomacy the priority it deserved from a country in India’s position. Of equal importance, I felt, was to crystallize the Navy’s vision 1 This project culminated in 2011 with the promulgation of

Warfare, and the Naval Operations Manual (II): Operational Naval Operations Manual (I): Philosophy of Operational Planning Process, as INBR 34(1) & (2) respectively.

316

Blue Waters Ahoy!

for the future; given that we were in the throes of the “Revolution in Military Affairs” and the consequent formulation of a road-map for a process of “transformation” that we would need to undergo. While the junior and middle-rank offi cers would be comfortable with transformation, I felt that it was likely to be problematic for people of my generation—the PSOs and C-in-Cs—who were likely to resist.

‘Foreign cooperation was a subject that fell half and half between two directorates: DNP

and DNI—each in a different branch of NHQ. To my mind, foreign cooperation was of much greater importance and covered a much larger canvas; factors that demanded serious focus and oversight at appropriate levels. The organization had to be created as a self-contained vertical, with horizontal linkages with concerned branches and directorates. This is how the idea of ACNS (FCT) germinated. This was soon changed to ACNS (FCI) in order to keep the foreign cooperation as well as intelligence functions in close synergy. In so far as doctrine and strategy were concerned, I felt that they rated a dedicated directorate to themselves. I also had a feeling that “management of change” or the process of “transformation” was likely to be a diffi cult one, and needed “steering”

from NHQ. Thus came about the omnibus Directorate of Strategy, Concepts & Transformation, under direct supervision of CNS. The fi rst doctrine had already been prepared in my predecessor’s time but a document on strategy was yet to be published. DSCT has done, and continues to do, full justice, to this role.

‘One of the immediate results of the change in the foreign-cooperation organization and mindset was the plan of withdrawing an FAC from IN service and gifting it to the Maldives, instead of waiting interminably for MEA and MoD approvals. We also gifted three Islander aircraft to Myanmar and trained their pilots and maintenance crew to help them with EEZ

surveillance in their waters. In other words, not only had a cohesive plan for capacity building and capability enhancement for the smaller neighbours begun to take formal shape, but IHQ

MoD(N) had also decided to increasingly exercise its discretion—in national interest—rather than rely on a lackadaisical decision-making system.

‘During my visit to the US, I had visited their Navy’s Warfare Development Command and became convinced that we badly needed to institute a similar formal organization for putting together doctrines and strategic concepts. Thus came about the creation of FODC, with MDCC

and INTEG under him. This organization has shaped up well—the idea here being to raise the level and expand the organization for a focussed approach on development of doctrines, while debating them.

‘I was also very keen to link the newly evolved strategy of the Navy and the likely availability of funds with a long-term capability perspective plan. The reason was that, on taking over as CNS, I had felt that for every new shipbuilding project, the dialogue with the ministry used to become protracted in terms of justifi cation and the hows and whys. If we had an approved perspective plan we would not need to seek repeated, piecemeal approvals. That is how the MCPP was put together and presented to the government for approval—this was a major step forward.’

Strategic Thinking in the IN

317

5

The National Maritime

Foundation (NMF)

Bringing Together Research, Policymaking and

Intellectual Discourse

Introduction

research in maritime history, naval warfare, naval

technology, and prevailing and future trends in the

If the last decade of the twentieth century saw major whole business of maritime economy and maritime

geopolitical changes across the world—brought

security. Another important aim was to provide

about by the end of the Cold War—the beginning of

a countrywide common platform for discourse

the new century witnessed even greater upheavals,

and debate between institutions, organizations

beginning with the 9/11 tragedy and the ensuing

and disciplines related to the maritime domain.

(US-led) global war on terror, incidents of maritime

This would, in turn, serve to heighten maritime

terrorism and other instances of transnational crime, awareness amongst India’s policy-makers and

the latter adversely affecting the concepts of maritime intellectual elite, as also the civil society at large.

security that were being practised till then. The events Another important reason for the decision to

were unprecedented, seeking rapid transformations

establish such a centre-of-thought lay in the long-

across the spectrum of maritime activity.

felt need to redress India’s historical neglect of its Seeing the void in the business of maritime

maritime spaces.

strategic thinking in the country, the Navy, in

The Indian Air Force and the Indian Army had

late 2004, decided to establish a ‘brain trust’ for

already established their respective think tanks

conducting research on national/global maritime

in Delhi. It was therefore proposed to establish a

issues, which would then help to fi ll the gap between national-level maritime think tank. The initial view

academic work and policy-formulation. Since there

within IHQ MoD (N) was that this think tank be

was no ‘lead institution’ immediately available, it

named the National Institute of Maritime Affairs

was decided to establish a think tank, sponsored

(NIMA). However, after further deliberations, the

by the Indian Navy and with the active support of

designation National Maritime Foundation (NMF)

the MoD. The aim of creating a ‘maritime’ think

was chosen.

tank (rather than a naval one) was in response

Given the lack of real estate and the meagre

to the need for an intellectual centre that would

financial resources available, it was decided to

add professional value by the conduct of serious

establish the NMF in ‘porta-cabins’/pre-fabricated

huts within the premises of the Varuna Offi cers’

accept the responsibilities, an acting Chairman

Mess Complex at New Delhi.

is elected by the GC from amongst the Life

The NMF was inaugurated by the then Defence

Members of the Foundation.

Minister (later President of India), Shri Pranab

• Director: The Director is appointed by the GC

Mukherjee, on 15 February 2005.

as the Chief Executive of the Foundation.

Over the years, the Foundation has grown and

• Executive Director: The Executive Director is is, today, an established intellectual institution, with usually a serving naval offi cer appointed by

robust academic linkages within the country as

IHQ MoD (N), but could be any other suitable

well as overseas. Its intellectual and organizational person selected by the Council.

development continues to be supported by the

MoD as well as the Indian Navy.

Recalls Admiral Arun Prakash, then CNS,

The vision of the Foundation is ‘to be the

foremost resource centre for the development

The genesis of the National Maritime Foundation

and advocacy of strategies for the promotion and

lies in a long-felt need to redress India’s historic

protection of India’s maritime interests’.

neglect of its maritime security domain. On taking

The functioning of the Foundation is governed

over as VCNS, in 2003, I thought that it was time

by a Memorandum of Association and Rules and

for the IN to create a think-tank to fi ll an acute

Regulations approved by the Registrar of Societies,

void by providing an open forum for professional

Government of the National Capital Territory

debate within the IN, while, at the same time,

(NCT) of Delhi.

serving to heighten maritime awareness amongst

India’s policy-makers and intellectual elite, as

Governing Council

well as lay civil society. Apart from seeking views

from within IHQ MoD (N), I also held discussions

The broad functioning parameters and policy

with Rear Admiral K. Raja Menon (Retd) and

guidelines under which the Foundation operates are

built on his suggestions on the ways and means of

laid down by a Governing Council (GC) consisting

establishing a research/resource centre. We were

of a minimum of seven and a maximum of 15

able to get approval for NMF as well as a corpus

members. The Chairman of the GC (and hence of

of `5 crore from MoD in 2006.

the NMF itself) is, by tradition, the Naval Chief

who has most recently demitted office. The GC

Way Forward

meets at least once every year and is reconstituted

on 1 April of every odd-numbered year. The

Moving forward, the NMF aspires to establish

incumbent CNS is the ex-offi cio Patron, while the

‘Regional Chapters’ in all coastal states of India. The Director is the Member Secretary.

Foundation continues to function from its original

location within the premises of the Varuna Mess Executives

Complex. Hopefully soon, dedicated infrastructure

• Chairman: The CNS, upon retiring from

at a permanent location will be built in order to

Service is invited to assume the responsibilities

establish a venue that will truly refl ect the excellent of Chairman of the Foundation. In exceptional

work being done by this centre of excellence.

circumstances when he is not in a position to

The National Maritime Foundation (NMF)

319

6

Project Seabird

The Making of a Notable Third Naval Base

Genesis

The Third Naval Base

The geography of India, coupled with its history,

During the 1970s, the conceptual requirements

means that the country will always have to be wary

crystallized for a third naval base on the west coast.

of potential threats emanating from its western

These were:

reaches. While the same is applicable on terra fi rma,

• Large waterfront with suffi cient depth of water

the sheer scale of applicability on the maritime

and a tranquil anchorage.

front necessitates a greater deal of attention.

• Suffi cient contiguous backup inland area for

Traditionally, the Indian Navy’s two major bases on

operational, technical, administrative and

the west coast were (and still are, in fact) Mumbai

logistics facilities.

and Kochi. The latter of these two is the base of

• Self-contained with integrated development.

the Training Command of the Navy (Southern

• Security considerations and defence-in-depth

Naval Command) and is not, in the classic sense,

aided by exclusiveness.

an operational Command, although it does an

• Connectivity through rail, road and sea

excellent job as a staging ground for monitoring

communication.

and patrolling the south-western reaches of our

maritime frontiers.

The requirement for the third naval base was

Mumbai, the fi nancial capital of the country and,

included in the Naval Plan of 1980–85. The

arguably, its only true metropolitan city, houses

locations that were initially considered were

the headquarters of the Indian Navy’s largest, and

Ratnagiri, Pawas Bay, Goa, Karwar, Tadri,

one of the only two, operational Commands—the

Mangalore and Tuticorin. Of these, Karwar,

Western Naval Command. The sword arm of the

Mangalore and Tuticorin comprised the shortlist.

Indian Navy, the Western Fleet, is also based in

Karwar was the final choice, falling true on a

Mumbai. But, critically, it is also within the radius majority of the Navy’s requirements. In August

of action (ROA) of our unpredictable neighbour’s

1985, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs

delivery vehicles.

(CCPA) had approved the creation of a naval base at

Karwar. The then Prime Minister, Shri Rajiv Gandhi

laid the foundation stone of the Base at Karwar on

24 October 1986. It must be acknowledged here

that the project received a major shot in the arm

under the stewardship of Admiral O.S. Dawson,

when he was the CNS in the early 1980s. In

addition to being credited for fi nalizing the site for the new Naval Academy (present-day INA), the

Admiral also chose the name of the project for the

third naval base. The name Project Seabird stuck,

and it is today the pride of the Navy.

Laying the foundation of the third naval base

Execution of Phase I (2000–2010)

harbour, berthing facilities and construction of

Introduction

a ship-lift with dry berth. The contract engaging

The execution of Phase I commencing in the year

M/s Redecon and Nedeco The scope of work,

2000 marked a signifi cant milestone for the Indian

f o r c o n s u l t a n c y a n d which envisaged Navy, in that our strategic vision of the creation of supervision of the marine

world-class infrastructure for the expanding needs

works was signed on 27 creation of a self-

of the Navy had finally commenced on ground.

February 1997.

suffi cient and full-

The scope of work, which envisaged the creation

fl edged new naval

of a self-sufficient and full-fledged new naval

O n s h o r e Wo r k s . T h i s base right from base right from scratch (greenfi eld status), was a

comprised all support scratch (greenfi eld

unique journey and the first of its kind that the

f a c i l i t i e s ( t e c h n i c a l , status), was a unique Navy had embarked upon. The major challenges of

logistics and administrative

journey and the fi rst

accord of government sanction, followed by land

infrastructure including of its kind that the

acquisition and subsequent fi nalization of the relief residential accommodation

Navy had embarked

and rehabilitation package for the Project Affected

a n d h o s p i t a l ) . M / s upon.

Families (PAF) had taken 15 years (from 1985 to

MECON (a PSU under the

2000) to overcome. It was only upon vacation of

Ministry of Steel) was appointed as consultant for

the core area and finalization of the Relief and

the onshore works packages. The contract with the

Rehabilitation Package for the PAF that work on

fi rm was signed on 30 March 2000.

site could commence in October 2000—fi ve years

after the CCS sanction was accorded in 1995.

Contract Phase

The pre-qualification process for shortlisting of

Scope of Work

contractors involving execution of Marine Works

Phase I was broadly divided into two major

had commenced in 1990 and was thereafter put

components with respect to the scope of work, viz.

on hold awaiting fresh CCS sanction by the GoI.

offshore and onshore elements.

On accord of sanction in 1995, the process of pre-

qualification of the contractors recommenced.

Offshore Works and Other Marine Infrastructure:

Appreciating the complex nature of the project

This included all works for creation of a Naval

directed by the design of the breakwater (rubble

Project Seabird

321

mound berm-type breakwater1) the marine works through the RBI.

were consciously divided into three segments, viz.

As this was the main marine contract being

quarrying, dredging, reclamation and construction

concluded, it was decided that approval of the

of breakwaters. Of these, suffi cient expertise then

Defence Minister would be sought before signing

existed in the country only for quarrying. As for

the contract. The contract for construction of

dredging, the Dredging Corporation of India

breakwater, dredging, land reclamation and

(DCI) had the capability but lacked the capacity

quarrying, came into effect on 6 October 1999.

to undertake the quantum of work envisaged for

This made it one of the largest marine works

Phase I. For construction of breakwaters, few

contracts to be issued in India at that time.

Indian companies, if any, had the technology or

It is interesting to note that each party of the

previous experience to undertake the work. Even

consortium pre-qualified separately for specific

so, all interested fi rms had indicated preference for parts of the contract as per their expertise. The

a collaboration with a reputed foreign fi rm. A total parties inter-alia negotiated and fi nalized among

of 39 companies had bid for the works and after

themselves, the consortium structure, legal

pre-qualifi cation, the shortlisted bidders were given relationship, lead party, individual rights, liabilities, the option to form a consortia if they so desired in

obligations and responsibilities and commitments

view of the diverse range and scope of the works.

in respect of each of the above components of work

After exercising this option by the bidders, the

of the project. This allowed the employer (PMB)

Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued to a total of

to deal with the entities to facilitate coordination, fi ve group entities/consortia and to two individual

progress monitoring and payments. Accordingly,

bidders (both foreign fi rms), in March 1997.

Hochtief was made the lead partner.

The Project Management Board (PMB),

during its fi fteenth meeting on 13 August 1997,

Offshore Works

approved the validity of the bids from four of the

Breakwaters. The recommended design of the

seven bidders that had been issued the tender. The

port was such that three breakwaters were to

qualifi ed bidders were:

be constructed to provide for a suffi cient degree

• Consortium of Jan de Nul and AFCONS

of tranquillity within the harbour basin; a land

• Consortium of Besix and Dredging

connected breakwater (1.9km long) at the north

International

from Binaga Point on the mainland to Anjadip

• Boskalis Westminster

Island, a southern offshore breakwater (3.2km

• Consortium of Hochtief, Ballast Nedam and

long) spanning the gap between two small

Larsen & Toubro (L&T)

islands named Arga Island and Round Island,

and a spur breakwater (0.33km long) protruding

During the sixteenth meeting held on 23 April 1998,

from the larger offshore Anjadip Island. This

the PMB approved the lowest offer received from

involved the exploitation, transport and placing

the consortium of Hochtief/Ballast Nedam/L&T

of approximately 4 million cubic metres of rock

for `575.85 crore with a provision for conversion

varying in size up to 20 tons.

of 66 per cent of the payment to foreign currency

Excavation by dredging of approximately

1 As the name suggests, it is basically a mound of rubble.

tetrahedral) concrete blocks. A berm type breakwater consists However, the rubble consists of shaped (generally cubical or of relatively large and permeable mass of armour stone.

322

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4.11 million cubic metres of fi ne sand, silt and clay was to be established by fi lling material obtained

along the alignments of the northern, southern and

by dredging of approximately 2.50 million cubic

spur breakwaters was required and the dredged

metres of suitable material in the harbour basin.

material was to be disposed of at a designated spoil

This reclaimed land would provide an area to

area at sea. Sand replacement was to be undertaken as construct the ship-lift and its associated land-based a foundation improvement by dredging approximately

facilities (dry berths, storage areas, workshops,

5.06 million cubic metres of suitable sand from the

etc.). The seaward part of the land reclamation

sand borough area, and depositing and compacting

area was to be protected from wave action by layers

in previously dredged trenches along the alignments

of armour rock as slope protection, separated from

of the northern, southern and spur breakwaters.

the dredged sand by a geo-textile fi lter layer.

Harbour Basins. Dredging in the harbour basins Pier No. 1. The contract for the construction of was carried out to achieve the required navigation

the single pier formed a part of the scope of works

depth for vessels using the port and was split into

for the ship-lift facility and was executed by M/s

three parts. Outer, Central and Inner Harbour

Skanska Cementation. It was also the fi rst time

Basins were to be dredged to 13, 12 and 11m

in India that a service tunnel was incorporated

charted depth (CD), respectively, and the dredged

in the design of a pier. This enabled all essential

perimeter slopes were not to be steeper than 1:6.

services like fuel, water and power supply lines to

The dredged material from the harbour basins

be routed through the service tunnel, thus freeing

was to be disposed of at a designated area at sea

up the surface of the pier

other than the eastern part of the Inner Harbour

f o r o t h e r o p e r a t i o n a l The ship-lift facility Basin where suitable sand was to be used for land

tasks.

is unique in the sense

reclamation fi ll. An optional item was the dredging

A major landmark was

that this was the fi rst

of a deep pit for the ship-lift at the edge of the

achieved when INS Sutlej

time that warships

reclamation area and removal of approximately

became the first naval in India were lifted

1,30,000 cubic metres of underwater rocky material

ship to be berthed at Pier

instead of docked in

south of the harbour basin. The approximate

No. 1 at Karwar on the a conventional dry

volume of materials disposed of at sea was

occasion of Navy Day, dock. This meant that

3.4 million cubic metres.

4 December 2004. With dockings were no

the commissioning of the longer at the mercy

Approach Channel. An approach channel linking pier, the Karwar Naval of tidal conditions.

the open sea with the harbour basin was to be

Harbour officially came

created to facilitate the entry of shipping to the

into existence.

Additionally, a ship

port. The access channel was to be dredged to a

could be docked

depth of 14m CD and a bottom width of 300m

S h i p - l i f t . K e e p i n g i n and undocked and side slopes of 1:10. The dredged material was

mind the aim of Karwar independently

to be disposed of at a designated spoil area at sea.

being a contemporary without affecting the

The approximate volume of dredging was 6,55,000

n a v a l b a s e , P h a s e I docking status of cubic metres.

envisaged construction another ship.

of a ship-lift system for

Land Reclamation. A landfi ll area, of approximately hoisting warships for underwater maintenance.

35.1 ha for the fi rst stage of wharf construction,

M/s REDECON (M/s RNC), Australia (the

Project Seabird

323

consultants), after a series of discussions with

completion being achieved by end July 2003.

Project Seabird, prepared the tender document.

Rock construction for the Spur Breakwater was

M/s Syncrolift Inc. of USA earned the contract

originally scheduled to be completed in the last

with a bid of `160 crore, edging out M/s

working season of 2003–4 with commencement in

Hydraudyne Systems of Netherlands. The ship-

mid-February 2004 and completion by end May

lift facility was handed over in September 2006.

2004. However, the contractor advanced this work

by one working season and rock-placing began in

late February 2002 with completion being achieved

by early January 2003.

The land reclamation area of 35.1ha and

approximately 2.5 million cubic metres of fill

was originally scheduled to be completed in one

working season in 2002–3, with a start in beginning

of October 2002 and completion by end May 2003.

The land reclamation plan was increased upon the

request of the employer, to an area of 51ha with the

volume of fi lling remaining relatively unchanged.

Ship-lift full load trials with INS Aditya

The contractor advanced this work by one working

season to 2001–2, to facilitate completion of the

Delays in Marine Works

larger land reclamation area by the end of the

The contractor’s proposed planning for the

season, and physical completion was achieved by

execution of the works, envisaged a completion

early May 2002.

date of 5 October 2004. However, due to various

The dredging of an anchorage area in the

factors like site conditions, and changes in scope

central part of Binaga Bay, to merge with the Inner

of work as the project progressed, there were some

and Central Harbour basins, was an additional

major changes to the proposed scheduling.

scope of work requested by the employer and this

The South Breakwater construction was

work was carried out in the last working season

originally scheduled to be completed over three

spanning 2003–4. An optional item in the contract

working seasons starting in early December 2000,

for removal of the underwater rocky outcrop in

till completion by mid-April 2003. However, with

Binaga Bay was also carried out in conjunction

the advancement of the North Breakwater and

with dredging of the anchorage area in the last two

Spur Breakwater works, the South Breakwater

working seasons of 2003–4 and 2004–5.

construction was carried out over four working

seasons with a late start in February 2001, with

Completion of Marine Works

completion by end February 2004.

Initial Understanding. As brought out above, the The North Breakwater construction was

contract was awarded on 18 August 1999, with

originally scheduled to be completed over two

notice for commencement issued on 6 October

working seasons from commencement in mid-

1999. The original period for completion of the

February 2003, to completion by early May 2004.

works was 260 weeks from the commencement

However, the contractor advanced this work

date. In accordance with the contract conditions,

and rock-placing began in late April 2001 with

an extension of 141 days was granted after the

324

Blue Waters Ahoy!

engineer determined all notifi ed claims submitted

craft. As with the offshore works, it was again

by the contractor. The completion date was

for the first time that Indian Navy was creating

accordingly revised to 23 February 2005.

infrastructure on such a large scale at a greenfi eld site. The onshore facilities being created comprised

Actual Completion of the Works. Pursuant to

the operational, technical, logistical and township

conditions of the contract, taking-over certifi cates infrastructure. Major players from the industry,

were issued for sections or parts of the work

like M/s L&T, NCCL, Bridge & Roof, Unity Infra, substantially completed as the project progressed.

BHEL, Siemens, IVRCL, CMC, ABB, Godrej,

The final taking-over certificate was issued

Shapoorji Pallonji, Nasule, were involved in these

for substantial completion of the whole of the

work contracts of the onshore facilities.

Permanent Works (other than sections or parts

previously taken over) effective from 6 November

2004, with an undertaking given by the contractor

to complete some outstanding work. This included

the removal of any remaining of fragmented rock

and any outstanding dredging at anchorage area

as early as practicable during the defects-liability

period. This was completed by 11 April 2005.

Thus, the marine works for the creation of the

fi rst greenfi eld naval habour on the west coast, at Karwar, took almost six years. The cardinal dates of

the works contract are as given in the table below.

Completion and inauguration of breakwaters

Key Milestone

Date

Contract agreement signed

18 August 1999

Commencement of works

6 October 1999

Completion of land reclamation

13 November 2002

Completion of breakwater construction

26 February 2004

Completion of dredging

21 June 2004

All outstanding works of contract completed

11 April 2005

The commemoration of breakwaters completion

Commissioning of INS Kadamba. A major was done formally in Karwar on 27 February 2004

landmark was achieved on commissioning of

in the presence of then Defence Minister, Shri

INS Kadamba, the Base Depot ship, on 31 May

George Fernandes.

2005. Consequently, the Karwar Naval Base, now

under a designated Station Commander, had the

Onshore Works

necessary administrative backup to cater for the

The onshore works of Phase I comprised the entire

ships to be based at Karwar as also for the other

infrastructure needed for a fully functional naval

infrastructure that was being created.

base capable of supporting 10 ships and 10 yard

Project Seabird

325

Commissioning of Other Infrastructure: Post the commissioning of INS Kadamba, other facilities like the NSRY, the hospital

With the

( I N H S P a t a n j a l i ) , t h e

commissioning of

Headquarters of Flag Offi cer,

INS Kadamba , the

Karwar (FOK), Single and

Karwar Naval Base

Married accommodation

had the necessary

f o r O f f i c e r s , L o g i s t i c s

administrative

Support Complex (Material

backup to cater

O r g a n i z a t i o n [ M O ] ,

for the ships to be

Weapon Equipment Depot

Commissioning of INS Kadamba

based at Karwar as

[WED], Base Victualling

also for the other

Yard [BVY] and Naval

dredging, rock outcrop removal and other factors

infrastructure that

Transport Pool [NTP]),

like exchange rate-variation (ERV) and additional

was being created.

Naval Armament Depot

tax liabilities for the contractors.

The event was thus

(NAD), Missile Technical

The completion of Phase I of Project Seabird

Position (MTP) and the

took two and a half decades from 1985 (when

a major milestone.

civilian township at Amadalli

the fi rst CCPA Sanction had been accorded) and

This was followed by were commissioned in the was a major milestone for the Indian Navy. Whilst the commissioning of period between 2005 and the original scope of Phase I, which was for the other infrastructure

2010. Construction and

creation of infrastructure for 22 ships, had been

and facilities

commissioning of certain

truncated to that of the creation of infrastructure

including the NSRY,

infrastructure like NAD/

for 10 ships, its completion gave the Navy a fi rm

the hospital (INHS

M T P a n d t h e c i v i l i a n

foothold and stepping stone in terms of a rich and

Patanjali ), and the

t o w n s h i p a t A m a d a l l i

varied experience in managing large and complex

Headquarters of

posed varied challenges

infrastructure projects. The successful execution

Flag Offi cer, Karwar due to the remoteness of of Phase I has served the purpose of creating a

(FOK).

the areas. In the case of

new, self-contained Naval Base (to be further

NAD/MTP, the fact that the

augmented under Phase IIA) to cater to the needs

entire establishment was to come up on forest land,

of the fast expanding Indian Navy.

required extensive cutting of trees for site preparation Whilst Phase I was in its final stages of

and compensatory afforestation measures.

execution, it was decided that the planning

process for Phase IIA would be commenced.

Completion of Phase I and Planning for Accordingly, post accordance of approval by the Phase IIA

MoD, M/s SKM of Australia (parent company of

Redecon—consultant for Phase I) was engaged

Midway during the project implementation of

by Project Seabird in November 2009 as the

Phase I, the original CCPA sanction of `1294.41

consultant for preparing the DPR for Phase IIA.

crore was revised by the CCS tò2459.20 crore, in

Inputs from all stakeholders within the Navy

2003. This was necessitated primarily on account

were sought, analysed and recommended for

of increase in scope of marine works like additional

incorporation in the scope of work and DPRs for

326

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Phase IIA. The assignment was completed in nine

months by the team of consultants and HQPSB,

having 34 volumes of Project Reports, drawings,

and specifi cations, contracting strategy, time and

cost schedules, etc. Based on the knowledge and

experience gained during the execution of Phase I,

the DPR addressed issues such as packaging

philosophy, ensuring quality construction, and

minimizing cost and time overruns. The DPR

Offi cers’ mess

recommended appointing a Project Management

Consultant (PMC) at the beginning of Phase IIA

to run the complete program from start to fi nish,

engaging big contractors, minimizing the number

of packages/contracts, employing separate design

consultants for the Naval Air Station (NAS), the

Dockyard and undertaking township construction

on Design & Build (D&B) basis. The program

was scheduled to be completed in 10 years and

the DPR considered various factors which could

The naval hospital INHS Patanjali

affect the execution of work due to escalation

of cost. Therefore, the need for revision of the

In Conclusion

overall project sanction was precluded.

With Phase I having fi nally been concluded, most

support facilities have settled down to operating

Karwar as an operational naval base. Phase IIA

is well and truly underway with the expansion

of facilities that will improve self-sufficiency in

berthing, refits and repairs, weapon-support

infrastructure, housing and administration for a

large number of warships and the naval-air element.

Upon completion of the entire Phase II, it will be

a delight to see this greenfi eld project become one

of the most impressive naval bases in the world.

The FOK HQ Building

Project Seabird

327

7

WESEE

Innovating the Gen-next Systems for the Navy

The Origins of a Unique R&D

and later moved to Metcalfe House, Civil Lines,

Organization

in the same city.

A Brief History

Finding an Identity

Starting in the mid-1960s, the Navy embarked

upon warship-building projects at Defence

WESO was initially tasked with systems integration

Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) shipyards.

for Project-16 ( Godavari class) frigates. As what However, even on these indigenous platforms, an

could be loosely defi ned as a modifi ed Leander, the overwhelming majority of weapons and sensors

Godavari-class ships had a mix of Soviet weapons, were acquired from diverse origins abroad. In

Western and Indian sensors and communication

order to achieve the goals of self-reliance, there

equipment. The task of systems integration for

was a need to establish an agency which could

Godavari required the creation of expertise in integrate these weapons and sensors properly to

communication protocols, embedded systems

create an effective ‘networked combat suite’ on

and software development. This first and most

board each platform. Consequently, a project

important initiative gave a fi llip to the organization management group designated as Weapons and

in dealing with the far greater challenges that would Electronics Systems Organization (WESO) with

come along its way in the following decades.

an initial Government of India (GoI) sanction of

WESO’s overwhelming success in interfacing and

six years was set up in July 1978, with the aim

integrating systems on the Godavari class convinced of creating a nucleus of systems engineers who

the Navy to push for a permanent systems

would undertake the task of integrating the diverse

integration establishment. Thus, on 31 May 1985,

range of equipment onboard ships. Starting with

the Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering

a motley group of 20 naval offi cers, scientists and

Establishment (WESEE) was created as a permanent

staff, the organization initially operated out of a

organization succeeding WESO. The establishment

rented house in Safdarjung Enclave, in New Delhi,

moved to its present location at West Block 5,

R.K. Puram, New Delhi, in 1987. It is a unique and Cycle Support for all its products and designs, often functionally autonomous establishment under the

with support from the industry—both the public

Ministry of Defence (MoD),

and private sector.

The WESEE came

tasked and funded by the

to succeed WESO

Navy, manned by both

The Growing Years (1985–2000)

in the capacity

Naval officers and DRDO

WESEE is one of the most important organizations

of a permanent

scientists, and supported by

implementing the Navy’s drive towards achieving

systems integration

civilian staff. There is no

self-reliance. After it was established in 1985,

establishment on

similar organization in the

WESEE continued in its core role of Combat

other Armed Forces that has

31 May 1985.

Systems Integration (CSI) for all indigenous and

the fl exibility, ability or the

mid-life upgraded platforms. In 1986, the Computer

achievements such as those of WESEE.

A c t i o n I n f o r m a t i o n

O r g a n i z a t i o n ( C A I O ) In the decade The Working Model

Group, later christened beginning 2001,

Despite having a horizontal spread of specialists,

as Combat Management WESEE was to

WESEE still operates on a largely vertical

Systems (CMS) Group, enter a phase of a

hierarchical working model. The organization

was formed with the aim of

greater leap in its

is managed at the apex level by a Management

designing and developing four main domains

Board, chaired by Secretary, Department of Defence

the fi rst indigenous system

of expertise—CSI,

(R&D) and comprises of senior functionaries of the t h a t w o u l d p r o v i d e a CMS, Networking DRDO, MoD, MoD (Finance), besides the Chief

comprehensive Common & Data Links, and

of Materiel (COM) and Director General WESEE.

Operational Picture from a

cyber security. This

Projects are assigned to the organization by Naval

variety of sensors onboard

would help establish

Headquarters, through a second-tier committee,

(and of those on sister

viz. Program Management Committee, chaired

warships through data WESEE as one of

by the COM with representation by Directorates

links), undertake track the top governmental

at IHQ MoD (N), and representatives of DRDO,

fusion and classification, organizations to deal

MoD and MoD (Finance). Upon allocation of a

besides decision support, with integration of

project, exploratory and academic inputs are taken

threat evaluation and weapons and sensors

towards the conceptualization process. This broad

r e s o u r c e a l l o c a t i o n in the country.

plan assists the Navy in coming out with Staff

functions. The resultant

Qualitative Requirements as the starting point

CMS enables the platform to engage the chosen

for the project. The next step is the formulation

target with the most suitable (best) weapons

of System Requirement Specifications and

onboard. This system is enabled through true

Architecture; these help in presenting a coherent

integration of all the weapons and sensors.

picture of the variety of resources needed for the

The Networking Group was formed nearly

project, and the detailed design thereafter. Only

at the same time as the CMS Group, supporting

then does the work start on a project, involving

the Navy, first with terrestrial networks and

hardware prototyping, software coding, testing and

then the indigenous radio data links, all laying

integration, followed by comprehensive functional

the foundations for the ideal Network Centric

and quality testing and trials by agencies of the

Operations (NCO) Capability and Cooperative

Navy. WESEE also provides a comprehensive Life

Engagement Capability a few decades later.

WESEE

329

With the tremendous expansion of Information

2001–10: The Decade of Consolidation

Technology in the mid-1990s, Information Security

and Maturity

became a key result area (KRA) and in 1997, the

Information Technology & Information Warfare

With the accomplishments of the initial period of

(IT&IW) Group was formed with the aim of

15 years, WESEE was poised to enter the phase

developing cryptographic and network security

of consolidation and maturity in the next decade

solutions for the Navy. At that time, both products

that would also cement its enviable reputation

and solutions for information security were either

as a governmental organization that showed

non-existent, or nascent, at best. WESEE was, thus,

the ability to innovate and deliver cost-effective

not only responsible for providing cryptographic

and reliable solutions in very tight time frames.

solutions to the Navy, but also as a driver for

During the decade, the achievements of WESEE,

triggering interest in this critical domain in several in its four main domains of expertise—CSI, CMS,

academic institutions.

Networking & Data Links, and cyber security,

Thus, in a short span of 15 years, WESEE grew

marked the coming of age of the organization. It

both in the scope of its activities and its ability and was to establish itself as a leader, both in its vision size, to encompass virtually all the critical technology and its capabilities.

areas relating to weapons and electronic systems,

and contributed signifi cantly to the indigenization

Combat Systems Integration (CSI)

efforts of the Navy. In this period, among WESEE’s

By 2001, the CSI Group had already matured in its

major achievements by the CSI Group, were

processes and was an acknowledged leader in the

System Integration of Project-1241RE ( Veer class), fi eld of Systems Integration with proven capabilities.

Project-15 ( Delhi class), Project-16A ( Brahmaputra In the decade that followed, the group completed

class), and Project-25A ( Kora class) ships; integration a prodigious amount of platform- level integration

of the Modular Data Bus (MDB) and development

that included complete system integration of four

of the Modular Interface for Ship-borne Systems

frigates of Project-17 ( Shivalik class), fi ve LSTs(L), (MISS boxes). During the same period, the CAIO

four NOPVs, and the Mid-Life Upgrades (MLUs) of

Group formalized the requirements and architecture

frigates Godavari, Ganga,

to successfully develop the Electronic Modular

Gomati and the submarine

The implementation

Command and Control Application (EMCCA)—the

Shishumar. In addition, of the interface-

fi rst indigenous CAIO for the Navy, in partnership

the group finalized the intensive ATM

with the DPSU BEL.

Integration documentation

technology-based

The Networking Group produced the prototype

for the new construction SDNs for Project-17,

for the fi rst data-link systems over HF/VHF/UHF

ships, viz. Project-15A Project-15A and

bands. The newest group, the IT&IW Group,

( Kolkata class), Project-28

Project-28 ships was

conceived, designed and deployed the fi rst of its

( K a m o r t a c l a s s ) , a n d one of the major many products—an indigenous encryption system

f o u r N O P V s ( f o l l o w -

achievements of

for secure e-mail that is in use even today. Since

on ships). However, the WESEE.

then WESEE has not looked back, and the decade

flagship project of the

2001–10 has been one of continued growth and

group was the implementation of the interface-

achievement.

intensive ATM technology-based Ship Data

330

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Networks (SDNs) for Project-17, Project-15A

radars, sonars, EW systems, AIS, etc., with weapons,

and Project-28. Subsequently, the paradigm shift

i.e., guns, missiles, torpedoes, rockets, etc., and is from ATM technology to Gigabit Ethernet was

capable of sending and receiving information to/from

initiated for future platforms like Project-71 (the

other platforms via the ship’s data link system. The

IAC), Project-15B and Project-17A. In addition to

predecessors of CMS were the CAIO systems, though

continuing ‘fl eet support’ activities of providing

these had limited functionality when compared to

customized obsolescence management/retrofi tment

the current generation of CMSs. Over the years,

of interface solutions for fleet combatants, the

customized hardware and operating systems (OSs)

group also designed, developed and deployed Data

with limited processing power have been replaced with Distribution Units (DDUs) for Ring Laser Gyros

Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS) high-performance

for the Rajput class-, Pralay class-, Brahmaputra generic hardware and OSs. This has also resulted in

class-, Kolkata class-, Kamorta class- and Godavari achieving strategic independence while maintaining

class-ships.

reliability. In fact, then President Dr A.P.J. Abdul

Kalam, who was the chief guest on the occasion of the Combat Management Systems (CMS)

Silver Jubilee celebrations of WESO/WESEE in 2004,

As explained earlier, the CMS serves as the nerve

urged defence scientists to opt for ‘open source’ codes centre onboard warships. It integrates all sensors, viz.

for better software security.1

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at the WESO/WESEE Silver Jubilee celebrations, 2004

1 See The Hindu, ‘Opt for open source codes for better software stories/2004070200991300.htm, accessed on 27 September security: Kalam’, https://www.thehindu.com/2004/07/02/

2018.

WESEE

331

To quote the President, a scientist par-excellence

Networking and Data Links

himself,

The years 2001–10 were the golden years of the

Networking Group as it came into its own with

Open source software can easily introduce the

the implementation of the Navy Enterprise Wide

users to build security algorithms in the system

Network (NEWN) in 2004 and the deployment

without the dependence of proprietary platforms.

of a Signal Communication Application across the

We should take maximum care to ensure that our

Navy in 2005. This period also saw the maturing

solution is unique to protect our own defence

of the data link solutions with data rates of up

security solutions implemented on open platforms .

to 9.6kbps being achieved on V/UHF modems.

The flagship data link equipment, the result of

The development of EMCCA over a period

nearly 15 years of work, was deployed across the

of nearly 10 years gave the CMS Group great

Navy, on ships, submarines, aircraft and shore

maturity in terms of implementation of processes

establishments in 2006–8, and is today the mainstay

for complex and large-sized software development

of messaging and tactical communications for the

that were in consonance with MIL-Std-498 and

force. The system is a world-class data link and

later IEEE-12207 standards. In the period 2001–10,

implements state-of-the-art technologies. It is also

the system finally cleared its Sea Acceptance

unique in its ability to not only transmit/receive

Trials (SATs) on board the Brahmaputra class

data optimally over various radio bands and the

(in 2007) and also successfully developed and

SATCOM, but to also act as an aggregator of data

deployed CMS-SNF on Ranvir and Ranvijay. A from the variety of information sources onboard.

common architecture for a Mini-CMS that was

The upgrades of the data link have enabled it to

prototyped, was also developed to be installed

be a powerful system for data management in the

on small ships. This was also the period that

Network-centric Operations (NCO) of the future.

saw considerable progress in the design and

Finally, in 2009, preliminary work was initiated

development of ‘artefacts’ for the CMSs for

for the development of an indigenous Software

Project-17, Project-28 and Project-15A ships.

Defi ned Radio (SDR) in cooperation with some

The

fi rst indigenous Submarine Combat System

Defence Research & Development Organization

(SCS) was conceived and conceptualized in the

(DRDO) laboratories. The SDRs along with the

late 1990s and integrated onboard the special

data link are expected to form the backbone of

platform by 2008. This system pioneered the

Naval Tactical Communications over the next few

usage of Real Time Operating System, concepts

decades.

of Object Oriented Analysis and Design, and

development paradigm creating Software

Engineering Environment using Computer Assisted

Software Engineering (CASE) tools. This effort

was supported by the setting up of a dedicated

Submarine Integration Group. In addition,

procedural training simulators were designed and

developed for six systems. Architecture, based

on advanced customized hardware and software

approaches, was conceptualized for successor

platforms by the end of the decade.

Display of simulator systems

332

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Cyber Security

technological breakthrough in the Network Security

The decade 2001–10 was the coming of age of

Laboratory: the deployment of the fi rst Data Diode

WESEE in the field of Cyber Security systems

for the Navy in order to help import data from the

with the design, development and deployment of

Internet to the Navy’s Operational Network. By

a staggering array of military-grade Information

the end of the decade, the hardware cryptographic

Security (IS) systems and products across the Navy.

solution for the Navy’s Signal Communication

It was in this period that the IT&IW Group decided application was successfully graded by the DRDO

to focus on two key areas of IS, viz. Cryptography

and subsequently deployed.

and Network Security, for which two laboratories

were established in 1999 and 2004.

A Unique Work Culture: Promoting

The Cryptography Development Laboratory

Excellence, Innovation and Creativity

at WESEE is one of the few laboratories in the

country that is authorized by the National Cipher

Over the years, WESEE has distinguished itself

Policy Committee to undertake the development

as a unique entity among other governmental

of cryptographic systems

organizations. A mix of Service officers, DRDO

The fi elding of the

for the Government. After

scientists and professionals from consultant

fi rst indigenous

the initial success of the

industries constitute the cylinders that power the

fi rewall (on the

Secure Email Encryption

WESEE engine. This unique management structure

system that was deployed in

has, over the decades, enabled the organization

NEWN) to be

December 1999, a Desktop

to balance the output-based naval requirements

deployed in India

Encryption system was

with the academic-based approach of best R&D

in 2004; and the

deployed, Navy-wide, in

organizations in the country. WESEE has had the

deployment of the

2003. This was followed by

good fortune to have been able to tap into invaluable fi rst Data Diode for

automation of the fi rst book

knowledge pools of once-in-a-generation personages

the Navy in order

cipher, later that year. In

like Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who, being the Scientifi c to help import data

2004, the Network Security

Adviser to the Defence Minister in the 1990s (later,

from the Internet

Laboratory fi elded a fi rewall

the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces), had

to the Navy’s

on the NEWN. It was the

an open line of communication with WESEE. But

Operational Network first indigenous firewall to above all the other characteristics of WESEE, the in 2009—were

be deployed in the country

one attribute that has produced the richest dividends some of the major

and is in use even today. In

is its focussed dedication towards innovation. Most accomplishments of

2006, an upgraded Secure

interface solutions, combat management system

the cyber security

Email encryption system was

evolution, data link enhancements, and cyber

group of WESEE.

released in the field, along

security deliverables have been the innovations

with a USB Controller for

crafted by WESEE personnel who have been known

desktops’ end-point security. Subsequently, the fi rst to push the envelope in terms of ‘out-of-the-box’

hardware cryptographic solution was prototyped

thinking. In many ways, innovation is the raison

and proven. This was a major breakthrough in the

d’être of WESEE.

Navy’s indigenous cryptographic capabilities. The

This decade and beyond will see the organization

year 2007 saw the deployment of a second book

take the lead in the use of cutting-edge technologies cipher across the Navy, and the development of a

for design and development of secure, intelligent,

proprietary email for the Navy. The year 2009 saw a

state-of-the-art next generation systems, for the Navy.

WESEE

333

8

Defence Procurement

Procedure (DPP)

Building Efficiency in Procurement Processes

Introduction

for all procurement cases involving an outlay of

`10 crore or more, on 28 February 1992. These

The procedure for procurement of capital goods

guidelines were commonly referred to as the

(acquisition of new platforms, weapon systems,

Defence Procurement Procedure 1992 (DPP 1992).

etc.) was first formalized in 1992. Till then, all

Thereby all major procurements for the Navy

procurements were processed through routine fi le

started getting processed under this procedure.

action, starting with a Statement of Case (SOC).

With the launch of economic reforms in the early

The Kargil Review Committee (KRC)

1990s, liberalization was aimed at encouraging

foreign investment in India in order to promote

In the immediate aftermath of the Kargil confl ict,

development of the domestic industry—with

the Union Government, vide its order dated

focus on in-house production, driven by updated

29 July 1999, constituted a committee to look

technology. Domestic industrial capacity was, so

into the episode with the purpose of reviewing

far, mostly restricted to integration of systems

the events leading up to the Pakistani aggression,

or ‘licensed’ production and not indigenous

and to recommend measures considered necessary

development/production.

to safeguard national security against such armed

Earlier, while stressing the need for a well-

intrusions. The committee, named the Kargil

formulated procedure for defence procurement,

Review Committee (KRC), was chaired by strategic

the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the

affairs analyst (the late) Shri K. Subrahmanyam. As

Lok Sabha, in its 187th Report of 1989, had

part of the implementation of the KRC Report, the

recommended that the government should draw

GoM accepted the recommendations listed therein,

up comprehensive guidelines with regard to

on reforming the management of national security.

negotiations and execution of defence contracts.

An important part of these recommendations was

Triggered by the push for liberalization, these

the establishment of new Defence Procurement

recommendations were implemented and the

Management Structures and Systems to be set up in

Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued Guidelines

the MoD. Accordingly, in 2001, a slew of measures

were implemented and new defence procurement with the decision ‘Buy’, the procedures within DPP

management structures were set up in the MoD.

2002 were brought into force.

These included the Defence Acquisition Council

Signifi cantly, the essential tenets of high degree

(DAC), the Defence Procurement Board (DPB), the

of probity and public accountability, transparency

Defence Production and Research & Development

in operations, free competition and impartiality

boards, and the Acquisition Wing of the MoD.

were laid down. Most importantly, the goal of

The objective of the new system was to

achieving self-reliance in defence equipment was

ensure expeditious procurement of the approved

to be kept in mind.

r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e

In the wake

Armed Forces in terms of

The DPP 2002 Revised

of the KRC Report,

capabilities sought and

In the clearest example of dynamism in Higher

a new, comprehensive the time frame prescribed, Defence Organisation (HDO), in less than six document titled

b y o p t i m a l l y u t i l i z i n g

months of its promulgation, DPP 2002 was revised

‘DPP 2002’, aimed

the allocated budgetary

to include a second category: ‘Buy and Make’. The

at expeditious

resources. Simultaneously,

revised version was called DPP 2002 ‘Version Jun

procurement, was

it was meant to demonstrate

2003’ (DPP 2002 [V-03]). The ‘Buy and Make’

the highest degree of probity

category was introduced for items to be initially

promulgated in

and public accountability,

procured and thereafter manufactured in India

December 2002

transparency in operations,

through Transfer of Technology (ToT) from

free competition and impartiality. In addition, the

abroad. This was a step in the right direction: for

goal of achieving self-reliance in defence equipment

India to graduate towards becoming a self-reliant

was to be realized.

nation in defence, by nurturing a Defence Industrial

Base in a country which had missed the Industrial

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) Revolution.

2002

Thus, DPP 2002 (V-03), now, had two categories:

‘Buy’, and ‘Buy and Make with Imported ToT’,

In keeping with the recommendations of the

except for the procedure for shipbuilding. This

KRC by Shri. K. Subrahmanyam, a formal set

DPP laid down the linkages to Acquisition Plans,

of procedures was framed in a new document.

viz. the 15-year-Long Term Integrated Perspective

Guidelines laid down in DPP 1992 were completely

Plan (LTIPP), the five-year Services Capital

overhauled and a comprehensive document

Acquisition Plan (SCAP) and the Services’ Annual

titled ‘DPP 2002’ came into effect in December

Acquisition Plan (AAP). It also laid down 11 steps

2002. This procedure was aimed at ensuring

(and functions of each authority) in the acquisition

expeditious procurement of assets for the Armed

process, starting with the formulation of Staff

Forces as per the capabilities required by them.

Qualitative Requirements (SQRs), Acceptance of

It also prescribed a time frame. While the earlier

Necessity (AoN), Solicitation of Offers, Technical

procedure (DPP 1992) was designed to primarily

Evaluation Committee (TEC), Field Evaluation

deal with imports, this document classified all

(FE), Staff Evaluation (SE), oversight by Technical

procurements (domestically produced/imported)

Oversight Committee (TOC), negotiations by

under the categorization ‘Buy’, i.e., instead of just Contract Negotiation Committee (CNC), oversight

importing, indigenous production too would be

by Eminent Persons Group (EPG), Award of

included. Thus, whenever the DAC cleared a case

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

335

Contract and Contract administration, and, post-all prescribed processes and procedures in the

contract management. Through various enabling

course of the commercial negotiations. The DPP

provisions, the fi rst version of the DPP streamlined also laid down the procurement procedures under

the process of capital acquisitions and provided

Strategic Partnership with certain countries, Inter-

clarity in the process and the steps therein.

Governmental Agreements (IGAs), and approval

In so far as the Indian Navy was concerned, right

for Repeat Order cases.

since the 1950s, it had been pursuing the objective

The revised document (V-03) laid down a fi rm

of becoming a ‘Builder’s Navy’ and therefore, all

time period of two years for the next revision.

its shipbuilding projects

Defence shipbuilding was not integral to this DPP,

The fi rst Super

had attempted to develop

and, therefore, shipbuilding cases of the Indian

Rapid Gun Mounts

products and materials

Navy were processed under separate guidelines.

(SRGMs) to be

in-house with or without

Various major projects such as the Teg- class stealth installed onboard the ToT. For example, when frigates, the Mig-29K carrier-borne fi ghter aircraft, Brahmaputra and

the Navy decided to induct

the Scorpène submarines (P-75) and others were Kora classes were

the 76/62 Super Rapid Gun

processed prior to the promulgation of this DPP.

produced in India,

Mount (SRGM)1 from Italy,

DPP 2002 mandated that the Request for

under the ‘imported/

its first condition to the

Proposal (RFP) be issued only to OEMs, authorized

supplier was to provide ToT

ToT’ clause.

vendors and Government-sponsored export

for indigenous production.

agencies as against successful vendors post Field

And so, the contract for ToT was signed between

Evaluation Trials (FET), as was being followed

Oto Melara of Italy and BHEL Haridwar in June

until then. Seeking ToT was introduced as a

1994, and the fi rst SRGMs to be installed onboard

mandatory condition, where the ability to provide

the Brahmaputra and Kora classes were produced requisite technology for licensed production was

in India, under the ‘imported/ToT’ clause. Similarly, considered essential. Comprehensive RFPs, explicit

the Shikari and Lynx Fire Control Systems (FCS) in requirements, and information to vendors—in

were also inducted with ToT. This practice was akin

a matrix against which their equipment would be

to the ‘Buy and Make’ category introduced in the

judged along with the inter-se weightages assigned DPP 2002 (V-03).

to various parameters—were brought out. In

A d i s t i n c t i o n w a s d r a w n b e t w e e n a n addition, a ‘single-stage two-bid’ system was

acquisition’s SQRs to be labelled under ‘Essential’

introduced to make commercial offers competitive,

and ‘Desirable’ parameters respectively. To ensure

preventing any vendor taking advantage of being

audit of the processes prior to conclusion of the

the sole qualifying entity. The DPP did not make any

contract, an EPG consisting of 12 retired offi cials

distinction between foreign and Indian companies

was formed as per provisions of the DPP. Three

or between the public and private sectors, thus

persons were to provide pre-contractual ‘Process

aiming at generation of maximum competition

and Procedures Audit’ for all procurements above

through equal opportunities for all. The idea was

`300 crore, or as recommended by the DPB, to obtain best value for money—for the Armed and in addition, were to examine adherence to

Forces.

1 The 76/62 SRGM is a 76mm rapid-fi re naval gun for air-defence, anti-missile and anti-surface roles.

336

Blue Waters Ahoy!

DPP 2005

with MoD and the Service Headquarters (SHQs).

The procurement process remained at 11 steps,

As was mandated, the process for revising the DPP

broadly on the contours of DPP 2002. However,

was initiated two years from the implementation of

the review by the EPG was replaced with ‘Approval

DPP 2002. With lessons learnt and feedback from

of the Competent Financial Authority (CFA)’. As

the Services and the DPB, the DPP 2002 led to DPP

per new provisions, the SQRs were to be circulated

2005. The objective was to make the process more

to HQIDS, in addition to the DRDO, Department

effi cient by incorporating several improvements.

of Defence Production (DDP), Director General

This edition, for the first time, introduced the

of Quality Assurance (DGQA), Director General

concept of Joint Staff Qualitative Requirements

of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA),

(JSQRs) for equipment

Directorate of Standardization (DoS), and

The DPP 2005

that would be common to

Technical Managers (TMs), prior to approval by

realized the need for

the three Services. It also

the Staff Equipment Policy Committee (SEPC). In

special procedures

introduced a provision to

cases where commonality of equipment existed,

for indigenous

obtain up to 30 per cent direct

and standardization of QRs warranted, HQIDS

construction of ships ‘offsets’ in cases with total was made responsible to constitute a Joint

for the IN and the

cost exceeding `300 crore.

Staff Equipment Policy Committee (JSEPC), to

ICG.

For the fi rst time, DPP 2005

formulate JSQRs. Additionally, before according

incorporated the ‘Indigenous

approval to the SQRs, the SEPC was to examine

Warship Building Procedure’. While warship building

if the case would result in a multi-vendor situation

was still left as ‘autonomous’, as the Navy had desired, (preferable). If a single-a formal procedure was specifi ed in order to address v e n d o r s i t u a t i o n w a s DPP 2005 included, the complex issues involved in indigenous design and

likely, then the reasons for

for the fi rst time, the

construction of warships in Public Sector Shipyards.

formulation of such SQRs Defence Shipbuilding

DPP 2005 recognized the requirement of special

were to be ‘recorded’. Procedure. This,

procedures for indigenous construction of ships for

Issue of RFIs by SHQs however, did

the Indian Navy and ICG. However, this relaxation

was an option to fi rm up

not affect the

was not applicable to the acquisition of platforms

specifi cation of a system, autonomous nature

from abroad. Complete ships imported from abroad

in order to formulate of the IN-DPSU

continued to be guided by the general provisions of the realistic SQRs of platforms

interface.

DPP.

or equipment of a complex

nature. The laid-down parameters were limited

Special Provisions in DPP 2005

to ‘Essential Parameters’ only, and the ‘Desirable’

Although the DPP remained restricted to the

variety was done away with.

procedure for Capital Acquisitions flowing out

Greater emphasis was laid on transparency

of the ‘Buy’ and ‘Buy and Make’ decisions only,

(e.g., by announcing requirements of each Armed

the procedure for Indigenous Warship Building

Force and generating vendor registration, etc.,

(Shipbuilding), as promulgated by the MoD

on the MoD website), and providing impetus

in March 2004, was included as ‘Schedule-I’ of

to indigenous R&D/production. The Defence

DPP 2005. Formulation of LTIPP and SCAP

Shipbuilding Procedure was, for the first time,

were brought under the charter of Headquarters

introduced as ‘Schedule 1’ within this edition.

Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS), in consultation

It was applicable only for acquisitions through

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

337

indigenous design with construction only in DPSUs.

being contracted. The name of the lead DPSU/

This, however, did not change the autonomous/

OFB for monitoring the implementation of the

independent nature of the procedure as was being

offset contracts during the post contractual period,

followed by the Navy up until then. It happened,

was also mandated in the new DPP. The SCAP

thanks to the persistent resistance of the Navy, as

Categorization Higher Committee (SCAP-CHC)

aligning the shipbuilding procedure to the one in

could consider changes in the offset amount, if

the DPP would have introduced delays mauled

felt necessary, while making recommendations

as it would have been by bureaucratic timelines

to the DAC, for approval. The contract for the

and protracted movement of files and adversely

new Deepak-class fl eet tankers was the fi rst such affected the autonomy enjoyed by the IN–DPSU

project where these provisions of the Offset Clause

interface. The acquisition of warships from abroad,

were incorporated, the value of the offsets (against

and dockyard support vessels, etc. from India,

each tanker) being approximately `260 crore.

continued to follow the DPP.

Later, projects such as the Long-Range Maritime

Reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft, P8I, procured

Offsets

through Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) from the

In 2005, the applicability of offsets, i.e.,

US, were also to have provisions from the Offset

compensations that a buyer seeks from the seller

Clause.

for the purchase of goods and services,2 was

Solicitation of offers remained as the ‘Single

incorporated in the DPP. This laid the foundation

Stage-Two-Bid System’. However, at this stage, the

for India’s offset policy.

vendor was required to give a written undertaking

The key objective to include this clause in the

to meet the offset obligations laid down in the

2005 edition of the DPP was to leverage capital

RFP. In addition, DPP 2005, for the fi rst time, laid acquisitions to develop the Indian defence industry,

down a fi rm time frame for completion of different

both in the private and public sector, by:

procurement activities (cumulative 24–35 months)

• Fostering development of internationally

and, measures such as decisions to be made in

competitive enterprises.

a collegiate manner were recommended, so as

• Augmenting capacity for research, design and

to avoid a multi-layered examination at MoD’s

development related to defence products and

Acquisition Wing.

services.

• Encouraging development of synergistic sectors

Process of AoN

like civil aerospace and internal security.

As per DPP 2005, approval of the DAC to the

SCAP was to be construed as an AoN. For cases

As per the clause, all acquisitions having a value

where SCAP could not be approved by the DAC,

of `300 crore or more, were required to have an

in time, approval of the Annual Acquisition Plan

offset of 30 per cent of the value of equipment

by the DPB was construed as AoN.

2 Most countries demand ‘offset’ agreements to gain economic the value of the acquisition contract and can be either ‘direct’

benefits when they spend large amounts of their national or ‘indirect’. Direct offsets are linked to the original contract.

budgets purchasing defence hardware from foreign suppliers.

Indirect offsets have no connection with the product being A company’s offset obligation can be anything between 30

contracted, but can include the supplier making investments in and 100 per cent (or even more than 100, in some cases) of local industries, or helping export a country’s goods.

338

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Approval of CFA

approximate cost of the project being presented

Pre-contract approval of CFA replaced vetting

to the DAC. The process was limited only to

by the EPG. The CNC was required to document

DPSUs/PSUs where nomination of shipyard was

the selection of vendor using a formal written

to be processed on fi le for the approval of the

recommendation report to the CFA, duly signed

defence minister based on capacity assessment,

by the members. The signatures were evidence—in

and recommendations of the Navy and the DDP.

the interest of probity and accountability—that the

The proposal for the design and construction

members concurred with the process adopted to

of the ship was to be taken up for the approval

make the selection.

of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS),

indicating the estimated cost of the project, the

Single-vendor/Tender Situations

schedule for completion, spread of expenditure,

Single-vendor situations for certain state-of-the-

availability of funds, details of major weapons,

art equipment was required to be approved by

sensors, propulsion machinery and other major

the DAC, after proper technology scan by HQIDS

equipment sought for the ship. Provisions for a

in consultation with the DRDO. As an enabling

second stage of CCS approval for ‘Cost Element’

provision, a case of ‘resultant single vendor’ at the were made where fi rm costs were not available

Staff Evaluation stage was not to be considered as

and the Price Negotiation Committee (PNC) with

a single-vendor situation.

shipyard was not concluded. The procurement

of ship-borne equipment and material for hull,

Indigenous Warship Building

propulsion/engineering spaces,was to continue

A specific procedure for Defence shipbuilding

as an autonomous activity of the shipyard. For

was included in DPP 2005 to address the

weapons and sensors of an indigenous nature

complex issues involved in indigenous design

and import (existing in Service), only price

and construction of warships in DPSUs. As

negotiations by a duly constituted PNC under the

mentioned before, the DPP recognized the

DDP or by the chairman and managing director/

requirement of special procedures for indigenous

board of directors of the concerned shipyard was

construction of warships for the Indian Navy

required. For new imports, however, Approval-

and ICG, since warship building, being a

in-Principle (AIP) of the DPB—post technical

technology-intensive activity, did not fall into

evaluation of equipment—was mandated before

any of the two categories of ‘Buy’ and ‘Buy and

price negotiations by the PNC.

Make’. However, procurement of a complete

Under these provisions, proposals such as the

ship from abroad continued to be guided by

fleet tanker ( Deepak) and Project 15-A, were the general provisions of DPP 2005. Similarly,

processed during the incumbency of this DPP.

minor vessels such as yard craft, barges,

Subsequently, the second fleet tanker ( Shakti), harbour tugs, ferry craft and pontoons for the

under the ‘option clause’, was also processed.

Services were also to be procured under the

general provisions of DPP 2005. But in each

Development of DPP 2006

warship-building project, AoN was mandated

with the OSRs, broad category of weapons and

Committee of Experts

sensors, indigenous development/content, and

In July 2004, a committee3 headed by Dr Vijay 3 It submitted its report in April 2005.

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

339

L. Kelkar4 was set up by the Government to measures to curb wasteful expenditure in defence,

examine and recommend changes in the acquisition

were set up.

procedure and to enable a greater participation

of the private sector in defence production. It

Changes and Additions

included representatives from diverse backgrounds,

DPP 2006 was promulgated on 22 August 2006.

including from companies such as Tata and L&T,

The procedure for the development of systems based

various think tanks, armed forces, and the MoD.

on indigenous research and design, categorized

The committee adopted a long-term approach to

as ‘Make’, was formulated and included in the

prepare a policy regime that would encourage

document as an integral chapter. Procurement

India’s best fi rms to enter in the fi eld of defence under ‘Fast Track Procedure’ and Indigenous

production. To promote innovation, effi ciency and

Warship Building were also incorporated as

cost-cutting, the committee adopted a strategic

integral chapters. This edition also provided the

perspective in formulating proposals towards

requisite framework for increased participation of

acquisition policy reforms. In its two-part report in Indian industry in the defence sector. Some of the

2005, it made 40 recommendations which included:

important features of DPP 2006 included:

• Preparation of a fi fteen-year (long-term) plan

• All major decisions pertaining to the

forming the basis for the acquisition program;

procurement process were to be taken

• Information sharing (of the requirement of the

simultaneously for reducing the time frame

Armed Forces) with the industry;

for acquisitions.

• Identifi cation of entry points for the private

• Accord of AoN by the DAC/DPB for individual

sector in the acquisition process;

cases, on the recommendation of SCAP-CHC.

• Accreditation and fostering of Raksha Udyog

• Use of Internet for enhancing transparency by

Ratnas;5

placing the generic requirements of the Services

• Evolving policy framework to promote

on the MoD website and generating vendor

participation of Small and Medium Enterprises

registration through the net.

(SMEs);

• Enhanced transparency in the conduct of fi eld

• Setting up a new professional agency for

trials, and an ‘Integrity Pact’ made compulsory

defence acquisitions; and

for all contracts abovè100 crore.

• Inclusion of an ‘Offset Clause’ in the RFP for

• While an ‘Offset’ obligation had existed—

contracts valued at `300 crore and above.

for all contracts abovè300 crore—in DPP

2005, in DPP 2006, its applicability was

Based on these recommendations, three separate

restricted to cases categorized as ‘Buy Global’

committees, viz. the Sisodia Committee for

and ‘Buy and Make with ToT’ only. Further,

restructuring of Defence Acquisition Wing, the

a procedure for implementation of ‘Offsets’

Rama Rao Committee to review and suggest

was also included in the DPP, for the first

measures to improve the functioning of the DRDO,

time. It provided specifi c avenues for discharge

and the V.K. Misra Committee to recommend

of offset obligations and established the

4 Dr Vijay L. Kelkar was the Finance Secretary, GoI, in 1998–

hardware to bring them on par with defence public sector 99, and thereafter an Executive Director at the IMF.

enterprises. This was a policy measure on the part of the MoD

in its 2006 Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) with a view 5 The Raksha Udyog Ratnas or RURs were a status accorded to to build upon India’s defence-preparedness.

private industry leaders involved in the production of military 340

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Defence Offsets Facilitation Agency (DOFA) Single-vendor—Additional Provisions

in the MoD. The offset obligations could be

In addition to the single-vendor provisions of

discharged through direct purchase of Indian

DPP 2005, provision was also made (to relax

defence products, investments in indigenous

single vendor restrictions) in cases of design and

defence infrastructure and Defence R&D.

development by DRDO/DPSU/OFB and cases

• DPP 2006 remained aligned to the provisions

where they entered into MoUs with foreign fi rms

of DPP 2005 since it was published within

for co-production/ToT/procurement of equipment,

one year of the promulgation of the former.

to be offered to the Services with the approval of

The 11-step acquisition process promulgated

DAC. However, cases like the Barak 1 Missiles were

earlier remained unaltered. Although optional

cleared as ‘Buy’ (under Single Vendor Condition)

in nature, the RFI’s scope was elaborated

with 30 per cent offset.

wherein the RFI could be issued to ask the

vendor to provide the elements which needed

Introduction of ‘Make’ Category

to be structured into the costing of the weapon/

The DPP 2006 had a new category of ‘Make’

equipment/system which would serve as a

introduced with the aim to ensure indigenous

guideline to formulate an all-encompassing

research, design, development and production

Commercial Offer format at the stage of it,

of capabilities in a prescribed time frame while

and in certain cases, as advance intimation for

optimally utilizing the potential of the Indian

the vendors to obtain requisite Government

industry to achieve self-reliance in Defence

clearances. A streamlined procedure for

equipment. It was envisaged that this category

seeking AoN through simultaneous vetting of

covered all capital acquisitions of complex, high-

the Statement of Case (SoC) by DDP, DRDO,

technology systems and upgrades undertaken

MoD (Admin) and MoD (Fin), was introduced.

t h r o u g h i n d i g e n o u s r e s e a r c h , d e s i g n a n d For award of the AoN, consideration by the

development by OFBs, DPSUs and the Indian

Categorization Committees for fi nal approval

Industry (and industries identified as RURs)/

of DAC/DPB were also instituted. Proposals

consortia) on a level playing fi eld, with the provision with an outlay of `40 crore and above were

of shared developmental cost. This category would

to be under the purview of DAC, and those

follow a different acquisition process wherein the

below `40 crore were to be considered

procedure would commence with the issue of

by the DPB. In addition to the laid-down

Defence Planning Guidelines.

procedures for seeking/approving vendor base

The HQIDS, besides formulating the Defence

for an equipment, approval of a case-specifi c

Capability Plan Document and the LTIPP, would

advertisement on the Internet (post approval

order a feasibility study for each project of LTIPP

of SCAP–CHC), and registration of vendors

and would also be responsible for having the

through the net, was introduced. A few of

projects categorized as ‘Make’ and getting the AoN

the major projects to be accorded AoN were:

from DAC. After approval by DAC, the project

acquisition of 39 Advanced Light Helicopters

would be processed by the Acquisition Wing.

(ALH) at a cost of `2,927 crore under the ‘Buy

This would include constitution of Integrated

(Indian)’ category; and acquisition of Dorniers

Project Management Teams (IPMTs) which would

as replacements for the Islanders (aircraft)

prepare Project Definition Documents (PDD),

under the ‘Make’ category.

issue Expression of Interest (EoI) for shortlisting

of agencies and carry out a thorough analysis of

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

341

Detailed Project Report (DPR), and obtain the equipment-based on the source of procurement—to

CFA’s approval. In December 2007, the DAC

be classifi ed as ‘Buy (Indian)’ and ‘Buy (Global)’.

changed categorization

‘Buy (Indian)’ would include Indian vendors only

The DPP 2006

o f 1 7 A d v a n c e d J e t

and ‘Buy (Global)’ would mean foreign as well

included a new

Trainer (AJT) Hawks for

as Indian vendors. A condition of at least 30 per

category of ‘Make’

t h e I n d i a n N a v y f r o m

cent indigenous content was laid down for systems

to ensure indigenous ‘Buy from M/s BAC (05) envisaged to be integrated by an Indian vendor.

research, design,

and HAL (12)’, to ‘Buy

Further, acquisitions covered under the ‘Buy &

development and

(Indian)’ from HAL.

Make’ category would mean purchase from a

production of

foreign vendor followed by licensed production/

capabilities within

D e f e n c e S h i p b u i l d i n g

indigenous manufacture in the country. Acquisitions

a set period of time.

Procedure

covered under the ‘Make’ category did not undergo

In DPP 2006, the Defence

major changes and continued to include complex

shipbuilding procedure was introduced formally

high-technology systems to be designed, developed

as a chapter. However, its scope was the same as

and produced indigenously. Although the

that given in Schedule-I of DPP 2005. Whereas

11-step procurement process remained unchanged,

procurement of warships from abroad and small

the powers to accord AoN included those of the

vessels such as yard craft, etc., was as per the

Categorization Committees for delegated cases up

general provisions of the DPP, designing and

tò50 crore, and of the DPB for cases between

shipbuilding by DPSUs were to be governed by thè50 crore and `100 crore, while the DAC would specifi c provisions of the chapter on shipbuilding. A clear all cases beyond `100 crore. The procedures

total of 17 processes were laid down in shipbuilding

for RFI remained optional, and the RFP process

approvals, starting with the formulation of

included a detailed interaction with the vendors

OSRs and ending with Liquidated Damages

though a pre-bid meeting. Provision for ‘Directions

and Incentives. The contours of Procedures for

to Vendors’ during the course of trials and result of Procurement of ship-borne equipment remained

evaluations, along with reasons for disqualifi cation unchanged from DPP 2005. Under the new

(if any), were to be communicated in writing. Ships,

provisions, the DAC accorded approval for eight

yard craft and auxiliaries were specifi cally removed MCMVs, with two as ‘Buy (Global)’ and six as

from the scope of FET. Policy changes in DPP 2008

‘Buy (Indian)’. Under this edition of DPP, five

included listings of items eligible for the discharge NOPVs ( Saryu-class), eight LCVs, two DSRVs,

of offset obligation, introduction of Offset Credit

16 ASW shallow water craft, and seven P-17A

Banking and exemption of Fast Track acquisitions

frigates from MDL, were the major acquisitions

from offset obligations.

that were accorded AoN.

The procedure for ‘Make’ category also

remained unchanged. The P8I LRMR from M/s

DPP 2008 and Amendment in 2009

Boeing, with 30 per cent offsets, was one of the

major acquisitions accorded AoN under the DPP.

Additions and Procedural Changes

The DPP 2008 (as amended in 2009) expanded

Defence Shipbuilding Procedures

the scope of category of acquisitions covered

The contours of Defence Shipbuilding procedures

under the ‘Buy’ category as outright purchase of

largely remained unchanged in DPP 2008.

342

Blue Waters Ahoy!

However, to make the process more competitive, In Conclusion

a provision for shortlisting multiple shipyards for

a single project was included. The procedure for

The acquisition of defence equipment is a complex

procuring ship-borne equipment remained as per

and intricate process, intended to meet the all-

DPP 2006 where shipyards had the fl exibility and

important objective of modernizing the Armed

autonomy to negotiate for machinery, propulsion

Forces within acceptable time frames, while at

and other non-weapon/sensor material. An

the same time ensuring transparency, probity and

element of project monitoring was also introduced

public accountability.

wherein all shipbuilding projects were required

The primary objective behind the formulation

to be monitored on a six-monthly review by an

of the DPP has been to improve the procurement

Apex Steering Committee under the chairmanship

process in terms of efficiency, usher change and

of Secretary, Defence Production (Secy. DP). The

encourage growth of the domestic defence industry.

status of the project was to be reported to the

Even after fi ve editions since the inception of the

CCS after two years for two cycles, and annually

new procedure and new structures in the MoD,

thereafter. The Indian Navy progressed various there is a gap between the desired time frames and

projects under these provisions. This included four

actual realization of results. In each successive

LPDs under ‘Buy & Make’ (Indian), four Diving

edition, the aim has been to refi ne the eco-system

Support Craft, one Survey Training Vessel, a new

of procurements with commitment to timelines

Waterjet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC), Project 28

and iterative learning. However, there is still

( Kamorta-class corvettes), four Survey Vessels—all some distance to be travelled before conspicuous

under ‘Buy (Indian)’, and a Floating Dock (FDN)

effi ciencies in the aforementioned areas are noticed for the Andaman & Nicobar Command.

to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

343

9

Induction of New Weapons

and Sensors

Strengthening the Dynamics of Operations

Many a young offi cer posted on board frontline

content not just in basic shipbuilding (something

warships of the Indian Navy has heard the quip

that had truly come of age in the decade), but

‘In the end, all said and done, the job of the

also in weapons and sensors. To ensure that the

ship is basically to land

Navy remains relevant as a formidable force,

To ensure that

ordnance on target.’ Given

lethal missiles, modern guns, advanced torpedoes,

the Navy was a

the significance of timely

technologically advanced sonars, state-of-the-art

formidable force

and accurate delivery of

MCM (Mine Counter Measure) equipment, smart

in an atmosphere

ordnance on target, the

decoys, contemporary simulators and targets were

fraught with

N a v y ’s n e e d t o i n d u c t

inducted during the decade.

constantly

contemporary weapons,

emerging security

sensors and equipment is of

Gunnery

challenges, the

paramount importance, more

Navy’s dependence

so, given the geopolitical

Background

on imports with

s i t u a t i o n t h a t I n d i a i s

Before the turn of the century, the Indian Navy had

regard to weapons

perennially subject to.

the bulk of its ships fi tted with Soviet vintage AK

F o r w e a p o n s a n d

series MR guns and a few with the British origin

and sensors took a

sensors, the Navy earlier

4.5 inch gun. While still functional and robust, they signifi cant turn. They

depended, almost entirely,

could hardly be categorized as contemporary. The

were now aiming

on imports. Of these, in

same could be said about the missile systems. The

towards indigenous

turn, an overwhelming

navies of the world were embracing cutting-edge

content.

m a j o r i t y h a v e b e e n o f

technologies in precision guidance weapons and

Soviet/Russian origin. Since the turn of the century, sensors. Consequently, projectiles were now more

the Navy slowly started diversifying and shifted

accurate in delivering the gun powder to the enemy.

from the erstwhile Russian, only to a more global

This led to the initiation of modernization of the

market. At the same time, ongoing plans were

existing gunnery inventory of the Indian Navy .

already aiming towards increasing the indigenous

The road to modernization saw OTO Melara

making its way from Italy to the BHEL factory in

this SSM, however, is in terms of the advantages

India, and the country joining hands with Russia

accrued in cost savings, training and maintenance,

to make one of the most advanced surface-to-

due to standardization of the missile as an SSM

surface missiles (SSMs) in

across a wide cross-section of the fl eet—something

One of the landmark the world. The Navy also that the Navy has always looked for in the past.

moments for the

saw the induction of the

The SSM itself was quite flexible, fitted first on

Indian Navy was

Talwar- class frigates, with

INS Rajput in an inclined confi guration, thereafter a whole new weapon-sensor

proving itself admirably in a vertical-launch

the induction of

package. The ace weaponry

confi guration.

BrahMos SSM—the

and advanced technology-

fastest cruise missile

savvy Operations Rooms

in the world with

of these ships soon changed

a maximum range

the dynamics of operations.

of about 290km.

Commencing 2000,

BrahMos

the induction of the

The successful induction

Barak AMD system,

o f t h e B r a h M o s S S M ,

was also a game-

commencing 2006, was

changer. Its deadly

a landmark moment for

accuracy made it a

the Indian Navy and one

truly fail-safe defence that brought great joy to against anything

the Gunners’ community.

Maiden vertical launch of BrahMos

launched in the air,

The large stockpile of the

by an adversary.

Indian SSM inventory had

Barak Anti-Missile Defence (AMD) System

consisted of the vintage

The Barak SAM has been one of the most successful

P-Series missiles that were current in the Cold

weapon procurements in the Navy. There was a

War era. While the subsequent Uran and Klub

glaring hole in the Navy’s AMD capability and it

SSMs were far more modern, the BrahMos was

had to be plugged fast. In came the Israeli Barak

a proud induction, given its Indian content. It has

(Hebrew for ‘lightning’) AMD system. It was a

been produced through a joint venture between

SAM designed to be used as a ship-borne point

the Russian Federation’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya

defence missile system (PDMS) against any type

(NPOM) and India’s DRDO who together formed

of airborne threat including aircraft, helicopters,

the JV, BrahMos Aerospace. The word ‘BrahMos’

UAVs and, most importantly, anti-ship missiles.

itself is an acronym formed out of the names of

Commencing in 2000, the Barak-1 AMD system

two rivers in India and Russia, viz. Brahmaputra

was fi rst inducted for the Godavari class, followed and Moskva respectively. BrahMos is a medium

by the Viraat, Delhi, Mysore and Ranvijay. This range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be

induction was closely followed by procurement of

launched from ships, aircraft, or even land- based

two systems for Beas and Ranvir, in 2003 and 2005

launchers such as the Transporter Erector Launcher

respectively. Thereafter, systems for Brahmaputra- , (TEL). It is the fastest cruise missile in the world

Betwa- and Shivalik-class ships were inducted in with a maximum range of about 290km. The most

2006. Much like the BrahMos, the Barak system

heartening aspect with regard to the induction of

brought a brilliant cheer within the Navy, as the

Induction of New Weapons and Sensors

345

latter was devastatingly accurate and would go on

Klub SSM. The fi rst SSM to be inducted into the to become a truly fail-safe defence against anything

Navy with a vertical silo storage-cum-launcher,

launched in the air by an adversary.

this missile was also fi tted onboard the Shivalik class of ships. With a range in excess of 200km,

it is supersonic for an important portion of its

trajectory.

Shtil Area Defence SAM System. Like the Klub, the Shtil would also go on to become a part of the weapon suite on board the Shivalik s. A successor to the Kashmir SAM system onboard the Delhi class, the Shtil system was driven by more contemporary technology and supported by a more modern

surveillance radar and control system.

The ‘A 190-E’ Gun. A twin-feed, single-barrel, The lethal Barak SAM

medium-range gun possessing anti-air and anti-

surface capabilities, and controlled by Fire Control

Dhanush

Radar (FCR)/ Fire Control System (FCS) Puma,

The Dhanush missile system, which has evolved

this weapon boasted of being the lightest 100mm

out of the Prithvi program—part of India’s

calibre gun in the world. Its maximum rate of fi re

ambitious Integrated Guided Missile Development

is 60 rounds per minute. The gun features higher

Program (IGMDP)—was inducted onboard IN

automation of fi re preparation and controls, and

Ships Subhadra and Suvarna. It is a variant of employs enhanced lethality projectiles. In addition,

the surface-to-surface Prithvi III missile, which

the turret’s design shares stealth cues from the ship has been developed by the DRDO for the Indian

itself and minimizes the radar signature of the ship.

Navy. Capable of carrying both conventional as

well as nuclear warheads, this missile system can

SRGM

accurately hit targets up to 300kms, the maximum

The induction of the 76mm Super Rapid Gun

range specifi ed in the MTCR.1 The weaponization

Mount commenced in 2001 and it was fi rst fi tted

of Suvarna with this system was completed in 2005, on the INS Kirch. The OEM of the gun was the

while that of Subhadra, was completed in 2007.

Italian Defence Company, OTO Melara. A single-

feed, single-barrel, medium-range gun with a

Weapons Onboard the Talwar Class

maximum range of about 16kms, the SRGM is

The Talwar class, acquired from Russia in the an anti-air and anti-surface capable weapon. Its

early 2000s, brought with it a whole new gunnery

beauty lies in the fact that it can be fi red by a host weapon and sensor suite. This marked a substantial

of FCRs while being interfaced with a variety of

leap in the Navy’s combat capability.

ship’s Combat Management Systems and/or FCS/

1 The Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR is a

missiles and related technologies. It also restricts the range of voluntary undertaking by 35 nations (consisting of the world’s a 500kg payload to 300km or delivery of any type of weapon key missile manufacturers) and aims to restrict their exports of of mass destruction.

346

Blue Waters Ahoy!

to name a few), this indigenous chaff system is The 1971 Indo–Pak War brought home learning

intended, eventually, to be a standard fit on all

lessons for the Indian Navy and for the anti-

major warships.

submarine arm in particular. The loss of INS Khukri to an enemy Daphne-class submarine signalled the MR-SAM

importance of remaining one step ahead of the

Thus far, the Navy had possessed only short (close-

adversary in the challenging fi eld of underwater

range) SAM systems. In 2006, a contract for joint

detection. An important lesson imbibed was that

development of a medium-range Surface-to-Air

longer range sonars and longer range weapons

Missile System (MR-SAM) and Multi-function

had to be inducted, if ships were to have a fi ghting Radar (MFR), Multi-function Surveillance Tract and

chance against submarines—an advantage that the

Guidance Radar (MFSTAR), was concluded between

enemy clearly possessed. Immediate action was

DRDO and IAI, Israel. These systems were to be fi tted taken to improve the anti-submarine capability of

onboard the Kolkata-class ships when commissioned.

the Leander- class frigates with the installation of Sonar 184 M and replacement with (Graseby’s)

Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW)

184 SS search sonar on the follow-on ships of the

Leander class.

Background

The modern day stealth submarine has made the

Sonars

task of detection extremely diffi cult. Modern ASW

In 1973, Lt Arogyaswami Paulraj, one of the

is a complex and difficult process, and involves

brightest minds in the Indian Navy, was tasked to

a multitude of disparate sensors and platforms

improve upon the British sonars. He developed an

ranging from aircraft to sonobuoys and even other

improved trans-receiver-display for the British origin submarines. World War I can be said to have marked

sonar 170 B. The technology was widely deployed

the advent of ASW. Threatened by Germany’s

in the Indian fl eet. During 1977–83, Paulraj led the unrestricted submarine warfare campaign, the

development of a large surface ship sonar, which

United Kingdom developed an effective means of

fructifi ed in the form of Advanced Panoramic Sonar

fi nding and destroying the German U-Boats. Anti-

Hull-mounted (APSOH). With the induction of

submarine warfare expanded in World War II,

APSOH in the Navy, the journey of the indigenous

when new tactics and equipment along with sonar

development of sonars had just begun.

systems enabled the Allied forces to subdue the

As a follow-up to the Paulraj design, the NPOL

German subsurface threat.

developed Sonar HUMSA (Hull Mounted Sonar)

The Indian Navy’s anti-submarine corvettes,

in the late 1990s as a successor to APSOH, after

the Petya s, were acquired from the Soviet Union, which this sonar has become a standard fit for

commencing the late 1960s. Whilst the Navy was

Indian Naval ships. Realization of the importance

operating Russian sonars at sea, Mazagon Dock

of sonars in anti-submarine operations led to the

Ltd (MDL) had commenced construction of the

evolution of Hull Mounted Variable Depth Sonar

Leanders. Though these ships were made in India,

(HUMVAD). Simply put, HUMVAD was another

a majority of the equipment and sensors were

version of the APSOH wherein the sonar array

procured from Western countries in bits and pieces.

depth could be varied for tactical purposes. The

The Navy’s ASW suites thus comprised a mix of

next major milestone achieved in the development

eastern- and western-origin weapons and sensors

of sonars was the development of HUMSA

in the 1970s.

Next Generation (NG). It is the third-generation

348

Blue Waters Ahoy!

indigenous, ship-borne, hull-mounted sonar system Navigation and Direction

designed and developed by NPOL, and produced

by BEL, Bangalore.

Background

The relationship between the equipment and

TAL Mk I

operator in case of navigation is rather unique.

In February 2005, NSTL/DRDO designed and

Unlike Gunnery and ASW, where improving

developed a lightweight anti-submarine torpedo

technology, iteratively, The tasks involved

named the Torpedo Advanced Light (TAL) Mk I.

m a k e s c o n t e m p o r a r y in building systems Considered a major milestone in the indigenization

weapons more accurate for navigational aids,

of underwater weapons, the production of these

as well as lethal, the job

torpedoes was undertaken by Bharat Dynamics Ltd

o f a n a v i g a t i o n a l a i d unlike improving (BDL), commencing November 2009.

(Navaid) is merely to technology in the

improve the situational weapons used

Clip-on Infl uence Sweep (CLOIS) System

awareness of the man who

onboard warships,

A new concept in mine-sweeping not requiring

is physically conducting is a tricky and

a dedicated mine-sweeper was embodied in the

t h e n a v i g a t i o n o f t h e crucial one, if not as Clip-on Influence Sweep (CLOIS). The system

ship. There are only two complex. Over the

is a combination of Maxi Dyads, Mini Dyads,

options in navigation—

decade, induction

Infra Australian Acoustic Generator (IAAG),

safe navigation and unsafe

of systems like the

Australian Acoustic Generator (AAG) and Pipe

navigation.

AIS and ECDIS

Noise Makers (PNMs). CLOIS is capable of being

During the fi rst decade

have helped to

towed by any suitable platform, viz. Minesweeper,

of the century, the Indian hugely improve

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) or Craft of

Navy maintained pace with

the navigational

Opportunity (COOP). The combination of Dyads

the various developments effectiveness of

can emulate signatures of the desired ship, which

i n t h e m a r i t i m e Indian Naval ships.

is pre-programed with the Mission Planning

organizations, worldwide.

Control Computer and Acoustic Modeling software

Induction of the Automatic Identifi cation system

(AGMOD-II). Mini and Maxi Dyads are used to

(AIS) and Electronic Chart Display System (ECDIS)

generate magnetic signature of the ship while IAAG

for all platforms was undertaken during the

and AAGs emulate the acoustic signature of various

decade. Conceptualization and formulation of staff

classes of ships. The Navy acquired four CLOIS

requirements for state-of-the-art Integrated Bridge

systems in 2007 and augmented its inventory by

Systems, which would be fi tted for naval platforms,

adding two more systems in 2009. The systems

was undertaken in 2004.

have been extensively employed to establish Swept

Channels and Q-routes.2

2 A system of pre-planned shipping lanes in mined or order to provide safe passage for friendly shipping. See potentially mined waters used to minimize the area the mine Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, https://www.

countermeasures commander has to keep clear of mines in thefreedictionary.com/Q-route, accessed on 1 October 2018.

Induction of New Weapons and Sensors

349

AIS (Automatic Identifi cation System) disruption of supplies in the 1990s. The first of

Inducted into the Indian Navy commencing early

these was the consequence of dissolution of the

2010, the AIS is a Navaid providing information

Soviet Union, and the second occurred in the

about a merchant ship (its length, beam, draught,

wake of the Pokhran-II tests. Notwithstanding

cargo), and its positional information, i.e., its

these roadblocks, the Navy’s transformational

course, speed; whether it has any disability or

process received special attention after the end of

special constraint in navigation or whether it is

the Cold War. India’s determination to stand up

at anchor, etc. —in order to prevent any close-

to the denial regime through indigenous efforts

quarter situation (i.e., collision avoidance). The

was happily supplemented with a sudden surge in

induction of AIS into the Indian Navy has enhanced

the country’s economic growth during the decade

the maritime situational awareness and improved

2001–2010. These factors ensured that a robust

navigational safety as well.

program of modernization of the force was put on

the fast track. That is how induction of cutting-edge ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and

technologies in weapons, sensors and platforms

Information System)

for the Indian Navy received an impetus rarely

Earlier, navigation onboard warships used to be

witnessed before.

carried out with the help of paper charts that

Most importantly, in the wake of the Pokhran-II

were published in accordance with the standards

sanctions, there was a determined effort on the

laid down by the International Hydrographic

part of the Navy to invest more in development of

Organization (IHO) and the International Maritime

indigenous technologies. These efforts have all paid

Organization (IMO). An ECDIS is a modern step

long-term and healthy dividends. It is gratifying

in navigation as it utilizes electronic charts instead to see that weapon-sensor suites being inducted

of paper charts for the planning and conduct of

from abroad and those developed in-house are all

navigation at sea. ECDIS was inducted into the

proving equal to the task of the morrow.

Indian Navy commencing 2006 and went a long

To achieve coherent naval operations supported

way in improving the overall situational awareness

by interoperability and network centricity,

on the bridge of a ship. Capable of taking feed of

standardization is as important as indigenization.

the navigational radar, in addition to providing

It has, therefore, been heartening to see the naval

features of plotting and quick editing, ECDIS has

fl eet slowly moving towards having standardized

gone on to become an integral part of the bridge in

weapons and sensors across platforms. Add

all warships of the Navy.

networking to this and we have a formidable

fl eet at sea—one that, even when it is dispersed far In Conclusion

and wide, puts up the resistance of the well-drilled

phalanx.

The transformation of the Indian Navy, which is

always an ongoing process, was hit by a series of

350

Blue Waters Ahoy!

10

The Kursura Museum

A Submarine through the Eyes of Time

The Kursura Museum at R.K. Beach

Museums have often been regarded as sites of

Precursors to the Kursura Museum

collective memory. They are hallowed precincts

where time stands still, or rather has been made

Long before the idea of the Indian Museum

to stand still. Museums do not merely preserve the

Submarine Kursura took shape, there existed

past, they become a meeting ground of memory and

a small submarine museum located inside the

history, between what is remembered and what has

Naval Base at INS Circars. It was a quaint gallery been reconstructed.

preserving in its lap many stories worth telling, but

its voice was far away from the people who should regularly visited this site to have a look through the have been hearing them—tourists and the local

periscope over the horizon and ships at anchorage.

people of Visakhapatnam, the very city that was the

birthplace of the Submarine Arm of the Indian Navy.

The Kursura Museum

Also, though it had a large number of artefacts, it

was a little diffi cult for the uninitiated to visualize In the background, a narrative to immortalize

what a submarine looked like from the inside, and

the Kursura had already been taking shape.

how diffi cult it is for a crew to actually live on board In the late 1990s, a case was taken up by

for long durations in such

Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command to install

Despite its illustrious cramped spaces.

a decommissioned submarine at the Ramakrishna

past, restoring the

Initially, submariners

Beach or R.K. Beach as it is popularly known, in

INS Kalvari was

had envisaged that the fi rst

Visakhapatnam. Vice Admiral Vinod Pasricha, the

well-nigh impossible

submarine, INS Kalvari,

then Flag Offi cer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern

given her poor

w o u l d b e m o v e d t o a

Naval Command was the prime driver behind this

material state. The

suitable berth and placed

vision. The project involved the daunting task of

INS Kursura was,

on display. However, time

hauling a 1400 ton-submarine out of the water

therefore, chosen for and other demons had eaten on to the beach and installing (or grouting) it on

into her so badly, that her

a prefabricated concrete platform. It also required

display.

material state precluded this

converting the internal layout of the submarine to

possibility. Not that the submariners did not try to

render an easy passage to the visitors from a broad

rejuvenate her, considering she was ‘the fi rst’ and

variety of age groups.

‘fi rsts’ always hold a special place in any historical The MoD gave the green signal for the project

narrative. Restoration, however, was not an option.

to be carried out by the Director General Naval

INS Kursura,1 her younger sister, was a close second.

Projects (Visakhapatnam) (DGNP [V]) with

It was difficult to let the first one go though.

Cdr Deepak Sahu, Oi/C, Submarine Maintenance

So, it was decided that the fin of Kalvari would Unit (Visakhapatnam) (SMU[V]) as Project

be dismantled and put at a suitable place on the

Offi cer. DGNP (V) offl oaded the contract for the

Beach Road, one of the prominent landmarks in

hauling operation to the National Ship Design

the city. After considerable discussions with the

and Research Centre (NSDRC), Visakhapatnam

Collector, who in turn had to raise the level to the

and the internal modifications and repairs were

State Government, Kalvari’s fin was moved and contracted to Marine Care ‘N’ Associates. The

commissioned by Commodore Subra-manian,

Indian Navy, post completion of the project, was

her fi rst Commanding Offi cer. Since the periscope

to hand over the museum to the Andhra Pradesh

also remained in place, a large number of children

Tourism Department for operating and upkeep.

1 INS Kursura was commissioned at Riga, erstwhile USSR, on all types of naval operations. She played a vital role in the 18 December 1969 under the command of Commander Arun

1971 Indo–Pak war. She was also the pioneer amongst Indian Auditto. The submarine embarked on her maiden passage submarines, in extending goodwill and harmony through from Baltisk on 20 February 1970. The induction of Kursura visits and fl ag-showing missions to other nations. In her vast showcased the augmentation of the third dimension of the lifespan, the Kursura changed hands thirteen times, the last Indian Navy. She was the cornerstone of the foundation of the Commanding Officer having been Cdr K.M. Sreedharan.

Indian Naval Submarine Arm. During her 31 glorious years of INS Kursura was decommissioned on 27 February 2001.

service, the Kursura sailed 73,500nm, participating in almost 352

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The project started with the dry docking of the in ‘fi ghting fi t condition’ for this was the most

submarine at Naval Dockyard Visakhapatnam

‘economical’ option.4 After considerable planning

(from 26 February 2000 to 13 March 2000). The

and discussions with NHQ, it was decided that

additional appendages required for the hauling

this was the most feasible option.

operations like the eye bolts2 (designed for a 600 ton To start with, steel wire ropes of 24mm size,

pull) and poppets3 were welded on the submarine.

were passed from the submarine onto the heavy

All hull valves and other external openings were

hydraulic winches positioned at the beach site.

blanked to improve the fl oatation of the vessel.

However, the forward part of the submarine got

For the method of moving the submarine to

stuck in the beach whilst being pulled ashore.

its proposed location on R.K. Beach, a number of

Supports were then attached and the submarine

suggestions came forward and one that initially

was brought ashore by alternately lifting and

seemed feasible was to cut her into approximately

then pulling her. Sand was carefully piled up on

ten pieces and then move these on large trailers

both sides of the submarine using earth-movers to

to the beach and finally re-weld them in-situ.

prevent it from tilting to one side.

Although this seemed a workable option, there

The going was never easy. The early onset of

were considerable doubts whether the welding back

monsoon had caused dynamic shifting of sand

into a complete submarine would actually work.

which tended to engulf the submarine. Therefore,

At this juncture, another set of experts from the

the submarine’s forward movement during the

NSDRC were approached.

initial weeks was limited to a few millimetres only.

Of the many options Given that only four such The drag caused by the sinking of the submarine in that could be applied submarine museums existed the sand, led to excessive strain on the eyes welded to beach the Kursura , in the world—two in the on the pressure hull thereby rupturing the hull. An hauling it directly

US and one each in the UK

alternative approach was then adopted wherein the

onto the beach was

and Russia—the NSDRC

bow torpedo tubes were used as strong points to

found to be the

h a d w e i g h e d d i f f e r e n t

haul-in the boat.

most feasible and

methodologies for bringing

A channel was dug around the submarine and

economical. The

t h e v e s s e l a s h o r e . T h e

the water medium was used as a lubricant to speed

process to do so,

options included cutting

up the hauling operation. The position of the winch

however, would be

it into small pieces and

motors was shifted after the submarine had been

an arduous one.

reassembling the pieces at

pulled on to the beach. Thereafter, the submarine

the site, digging a channel

was turned to the right, so as to position her on the through the beach for a passage, loading the

concrete foundation parallel to the road.

submarine onto a pontoon, lowering it on the

An area of approximately 90m x 4m, with a

beach, dredging the beach, and positioning the

depth of 4m, was dug up on the beach to build

submarine on a barge. Finally, it was settled that

a concrete foundation upon which to place the

the vessel will be hauled directly onto the beach

submarine. Once in position, the entire submarine

2 Eye bolts (rings) were welded on to the pressure hull of the surface contact of the base of the submarine with the ground.

submarine to enable it to be pulled by wire ropes.

4 ‘Country's First Submarine Museum Comes into Being’, The 3 Five metal structures called Poppets or ‘Elephant Feet’ were Hindu, 5 January 2002, http://www.thehindu.com/2002/01/05/

welded on to the bottom of the submarine hull (three on the stories/2002010503290300.htm, accessed on 14 January 2018.

forward side and two on the aft) so as to provide additional The Kursura Museum

353

was lifted with hydraulic jacks for placement of the action posts. Glass panels replaced metal covers

rubber pads between the foundation and the keel.

on equipment, doors and decks. Split ACs and some

Two storm chocks designed to withstand winds up

equipment made their way into the submarine and

to 150 knots were welded on the pressure hull and

made the compartments cooler and nicer to look

grouted to the concrete foundation. By the time the

at, much to the envy of the men who had proudly

submarine had come to rest on the foundation, the

sailed these boats when they were so much more

outer hull had got a little corroded and damaged

uncomfortable and devoid of creature comforts.

at various locations. Hence, the corroded and

Roadblocks that can hinder a plan can be

damaged hull plates were replaced with new plates

as bizarre as they come, and in the history of

in-situ and three coats of paint were applied to

Kursura’s birth as a museum, there was more to restore the vessel’s life and original appearance.

come. In this case, it came in the form of an irate

The whole evolution took over 18 months

environmentalist, who had wrongfully planted

against the initially envisaged period of three

turtle eggs from another site around the area simply

months. Calculations went awry, patience ran

to stymie the project. He then went to court. And

short, and the effi cacy of the whole endeavour, was, while lawyers battled it out in court amidst fat, gilt-at times, deliberated threadbare.

edged books for eight whole months, the Navy’s

In the end, however, owing to the planning,

beloved Kursura nearly capsized! Not to mention the rigour and most importantly, to the unique

the turtle eggs, which hatched anyway and the

l o v e a n d l o y a l t y t h a t

harmless amphibians quietly made their way to

From having to

individuals wearing the

the sea. And later, so did the court case.

use torpedo tubes

coveted ‘dolphins’ on their

Due to certain political compulsions and

(in response to the

chest, feel for their ‘boats’,

the impending court case, it was decided to

ruptured hull), to

the Kursura did make it to

inaugurate the Museum on 27 February 2001,

haul in the boat,

her grand and imposing

where the submarine was ‘grouted’ in sand by 5m.

location on the beach on

Admiral V.S. Shekhawat (Retd), former CNS and

to positioning the

24 April 2000 under the

a submariner by profession, cut the ribbon for

submarine in such

c o m m a n d o f t h e n C d r

inaugurating the museum with traditional Naval

a way that the

Kondal Rao along with the

fanfare along with the concurrent decommissioning

operation could

aid of two Naval and two

of the submarine off the R.K. Beach.

be speeded up, to

Visakhapatnam Port Trust

Later, the submarine was jacked up by five

having to replace the (VPT) tugs.

metres using hydraulic jacks. The fi nal operation of damaged hull plates

The pressure hull was

shifting the submarine by 10m and installing it on

and apply paint on

cut to create an access to the

the concrete platform was completed by December

the boat—the coming inside of the submarine. The 2001. The requisite repair works, post installation, to life of the Kursura interior of the submarine including construction of civil structures were Museum was an

was modifi ed and a passage

completed by June 2002.

example of sheer grit was prepared for easy The submarine museum was formally and determination.

access; circular hatches gave

i n a u g u r a t e d a n d d e d i c a t e d t o t h e n a t i o n way to doors, mannequins

by then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh,

occupied their rightful place in the CO’s cabin,

Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu on 9 August 2002.

Ward Room, Submarine’s Galley and at a few

354

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The Present

The galley, wardroom, and the torpedo spaces

that had already been upgraded, helped further in

The Submarine Arm of the Indian Navy has

simulating reality. The mannequin of the Captain,

come a long way since the commissioning of

in his cabin, highlights the frugal and cramped

the INS Kalvari in the 1960s, which was its fi rst space available to him, as well as for his crew. A

submarine. In the 1970s and 1980s, this class of

hammock amongst the sections and a sailor perched

submarines rendered yeomen service to the Navy

above a torpedo-tube illustrate this equally well. In and laid the foundation for future generations to

the Engine Room and other machinery spaces, the

operate submarines confi dently and safely. Today,

top metal covers have been removed and replaced

the Navy has the expertise and skill to operate

with Perspex (plastic sheet) and glass covers, so that nuclear submarines, apart from various types of

the inner machinery is easily visible to the public.

conventional boats—something only a select few

Overall,

Kursura has become a national

maritime nations can boast of. As the Submarine

monument that beckons to the public and will

Arm moved in to the twenty-fi rst century, it was

remain a big tourist attraction in the days to

critical that its footprints on the sands of time

come. Since its inception, besides showcasing the

were not lost to posterity. A submarine museum

Submarine Arm effectively, it has also considerably

therefore, was the need of the hour.

boosted tourist traffi c to Visakhapatnam.

Today, the crowds that visit the Indian Museum

Moving the submarine on the beach and creating

Submarine Kursura are enormous, with the normal a museum was indeed a challenge and would not

waiting time in the queue of over one hour. They

have happened but for the tenacity of the large

go back enriched with an experience that keeps the

number of teams that worked both within the Navy

knowledge of the beginning of India’s submarines

and in NSDRC, to make it happen. But for their

alive in the collective consciousness. It also

grit, dedication and the determination to continue

motivates the youth to join the silent Service and

despite so many hurdles, INS Kursura may well become future submariners.

have ended up as a shipwreck on R.K. Beach, rather

As far as the insides of the submarine are

than as a maritime heritage site, which it is today.

concerned, they have been kept as natural as

The museum has been established with the aim

possible. In order to cater for quick movement

of highlighting the glory of the Submarine Arm but

within, it became necessary to remove the hatches

more importantly, to present to everyone a glimpse

between compartments and replace them with

of the life inside a submarine and the hardships

open doors. However, one hatch has been retained

encountered by the crew at sea. It gives a voice to

in the aft section, so that people are able to fully

the ‘Silent Service’ and serves as a repository of the appreciate the diffi culties encountered in moving

heritage of the Submarine Arm.

through the cramped confi nes of the submarine.

The Kursura Museum

355

356

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Prologue

Maintaining adequate surface-force levels is the

The acquisition of INS Jalashwa marked a

most critical requirement for any navy. With a

watershed, being the first under the Foreign

peninsular geography such as that of India’s,

Military Sales procedure of the United States. It

it becomes even more important to maintain a

not only gave a fi llip to the navy’s amphibious and

minimum level of surface forces in the inventory.

Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HADR)

The Indian Navy has always pursued indigenous

capabilities but is also providing invaluable

construction and was determined to be a builder’s

training value for the forthcoming Landing

navy from the very beginning. However, due to the

Platform Dock (LPD) inductions.

severe austerity measures in the decade of the 1990s, Logistic Support ships (tankers) are an essential

no new orders could be placed on our shipyards.

component of a blue water force. In order to make

And when the economic situation improved, the

up for the shortfall of this element in the fl eet, the numbers in the fl eet had seriously receded due to

Deepak class tankers were contracted for from an decommissioning of legacy platforms. This section

Italian fi rm.

covers all (surface ship) acquisition from abroad,

Lastly, the ageing aircraft carrier Viraat had a during the decade.

worthy successor on the horizon, with the signing

The

Talwar-class frigates were acquired from

of the contract of the Gorshkov—to be named

Russia, in order to quickly recoup the Navy in

Vikramaditya in the Indian Navy. The section also terms of the number of frigates it posssessed at any

captures the process of its repair and refurbishment

given time.

in Russia.

358

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

The Talwar-class Ships

Making up for the Shortfall in the Fleet

By 1992, the Navy had assessed that even by

D e s t r o y e r s a n d f r i g a t e s c o n s t i t u t e t h e the stipulated standards (numbers) laid down by

backbone of a naval fi ghting force and this void

the Government of India in the early 1960s, the

needed to be fi lled quickly. The shortfall severely

shortage of frigates and destroyers was a serious

restricted the navy’s war and peacetime missions.

gap with only 13 major

Therefore, a twin-track approach was proposed:

To meet the shortage war vessels (including five import of frigates—preferably from Russia—and in the number

Rajput-class destroyers and

simultaneously demanding government approval

of frigates and

eight Leander/stretched-

for construction of indigenous warships at Indian

destroyers (in the

Leander frigates) against

shipyards.

mid-1990s), the

the requirement of 30!

Indian Navy decided Naval Headquarters made Project 1135.6

the fact known to the GoI

to import frigates

that this gap could not be

In 1995—by which time the Russian Federation

(preferably from

made up in any realistic

had stabilized and rejuvenated its defence export

Russia).

time frame as no order

industry—while discussing the possibility of

had been placed on defence shipyards since 1986

importing frigates from the Russian Federation,

because of the generally prevailing environment of

M/s Roosvoruzheniye (RVZ) offered six frigates

austerity. (In the early 1990s, the six ships which

under Project 1135.6 to be built with modifi cations

were under construction at MDL and GRSE—three

to suit Indian requirements.

each of Project 15 (P-15) and Project 16A (P-16A),

respectively—were already facing further delays

Why Russia?

due to disruption in supply of weapon systems from

Russia.) It, therefore, became necessary to think of

Before proposing this acquisition, the Navy had

an import alternative to partially make up for the

examined the pros and cons of acquiring frigates

shortfall in force levels and, somewhat, arrest the

from various sources including the western world.

decline.

While there was no doubt that western systems were

more advanced in terms of electronics/propulsion the Kamov-31 (KM 31) helicopters, which would

technology, there was a wide difference in fi nancial become the much needed and only airborne early

implications and at the time it would have also

warning platforms—organic to a new type of ship,

meant inducting new technologies and a completely

the Type 1135.6 frigates.

new inventory of spares as well as the need to raise

Though the offer from the Russian Federation

new infrastructure in dockyards/depots. Similarly,

was for six ships, the proposal to the GoI was

operator as well as maintainer skills would have to

for only three ships due to funding constraints. It

be imbibed, de novo.

was underscored, however, that the proposal for

The fact to be remembered was that since

inducting three more ships of the class would be

the late 1960s, the Navy had made heavy

taken up later.

investments in repair and

The decision to

maintenance facilities for

Re qu i re me nt s Su it able for I nd ia n

import frigates on

Soviet-origin ships in its

Conditions

dockyards, stocked spares,

offer from Russia

a n d c r e a t e d l o g i s t i c s

While the frigates on offer from the Russian

was the most viable

infrastructure and training

Federation were unique in many respects, the Indian

one since it would

establishments. Therefore,

Navy was keen to include systems and their layout

not only meet the

a c a s e w a s m a d e f o r

in a manner that would best suit Indian operating

shortage of warships continuing standardization/ environment/conditions.

faster (without

commonality in weapons,

Therefore, this was the fi rst This was the

having to incur

sensors, auxiliary machinery,

time that an acquisition fi rst time that an

additional costs in

propulsion systems and

project of Russian origin acquisition project of terms of time and

various other equipment

(design) was examined Russian origin (and

new facilities) but it

that constitute the nerves of

and Indian suggestions design) was examined

would also be more

a warship. Since there was

for weapon-sensor choices and suggestions to

economical.

a need to quickly import

and equipment layout incorporate weapon-

ships to fi ll the void in force

made at the initial stage sensor choices and

levels, continuing such standardization/commonality

itself. In other words, the equipment layout

in such imports was a highly desirable feature to

staff requirements for this particularly suitable prevent additional expenses and time in raising new

class of ship were made for Indian conditions,

facilities. It was stressed that the frigates on offer after extensive discussions

from the Russian Federation with similar systems (as

between the two sides, made before the

existing in the fl eet) would mean keeping inventory

before the contract could contract was fi nally

costs low and utilizing the existing training/

fi nally be signed.

signed. This was also

maintenance infrastructure.

Another feature of the the fi rst time that

Considering all the factors, the chosen option of

design on offer was that ‘stealth technology’

import from Russia was not only the most viable

‘stealth technology’ was was introduced in

but also the most economical in terms of both

introduced for the first any IN ship.

capital expenditure and life-cycle cost.

time in any ship for the

Another important advantage that would accrue

Indian Navy. The result of the intensive interaction

from the proposed acquisition from Russia was

between the Indian and Russian sides was that the

that the 1135.6 frigates were confi gured to carry

resultant design of this class of frigate not only had 360

Blue Waters Ahoy!

a very high weapon density but also included state-one of the most cost-effective acquisitions for the fl eet.

of-the-art weapons, sensors and Computer-aided

Yet, the ship’s outfi t had maximum commonality with

Action Information Organization (CAIO). What was

existing machinery/other systems in the Navy.

unique in this acquisition from Russia was that even

Insofar as cost comparisons went, the per ship

the Navy of the Russian Federation did not possess

cost of `966.6 crore compared very favourably

a ship of the aforementioned (detailed) design.

with a western frigate of similar capabilities.1

All three ships— Talwar, Trishul and Tabar—

Governmental Approval

were finally commissioned between the years

2002 and 2004.

In October 1997, the GoI accorded approval for the

acquisition of three frigates of Project 1135.6. With Follow-on Ships

the fi rst ship being named Talwar, these frigates have come to be called Talwar- class frigates. Since The 1997 GoI approval for acquiring three ships of

the initial proposal was for

the project had included an ‘in-principle’ approval

In October 1997,

six ships of the class, with

for three follow-on ships as well. Based on that,

the GoI accorded

the sanction of three ships,

a case was taken up by the Navy in 2004 for the

approval for

in-principle approval for

acquisition of three more ships from the Russian

acquisition of three

three follow-on ships was

Federation.

frigates of Project

also obtained from the

With the fact that the The proposal of three

1135.6 and the

GoI, to be acquired in the

total force levels in the follow-on ships, to

Russians agreed to

subsequent Plan Periods.

Navy had already declined

be eventually called

The Russians agreed to

t o 1 3 5 s h i p s a n d t h e

deliver them between

the Teg class, was

deliver the three ships

estimation that only 12

2001 and 2003.

approved by the GoI.

between 2001 and 2003.

frigates would be left by

These would draw

The weapon-sensor

the XI plan (2007–12), the

on the Krivak design

suite of the three

Origins of Design

urgency of acquiring the

and would eventually

Teg -class ships was

three follow-on frigates

turn out to be one

further modernized

The design of the Project

was emphasized to the GoI.

of the most cost-

to include

1135.6 frigate was evolved

The Navy also underlined

effective acquisitions

substitution of one

f r o m o n e o f t h e m o s t

the fact that at the time

for the fl eet.

successful Russian warship

of the initial proposal, in major weapon system

d e s i g n s k n o w n a s t h e

1995, while the Russian with an indigenously

‘ Krivak’ under NATO nomenclature. The Russians Government had offered produced, more

had built a large number of frigates of the Krivak six ships of the class and advanced one.

design by the mid-1990s. With the Indian Naval Staff

the Navy had even then

Qualitative Requirements seeking stealth features,

needed more platforms, only three were contracted

a contemporary weapon-sensor suite, an AEW

for due to budgetary constraints. In-principle

helicopter and other systems (including some Indian-

approval for the remaining three was obtained for

developed equipment), the ship would turn out to be

procurement in the subsequent Plan periods.

1 The British Type-23 frigate was estimated at `1250 crore at 1994 prices.

The Talwar -class Ships

361

Talwar—adding sword to the Sword Arm

The proposal for three follow-on ships of Project

In Conclusion

1135.6 was approved by the GoI, in 2006.

The weapon-sensor suite of these three ships was

The induction of the Talwar-class stealth frigates further modernized to include the substitution of

in the early part of the decade provided the much-

one weapon system with an indigenously produced,

needed fi llip to the fl eet which had been facing a

more advanced one. All lessons learnt in the

serious void in terms of numbers. With the follow-

exploitation of the fi rst three ( Talwar-class) frigates on ships also having been contracted, the Navy

were applied through suitable changes in design

has started to arrest the decline in its inventory

of the new vessels. With the fi rst ship of this series caused by the planned, and sometimes delayed,

(of follow-on frigates) having been christened Teg, decommissioning of many older frigates.

these ships were to be called the Teg-class frigates Alongside these inductions, the indigenous

comprising INS Teg, Tarkash and Trikand.

construction projects sanctioned during the period

have started to roll off the assembly line, something that is most gratifying to note.

362

Blue Waters Ahoy!

2

Acquisition of the Gorshkov

( Vikramaditya)

Project 11430

Introduction

has always been seeking more than one carrier.

And when, in 1985, HMS Hermes was offered

Long before India’s fi rst aircraft carrier, Vikrant, to India for outright purchase, the Navy seized

was paid off in 1997, the Navy had decided to

the opportunity. For a decade from 1987, India

maintain a force of such strength so that two

operated two carriers.

operational carriers would be available at any

By the mid-1990s, the nation had embarked

time—one for each seaboard. Interestingly, even in

upon a journey to build the fi rst indigenous aircraft the Naval Plan Paper 14/1948, it was assessed that

carrier (IAC 1) at Kochi. But with that carrier still India would require a Navy comprising two Carrier

years away from completion, the Navy was left in

Task Groups, two Escort Groups, and a number of

the unenviable position of operating a single aircraft submarines and smaller craft.

carrier ( Viraat), raising the immediate requirement With major changes in the strategic situation

for a second carrier. It was at this juncture that

since 1948 and the build-up of naval power by

Russia offered its Kiev-class Heavy Aircraft

other countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),

Carrying Cruiser (HACC), Admiral Gorshkov.

a reassessment of the Navy’s developmental plans

was considered essential. The idea was to have

History of the HACC Admiral Gorshkov

adequate forces capable of operating independently

from bases on each coast. Accordingly, another

In the late 1960s, the Soviet Union had no aircraft

appraisal was carried out in the form of Naval

carriers. The closest to a carrier it had, was the

Plan Paper 11/1963 to review the Navy’s needs

Moskva-class cruiser which featured an enlarged for the next ten years. That paper estimated that

helicopter pad at the stern. This defi ciency was of

the two fl eets should each comprise (among other great concern to the Soviet Navy since it lacked air

platforms) a Carrier Task Group comprising an

cover through integral air in its fl eet.

aircraft carrier, a cruiser, six frigates/destroyers, a To overcome this disadvantage, plans were

fl eet tanker and a supply ship.

drawn up for a new cruiser with an actual fl ight

It is with this assessment in mind that the Navy

deck, enabling it to launch a newly designed

Vertical/Short Take-Off & Landing (VSTOL) However, the lessons learnt from the experience

aircraft—the YAK-38 ‘Forger’. The new carrier

of building the first three ships and the desire

project was initiated in 1970 and named ‘Project

to build a considerably more modern carrier,

No: 1143 Krechyet’. The

made the designers carry out extensive revision

With changes in the

l e a d s h i p o f t h i s c l a s s

of documentation including changes in the line

strategic situation

was named Kiev (hence

drawings. The number of changes ended up

in the region since

the NATO designation

being so large that in July 1977, the Ministry of

Independence and

‘ Kiev-class’). This design

Shipbuilding Industry in the former Soviet Union

also the ever-growing was developed from the commissioned the Nevskoye Design Bureau (NDB) naval prowess of

Moskva-class which in the

to work out a detailed technical project report by

other countries,

Soviet Navy was a cruiser

the fi rst quarter of 1978. The vessel thus designed

the Indian Navy’s

c a p a b l e o f l a u n c h i n g

was named Baku (Type 1143.4) to be rechristened developmental

a i r c r a f t i . e . , ‘ a i r c r a f t

later as the Admiral Gorshkov. The Baku was plans had to

carrying cruiser’. This term

launched on 31 March 1982 and commissioned

include multiple

was used to denote Russian

on 20 December 1987 at Sevastopol in the erstwhile

fl eets comprising,

aircraft carriers since that

USSR. According to Soviet Naval nomenclature,

among others,

is just what they were—

this ship was an HACC.

cruisers with some aircraft

aircraft carriers and

embarked and not aircraft

Genesis of Acquisition: Project 11430

destroyers. In the

carriers in the western sense.

mid-1990s, with the

Their task was to engage

Talks of selling the Gorshkov to the Indian Navy indigenous program

and destroy enemy naval

began in the early 1990s. The fi rst Naval team to

for an aircraft

forces while providing air

visit the ship in Severomorsk, in September 1994,

carrier still distant,

cover for the fleet. Unlike

was the one that accompanied the then CNS,

the IN was left to

western carriers, however,

Admiral V.S. Shekhawat, during his State visit.

operate with a single they were not designed to Some more visits followed, and after a few rounds

carrier—the Viraat .

carry an air wing (embarked

of successful parleys, the two countries signed an

It was at this point

f i g h t e r s q u a d r o n s ) f o r

MoU in December 1998, during the visit to India,

that Russia offered

ground strikes.

by then Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov.

the Gorshkov .

Three vessels of the Kiev

Between 1995 and 2001, three naval delegations

class were built between

visited the ship to assess her condition. These

1970 and 1975: the Kiev, the Minsk and the delegations were headed by Rear Admiral (later

Novorossiysk. For the fourth vessel, a modified Vice Admiral) Madanjit Singh, then Assistant

version of the Kiev class was envisaged, one that Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition

would enable the ship to carry a new and much

(ACWP&A) (6 August to 26 August 1995), Vice

more capable aircraft: the YAK-41 ‘Freestyle’, a

Admiral Vinod Pasricha, then Deputy Chief of

supersonic VSTOL aircraft (which was at the stage

Naval Staff (21 January to 1 February 1998), and

of concept design at the time).

Vice Admiral (later Admiral) Arun Prakash, then

The initial plan was restricted to the upgradation

COP (19 September to 6 October 1999). Based

of capabilities for anti-aircraft and anti-missile

on the recommendations of these delegations, the

defence and revision of drawings for the launch

GoI approved the signing of an Inter-Governmental

and recovery operations of the YAK-41 aircraft.

Agreement (IGA) with the Russian Federation for

364

Blue Waters Ahoy!

the ship’s acquisition in November 1999. The ship comprised five sub-committees on: Assessment

was offered in the form of a ‘package deal’ in which

of R&R cost, Assessment of cost of Repair

the vessel per se was offered to India as a ‘gift’

and Technical Documents (RTDs), Review of

while the cost towards her repair and re-equipment

Contractual Clauses, Value Assessment of the Ship,

(R&R) as a conventional carrier, was to be borne

and Assessment of Infrastructural Requirements.

by the GoI. Subsequently, the IGA was signed on

The PNC held eight rounds of negotiations between

4 October 2000, stipulating that a Detailed Project

July 2002 and December 2003. Approval of the GoI

Document (DPD) be submitted by the Russian

was accorded on 17 January 2004 and contracts for

Side to facilitate the GoI in taking an ‘Investment

the acquisition and R&R of Gorshkov were signed Decision’. Accordingly, a DPD was submitted by

on 20 January 2004.

the Russian side on 20 December 2000.

On 9 March 2004, the ship was gifted

The R&R work, while enriching the experience

at a ceremony held at Sevmash Shipyard, in

of Sevmash, Russia’s largest shipbuilding yard Severodvinsk. It was there Talks of selling the

(which, until then, had specialized in construction

that she was handed over Gorshkov to the

of submarines), would also benefi t India with the

by the Indian Ambassador

Indian Navy began

experience of planning and constructing carriers,

to the Sevmash Shipyard in the mid-1990s.

including the (just initiated) IAC Project at Cochin

f o r ‘ c u s t o d y ’ d u r i n g

Shipyard Ltd (CSL).

After several rounds

t h e R & R a c t i v i t y, i n

of negotiations

a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e

Initial Negotiations

c o n t r a c t . T h e R & R related to the costs of activity fi nally commenced

repair, re-equipping,

On 21 May 2001, a DPD Review Committee was

on 9 April 2004.

infrastructure and

constituted under the chairmanship of Shri Ajay

other contractual

Prasad, then Additional Secretary in the MoD, to

Repair and Re-

clauses, on 9 March

examine the document. The committee held nine

equipping

2004, the Gorshkov

meetings from June 2001 to November 2001,

was handed over

including a visit to the ship from 24 September to 6

T h e m a j o r r e p a i r /

to the Indian Navy

October 2001. It submitted its report in November

modernization work on at a ceremony at

2001, stating that the R&R work package outlined

the Gorshkov comprised

Sevmash Shipyard

in the DPD was adequate to restore the ship.

the modification of the in Severodvinsk.

On the recommendation of that committee, the

fl ight deck to include ski-

GoI approved the commencement of contractual

jump and arrester gear; removal of stabilizers;

negotiations. Consequently, a Technical Negotiation

modifi cation of the bulbous bow, aft aircraft and

Committee (TNC) headed by Rear Admiral (later

ammunition lifts; modifi cation/fabrication of about

Vice Admiral) B.S. Randhawa, Assistant Chief of

1,800 of the 2,691 compartments; redesigning of

Materiel (Dockyard & Refit) (ACOM [D&R]),

main boilers for burning diesel fuel; installation

was constituted. Technical negotiations with the

of sensors and equipment (including indigenous

Russian side took place between February 2002

electronic and communication suites), two

and March 2002. Thereafter, a Price Negotiation

additional diesel generators, a switchboard and

Committee (PNC) was constituted on 31 May

provision of new (western origin) prime movers for

2002 under the chairmanship of the then DCNS,

the four existing diesel generators; replacement of

Vice Admiral S.V. Gopalachari. This committee

all four distilling plants; and fi tment of two reverse Acquisition of the Gorshkov (Vikramaditya ) 365

osmosis (RO) plants, seven High Pressure (HP) air Shipyard—a pioneer in building submarines in the

compressors of Indian origin, four motor-driven Air

Soviet Union—was also on its maiden venture in

Conditioning (AC) plants and refrigeration plants.

repairing and modernizing an aircraft carrier, a

In addition, there was to be, as part of the work

complex project by any standard. With many of

package, an upgradation of other equipment, viz.

the changes in design and equipment having been

cranes, Replenishment at Sea (RAS) gear, boats,

sought by the Indian Navy, the Services’s own

davits, galley equipment, oily water separators,

involvement across the entire spectrum of activities

sewage treatment plants, life rafts, accommodation

of R&R was a ‘full-time’ job.

ladders and booms, and renewal of more than

70 per cent motors and about 1200km of cables.

Phase II (August 2005–November 2010). This

was the most critical phase as it involved repair

Phases of R&R

and re-equipping works requiring coordination

and deliverables from multiple agencies. It was

Originally, the R&R was scheduled for completion

also during this time that the ship was docked at

within 52 months with the delivery of the ship

Sevmash. This docking was a unique feat as the

scheduled in August 2008. The Project was divided

available clearances at the

Originally scheduled

into four phases:

dock mouth between the to be completed

dock wall and the sponson

within a period of

Phase I (April 2004–August 2005): Dismounting

overhangs, as well as the

52 months, the R&R

of repairable equipment, systems and structures

ship’s bottom and the

phase that included

from the ship.

dock fl oor were extremely

restricted. This challenge dismounting of

Phase II (August 2005–November 2006):

was overcome by using repairable equipment,

Determination of (scope of) repair of equipment

specially designed docking

docking and

and systems, docking and undocking.

pontoons to lift the stern undocking, testing,

o f t h e s h i p , t h e r e b y tuning and putting Phase III (November 2006–July 2007): Testing and achieving the required trim

those equipment

tuning, Setting to Work (STW) and Mooring Trials.

and draught. The dock on trial, etc.—took

blocks were arranged on much longer.

Phase IV (July 2007–August 2008): Sea trials

moveable trolleys which

including ship’s DATS, AFC DATS and crew

traversed on rail tracks embedded in the dock

training.

fl oor, thereby obviating the requirement of docking

the ship in the second version for renewal/painting.

Due to the delay in the progress of the project, the

It was a classic example of Russian ingenuity and

timelines of the phases of R&R were revised and

innovation at work.

executed as per the following schedule:

The ship was docked twice during the R&R

package. The first docking took place from

Phase I (April 2004–August 2005). This phase

12 December 2005 to 4 December 2008. The

involved dismounting various items as planned.

major scope of work during the first docking

It was a one-of-a-kind project with many ‘first-

included the fairing of the bulbous bow and the

time-inductions’ in terms of specialized equipment/

under-keel sonar area, dismounting of stabilizers,

systems for the Navy. Simultaneously, the Sevmash

underwater hull survey and subsequent repairs,

366

Blue Waters Ahoy!

renewal of all sea tubes, blasting and painting of

there were just 10 months left for the contracted

the underwater portion of the hull, construction

period of R&R, the Russian side communicated

of three new trimming tanks, modifi cation to bilge

that fi rstly, there was a need to renew a large portion keels, renewal of sacrifi cial anodes, repairs to stern of the hull and equipment/systems, and secondly,

tubes, propellers and propeller shafts, installation

there was also a need for a

With the process

of two new diesel generators and four new harbour

comprehensive definition of R&R underway,

AC plants, renewal of underwater valves, Log and

of trials to be conducted

Echo Sounder Transducers, and datum marking for

upon completion of the there was a need to

alignment of sensors.

R&R works. Dialogue revise the estimated

between the two sides costs. In November

preceded negotiations for 2007, the Russian

a revised R&R contract side communicated

and all other (collateral) that a large portion

contracts for the project.

of the hull and

The Project and other equipment/systems

related contracts were had to be renewed

renegotiated to arrive at and a comprehensive

the revised cost. With the defi nition of trials revised R&R package, ought to be conducted

the cost borne by India upon completion of

on a renewed Gorshkov

the R&R works.

( V i k r a m a d i t y a ) s t i l l

compared favourably with the cost of other aircraft

carriers of similar capabilities being built/already

built elsewhere in the world.

Phases Post 2010

Phase III. The subsequent phase of R&R (after 2010) mainly related to STW of equipment and

Reconstruction of the superstructure

Cost Renegotiation and Comparison

Though the refurbishment process was started

in right earnest, soon it was realized that many

estimates of the scope of work would need to be

reviewed and equipment like cables, steel, motors,

turbines, boilers, etc., would have to be completely

replaced, necessitating an unavoidable escalation

from the originally negotiated cost and a delay in the delivery of the ship. Thus, in November 2007, when

The Ski-jump taking shape

Acquisition of the Gorshkov (Vikramaditya ) 367

systems. This phase was to include the energization

Key Features of the Vikramaditya1

of the ship’s fi re main (fi re-fi ghting) system, ‘fl ushing through’ of various systems such as the main lub oil

The Vikramaditya has an overall length of

system, turbine control system, automatic working

about 284m and a maximum beam of about

water system and chilled water system, systems

60m, stretching as much as three football fields

required for the operation of main propulsion

put together. The ship has a total of 22 decks,

plants like the main condensate feed system and

standing about 20 storeys tall from keel to the

the boiler fuel system, etc.

highest point. The sheer sight of this 44,500-

ton mega structure of steel is awe-inspiring. The

Phase IV. The final phase would include the

Vikramaditya is equipped with state-of-the-art initiation of harbour trials—a major milestone

machinery, sensors, systems and personnel spread

in the entire R&R schedule of the ship, followed

over 2,500 compartments. With over 1,600 to

by trials of all the repaired and newly installed

1,800 personnel working onboard at all times, the

machinery for their performance at sea.

aircraft carrier, like most modern aircraft carriers, A perspective of the scale of work

1 It was in 2013 (on commissioning) that the Gorshkov came to be called the Vikramaditya.

368

Blue Waters Ahoy!

will literally be, a ‘fl oating township’. This is further Zavod,2 will have a very high level of automation,

emphasized by the mammoth logistics requirement

requiring minimal human intervention in their

of nearly 150 tons of both,

operation. Further, these boilers produce steam at

The Vikramaditya ,

fresh and dry provisions,

a pressure of 64 bar, almost 1.5 times the pressure

to be equipped

for sustaining the ship’s

produced by any other steam propelled ship in

with state-of-the-

company for a month. A

the Indian Navy, including the Viraat, thereby capacity of 8,400 tons of

substantially enhancing the power output and

art machinery,

Low Sulphur, High Speed

enabling the ship to achieve higher speeds. These

sensors, systems and

Diesel (LSHSD), will enable

high-pressure and highly effi cient boilers will power personnel spread over the ship to undertake both four enormous propellers, each greater in diameter 2,500 compartments, surface and air operations than twice the height of an average male.

among many other

up to a maximum range

fi rsts in terms of

o f 7 , 0 0 0 n m f r o m t h e

In Conclusion

technology, is

homeland at an economical

going to be an awe-

speed of 18 knots.

On commissioning, this carrier will not only be the

inspiring 44,500-ton Though the Indian Navy largest ship that the Indian Navy has ever operated, mega structure of

has garnered a substantial

but will boast of an impressive array of equipment

steel— a work of

amount of expertise and

of contemporary technology, a completely renewed

great pride for the

experience in operating

hull, and a complement of aircraft that will be a

Indian Navy.

steam plants, the induction

sailor’s delight.

of the Vikramaditya will

With the R&R package having gone through a

also bring along a quantum jump in the level of

complete overhaul midway, the ship will be as good

technology seen heretofore. The boilers for the

as a brand new carrier—good for a life of three to

propulsion aggregate, designed by the Baltisky

four decades.

2 The Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, one of the oldest shipyards in Russia.

Acquisition of the Gorshkov (Vikramaditya ) 369

3

INS Jalashwa

The First Indian Acquisition under

the FMS Procedure

Need for Expeditionary Platform

made disasters. The experience of the tsunami in

December 2004 is a case in point where Indian

The launching of ground forces to sustain

Navy ships were sent to provide relief in three

operations ashore in a hostile environment is an

neighbouring countries, viz. Indonesia, Sri Lanka

important task for the Indian Navy. This capability

and the Maldives, apart from the affected parts of

is also required to counter any threat to one’s island the Indian coastline itself.1

territories which may be located at a substantial

distance from the mainland as is the case with the

Landing Platform Dock (LPD): The Most

Andaman & Nicobar Islands. While traditionally

Convenient Expeditionary Platform

such capability has existed in the Navy through

conventional amphibious vessels, in contemporary

Amongst all types of expeditionary platforms, the

times, such operations are best conducted by vessels

LPD is the most affordable (in terms of initial cost

that are capable of stand-off beaching. Such ships

as well as berthing space). It is also an effective

are called expeditionary operations platforms.

asset for a Navy to operate and maintain for

Additionally, the Navy of a large country like

the variety of roles mentioned earlier. Due to its

India must be prepared to provide assistance to

(medium) size and capability to conduct stand-off

others in need of help during natural and man-

beaching as well as vertical envelopment during

1 The unprecedented tsunami in December 2004 brought out the devastation site. It was also observed that LPDs from the a critical capability gap in Indian Navy’s inventory. It was the Singapore and US navies were very effective.

capability to provide Humanitarian Assstance/Disaster Relief The Indian Navy, therefore, scouted and shortlisted USS

(HADR) from undeveloped/semi-developed coastlines. Most Trenton (Landing Platform Dock or LPD) as the most suitable ships carrying relief material had a small helicopter (Chetak) platform to fulfi l intermediate capability till the Indian Navy as well as small boats with limited load-carrying capability.

builds its own LPD class of ships. Experience has shown that Ships such as destroyers and frigates, though loaded with relief building a new class of ship takes in excess of 15 years. The supplies and disaster relief bricks, required berths and jetty USS Trenton with a residual life of 15 years was therefore an cranes which were located at a considerable distance from ideal choice.

operations and effectively participate in HADR

operations, this platform is a

Ships that best

true force-multiplier in terms

conduct missions

of naval operations during

involving launching of war and peace. In contrast ground operations so

to conventional amphibian

as to be able to sustain vessels like LST (L) which can operations ashore, are carry only one odd helicopter and just about 200–300

called expeditionary

troops along with six to

operations platforms.

eight armoured vehicles, the

The LPD is the

LPD can carry a number of

most affordable of

heavy-lift helicopters, almost

LCM with troops embarked entering the well

all expeditionary

a battalion of troops, and

platforms.

a couple of air cushioned

would be 10 per cent of the original induction cost to vessels or Landing Craft Mechanized (LCMs).

the US Navy. IHQ MoD (N) assessed that with the

residual life of more than

Offer from the United States

The LPD is a true

a decade, the ship would force-multiplier,

cost just about 3.5 per cent

In September 2004, the US Government (USG)

versatile to the extent

of the present-day (2005)

offered the USS Trenton for sale under the Excess that it can be used

cost of constructing a

Defence Article (EDA) program through the

contemporary vessel (even in naval operations

Foreign Military Sales (FMS)2 route. This implied

if the Trenton was vintage as well as for benign that a ship already in commission for some time in

by today’s standards in its humanitarian

the US Navy, was offered on ‘Hot Transfer’.3

design and equipment). activities like HADR

This offer was not only found attractive but

The cost of essential refi t,

operations.

gave a valuable opportunity to acquire a readymade

initial logistical support,

vessel (even though very old) to gain experience, and training and transportation of crew was of course

acquire a capability that was long needed. To advance to be additional to the basic acquisition cost.

negotiations, the US’s Navy International Programs

The initial acquisition process was sans glitches

Offi ce (NIPO) team visited India in February 2005

and raised hopes that the refi t/refurbishment of the and briefed the Indian Navy on the terms of the

Trenton would conclude by April 2007, and that EDA program, and the condition and likely cost

the ship would be ready to set sail for Indian waters of the ship. The fi rst offer indicated that the cost by end April itself.

to be borne by the Indian Navy for the platform

2 The FMS procedure for assets of the US Armed Forces as the choice of the buyer country. Trenton’s ( Jalashwa’s) Hot proposed to be transferred to other countries is a Government-Transfer to the Indian Navy was the fi rst instance of an FMS

to-Government (G2G) procedure. Sales/exports of lethal case between the USG and the GoI.

weapons and platforms are undertaken largely through the FMS procedure, besides the (normal) Direct Commercial Sales 3 ‘Hot Transfer’ is a US defence term which means that in-

(DCS) route. The procedure selected by the USG depends on service platforms will be transferred to another country while the lethality/sensitivity of the weapon system/platform as well being operational but on an ‘as is-where is’ basis.

INS Jalashwa

371

As Negotiations Progressed

‘Hot Transfer’ on 17 January 2007. Thereafter, the

ship’s refit (at the Indian Upon inspection, the Based on the above assessments, a joint visual

Navy cost) commenced at USS Trenton proved inspection of the ship was undertaken by the Indian

Norfolk Harbour, USA, on

to be worth acquiring

Naval team along with its US counterpart. During

the same day.

since it not only had

this visit, log books and maintenance records during

Extensive repair and a residual life of over

the entire life of the ship in the US Navy were also

refurbishment work was

examined by our team. The team sailed on board in

undertaken on the ship’s a decade but was

US waters on 2 September 2005, to get a fi rst-hand

h u l l , m a c h i n e r y a n d also perceived to feel of the ship’s state. On completion of the visit, e q u i p m e n t . H o w e v e r, be able to provide the team recommended the acquisition of the vessel

the duration of refit got considerable training

as she was in a good state, with a residual life of

stretched due to increase incentive in view

over a decade. It was felt that apart from the limited i n t h e s c o p e o f w o r k of the IN’s existing expeditionary capability, the Trenton would be of i n t h e b a l l a s t t a n k s , plans for indigenous great training value to the Navy in view of the existing underwater areas and the construction of new

plans for indigenous construction of new LPDs.

steam auxiliaries—none LPDs. The ship was

of which were included by handed over to the

Governmental Approvals

the US side in the initial IN under

cost estimates for ‘Hot ‘Hot Transfer’ on

The IHQ MoD (N) presented its proposal for the

Transfer’. Furthermore, 17 January 2007.

procurement of the ship to the MoD and the Approval

there were certain issues

of Necessity (AoN) was accorded by the Defence

with sub-contractors (BAE and BAV)5 which led to

Acquisition Council (DAC) on 14 October 2005.

cost overruns at a very late stage in the project.

As per the conditions laid down in the FMS

procedure, the LOA4 was signed on 31 July 2006, the

same date on which the Cabinet Committee on Security

(CCS) approved the procurement. This was the last

date of validity of the quote (offer cost of the ship) and therefore, the LoA too was signed on the same day.

Handing Over and Subsequent Refi t

The ship was handed over to the Indian Navy under

Commissioning ceremony at Norfolk

4 The LOA received from the US NIPO is a standard document Shipyard, Norfolk. BAV is the company that specializes in containing terms and conditions for the sale of EDA of the USG

assisting a Foreign Navy engaged in Ship Transfer under under the FMS program. It is considered to be equivalent to a the FMS route. The agency facilitated all the requirements contract, once signed by both parties and an ‘initial deposit’

associated with the transfer, including survey of the ship and having been paid to the USG by the purchaser.

drafting the Refi t Work Package. The agency was also involved in providing logistical support to the crew for their stay and 5 The ship’s refit was done under the BAE shipyard, which training. The team employed by the fi rm comprised of retired is a fully owned subsidiary of BAE Systems North America.

offi cers and sailors for liaison and training.

This shipyard was earlier known as Norfolk Shipyard, which was taken over by BAE systems and rechristened as the BAE

372

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Jalashwa’s maiden entry into home port, Visakhapatnam Notwithstanding the unforeseen developments

Negotiated cost

mentioned above, US Navy officials were

understanding and helped

The initial negotiated cost of the ‘ Trenton Acquisition INS Jalashwa ’s repair facilitate the conclusion of Project’ was US$48.23 million. This amount and refurbishment

the ship’s refit and smooth

included the cost of the ship (US$16.7 million), cost journey was fraught

transfer to the Indian Navy.

of four Landing Craft Mechanised (LCMs), spares,

with unanticipated

The ship was ultimately

documentation, crew training, the ship’s refi t, stay tasks, ones that led

c o m m i s s i o n e d a s I N S

(boarding/lodging) of the crew in the US, project

to cost overruns.

Jalashwa on 22 June 20076 at

management cost, logistical support, etc.

With the USN’s

Norfolk, USA. After a 45-day

cooperation however, voyage across the Atlantic, Revision of Cost

the fi tment process

Mediterranean and Indian

oceans the ship arrived in

As mentioned before, with the refi t in progress, not was completed and

India on 13 September 2007.

unexpectedly, the scope of work—particularly with

the ship arrived

The homeward passage

regard to the underwater portion (mostly pertaining

in India on 13

was concluded without any

to the 105 ballast tanks) of the hull given that it

September 2007.

breakdown or technical

was a three-decade-old ship—increased, adversely

glitch.

affecting the budgeted/approved allocation of funds.

6 USS Trenton was renamed INS Jalashwa upon the conclusion of the commissioning ceremony.

INS Jalashwa

373

The increased cost of refit was offset by the following:

• Successfully negotiating with the USG, the basic cost of the ship from US$6.8 million to US$1.8 million.

• Reducing the cost of the LCM from 20 per cent of the project cost to 5 per cent.

• Innovatively taking over a substantial part of the shipyard’s work package by the crew.7

• Fund allocation (internal transfer) from training, program management and messing by employing austerity measures and optimizing the training and other administrative expenditures.

• Reducing the quantum of spares package.

• Obtaining an additional sanction of US$2.4 million from the MoD,8 thus taking the total project cost from US$48.23 million to US$50.6 million.9

7 It is noteworthy, that 80 to 90 per cent of the cost of repair Naval crew included relaying the internal deck coating across was labour cost. The ship’s crew therefore decided to pitch the entire ship’s length, the repair of four LCMs to include dry in and a via media was developed in which critical spares docking, chipping and painting of entire underwater surface were to be procured by the US side and the Indian Navy area, scraping and painting of Upper Vehicle storage (Upper crew would provide the labour. In addition, a large part V), Lower V and the Well Deck. All in-living compartments, of work package was taken over completely by the Indian common spaces, alleyways and troop spaces were spruced Navy. Another initiative was to obtain spare parts from up by the crew. On the technical side, defect rectifi cation of USN decommissioned ships berthed at the Naval facility at a large number of defective equipment, including the Vehicle Philadelphia. A Ticonderoga, an LPD and two logistic supply ramp, tens of motors, pumps and valves were undertaken.

ships were opened up for the Indian Navy. The select group The maximum load was taken on by the Shipwrights who

of Indian Naval personnel comprising two offi cers and 10 to almost rebuilt the ship by cutting, cropping and welding over 12 sailors used to drive out of Norfolk on Friday night and a hundred places where plating and deck fi ttings were to be reach Philadelphia by 0700 hrs on Saturday morning. The crew renewed. It is estimated that an approximate US$33 million would then identify, dismantle and remove ship fi ttings, spares worth of effort was put in by the Indian Navy crew which is and tools throughout the day. It was always a mad rush to take unprecedented and speaks volumes about their determination out as much as possible. The siren to exit the ship would go off to take back a brand new, operationally ready ship despite at 1700 hrs by when the ship’s crew would have been awake fi nancial limitations and hardships that they encountered.

and working continuously for over 18 hours. The identifi ed items that included steering wheel, LCD panels and thousands 8 Under the prevailing rules of acquisition cases, the Defence of other fi ttings were carted out and mustered on a jetty. The Minister can approve 5 per cent cost escalation in a project and USN would thereafter take over these items, catalogue them this provision was utilized to absorb the excess expenditure.

and dispatch the same to the ship at Norfolk. The team then 9 An Indian Navy delegation visited the USS Trenton in April did the return trip to Norfolk. This singular activity was carried 2005 and formalized the transfer of USS Trenton to the Indian out every week for eight months of the ship’s refi t period and Navy under FMS EDA (Foreign Military Sales, Excess Defence resulted in saving costs to a great extent for the Indian Navy.

Article). The LOR and LOA were accordingly processed with It is owing to the determination, dedication and motivation of final project cost at US$49.8 million as it was within the the Indian Navy crew, that that ship reached a state of material powers of CNO, USN.

readiness to sail back to India and still remained within the budgeted cost. Some of the tasks taken over by the Indian 374

Blue Waters Ahoy!

A Valuable Asset for the Indian Navy

The cost at which the ship was acquired

was a minute fraction of the cost of a new LPD

Since her commissioning in 2007, INS Jalashwa

whereas the value addition of this platform and the

has proved to be an extremely valuable acquisition

experience it has been affording the Indian Navy

to the Navy’s force levels. Her integration with the

are immeasurable.

fleet has expanded the force architecture of the

Navy and has been imparting valuable experience

UH-3H Helicopters

in running, deploying and maintaining an LPD.

As an example, the unique

The Trenton used to operate helicopters for

The addition of

ballasting and deballasting

insertion of troops in an amphibious operation. The

the Jalashwa to

system available on the

concept of using helicopters in addition/advance of

the Indian Naval

ship has exposed her crew

LCMs is aimed at ‘vertical envelopment’ in order

fl eet has been of

in docking/undocking the

to build up the initial wave of armed troops in the

immense value in

four LCMs in the dock well.

fastest possible manner. Additionally, helicopters

the last couple of

Her one-of-a-kind steam

on an LPD are also used for undertaking troop/

years especially

p r o p u l s i o n s y s t e m h a s

cargo carriage, slithering operations for troops and

because that has

been regularly overhauled

commanders, para-troops, search and rescue tasks,

allowed the Navy

by the Naval Dockyard

fi refi ghting, etc. The Trenton could operate three to to have access to

at Visakhapatnam. Her

four utility helicopters for such requirements.

enormous technical

participation in exercises

Six second-hand UH-3H helicopters were

insights which will

requiring offensive defence,

offered to the Indian Navy under an additional FMS

help in designing

strategic sealift, stand-

proposal at a total cost of US$39.59 million by the

off beaching and HADR

USN. These are proving to be true force multipliers

and building its very

missions has expanded the

for a ship engaged in any kind of an operation—

own LPDs in the

window of exposure to the

from HADR to out-of-area contingencies.

immediate future.

fleet and planners ashore.

More than anything else, manning and operating

Jalashwa over the last couple of years has offered enormous technical insights which will help in

designing and building our very own LPDs in the

near future.

Recovering two LCMs

Vertical envelopment capability of UH3H on display

INS Jalashwa

375

Recalls Admiral Arun Prakash, then CNS,

‘Just after the tsunami of 2004, we realized that there was a void in the Navy’s capabilities in terms of platforms suitable for HADR deployment. So, while we got credit from all corners for converting survey ships to hospital ships, and for being the fi rst responders on the scene in three neighbouring countries, this void was troubling me.

‘ Around this time, the Americans offered us, out of the blue, eight P3 Orion aircraft, which we had been wanting for a long time. On learning that the offer was for P3 (B) rather than the P3 (C) version we turned down the offer. They came back with a fresh offer of three P3 (C) version aircraft, but without the associated weapons. Since they did not seem serious, we told them that we were just not interested. US Ambassador Mulford came personally to apologize for the “mix up” and then, suddenly, the US Navy offered the USS Trenton , which was being decommissioned.

‘ Within the naval staff, there were concerns that a 35-year-old ship, about to be paid off by the US Navy itself, would create more problems for us to maintain. We sent out a team to the US and even their report was not very encouraging. But I said that with this platform, we will at least have a new capability and in the not-too-distant future, could ask for a replacement as well!

‘ The important thing to note here is that when I took the case up with then Defence Minster Shri Pranab Mukherjee, even he remarked that it is a 35-year-old ship. Then I told him the price at which we would buy this ship under the FMS procedure and its ability to carry 900

troops would mean a quantum jump in capability for the Indian Navy. I gave the example of the ship being able to provide water, electricity and medical relief to a small coastal town in trouble. And in a disaster situation it could carry as many as 1,500 evacuees. It is to the credit of Shri Pranab Mukherjee that, having heard these arguments, he immediately gave the go-ahead. And because it was the fi rst “G to G” case under the FMS procedure there was not much fi le work nor was much time wasted on the procurement procedure.’

376

Blue Waters Ahoy!

4

Acquisition of Tankers

Deepak and Shakti

Helping Harness the Navy’s Blue-water Capability

India’s peninsular geography and traditional threats

Depleting Force Levels

on the one hand, and its geostrategic location

and the rise of transnational crime on the other,

The very first underway replenishment tanker,

have demanded that the Navy deploys at sea for

INS Deepak, which the Navy had acquired

prolonged durations and possesses the endurance

from West Germany (FRG) in 1967, was

for extended reach. This capability can only be

followed by a sister ship, Shakti, in 1976. Then achieved by replenishing

came the Aditya—a fi rst attempt at indigenous Tankers are an

ships in their respective

construction by the GRSE. With Deepak having

essential part of any

areas of operations. In fact,

been decommissioned in 1996, there were only

navy that aspires

the most important element

two tankers left in the Navy, of which typically

to be an ideal blue-

f o r a N a v y t o h a r n e s s

only one was operational at any given time. This

water force. For

blue-water capability is

was cause for serious concern. And so, in 1996,

the Indian Navy

replenishment at sea. It is

a commercial tanker, duly modified for Naval

too, tankers that

this component that enables

use, was acquired from Russia and commissioned

could help with

conveyance of operational

into the Navy as INS Jyoti. Though three tankers replenishing warships logistics to warships at sea were now available, the situation was still not

such that the latter can

very healthy for the Eastern and Western Fleets as

at sea and help them

sustain on deployment

Shakti was already two decades old.

endure for longer

for longer periods of time

After

Shakti was de-inducted in 2007, the Navy

periods of time, was

without the need to return

was, yet again, left with only two operational

a crucial component. to harbour for fuel, victuals tankers and it became abundantly clear that just or spares-support. It is for this reason that logistic-one tanker on each coast would not suffice—

support ships (or tankers, as they are commonly

particularly when the only available tanker was

known) are so important in a navy that aspires to

placed under maintenance. Therefore, a case was

become a blue-water force.

taken up to acquire two more fl eet tankers.

Proposals by Indian Shipyards

• Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine, South

Korea

As early as November 2002, Cochin Shipyard Ltd

• Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction,

(CSL) professed its keenness to get involved in the

South Korea

project for a new tanker for the Navy. The shipyard

• Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd.,

proposed signing an MoU with a European

South Korea

shipyard for necessary inputs for developing

• Navantia, Spain

the specifications to suit naval requirements.

• Fincantieri, Italy

Subsequently, in July 2004, Hindustan Shipyard

• FSUE, Rosoboronexport, Russia

Ltd (HSL) also submitted a proposal for making

• BAE System (Projects Limited), Scotland

a tanker.

In response, proposals were received only from

Renewing the Tanker Fleet

three of them, viz . Fincanteiri, Italy; Hyundai Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd, South Korea;

The long-term plan of the Navy had envisaged a

and FSUE, Rosoboronexport, Russia. Fincantieri

force level of four tankers by the year 2014. In 2003, was selected, being the lowest bidder.

the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved

This case (of acquisition of a ship) was the

the 10-year shipbuilding plan redacted from the

fi rst to have followed DPP 2005, as that edition

15-year shipbuilding plan, which included induction

of the DPP was the fi rst one which included the

of two tankers—one in 2008 and another in 2011.

shipbuilding (acquisition) procedure as Schedule 1.

(As per this plan, the DAC had also directed that the Subsequently, in 2008, the ‘Option Clause’ in

naval force levels should not fall below 140 ships.)

this contract was also exercised to acquire one more

The Approval of Necessity (AON) for acquiring a

ship of the class.

fl eet tanker was approved by the Defence Minister

on 5 August 2005. While considering the AON,

In Conclusion

an MoD committee had assessed the capability of

the indigenous shipbuilding yards for the tanker’s

The plan was to allot the tankers in such a way so

construction. The committee had concluded that

as to meet the requirements of both the Western

as HSL in Visakhapatnam was the only yard that

as well as the Eastern seafronts. Keeping up the

had offered to build the tanker, it would result

tradition of commissioning new ships with names

in a single-vendor situation. It was, therefore,

that were reincarnations of the old, the fi rst of these proposed to issue Request for Proposals (RFP)

tankers, Deepak, was launched on 13 February

to reputed yards worldwide. This proposal was

2010. The ship was decided to be placed under

recommended by the Defence Secretary in October

the operational command of the Flag Officer

2005. Accordingly, a global RFP was issued to a

Commanding, Western Fleet. INS Deepak was

large number of shipyards including four Indian

commissioned on 21 January 2011. Commissioned

PSUs, as seen below, in November 2005:

in the Eastern Fleet on 1 October 2011, the second

• Mazagon Docks Ltd., Mumbai (MDL)

ship of the class, INS Shakti, was, similarly, to be

• GRSE, Kolkata

a part of the Eastern Fleet. The ships would make

• CSL, Kochi

up the tanker fl eet along with INS Aditya and INS

• HSL, Visakhapatnam

Jyoti and a long-standing requirement of possessing

• Thyssenkrupp Marine System, Germany

two tankers on each coast, was fulfi lled.

378

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Deepak carrying out turning trials

Acquisition of Tankers Deepak and Shakti 379

380

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Prologue

Without exception, navies all over the world

It also gives credit to Naval personnel who were

ceremoniously guard their age-old customs and

bestowed with honours and awards in recognition

traditions with a certain intensity. That is because

of their selfl ess valour, courage and dedication to

these customs form the essential foundation of

duty, often with their lives at peril.

esprit de corps and help to keep legacies alive for

A separate chapter in this section captures the

generations to come. This section encapsulates

many welfare-oriented organizations formed by the

the customs followed by the Indian Navy and the

Indian Navy and the various measures adopted by

various changes that came about in them in the

it to look after the needs of personnel, veterans and decade following 2001. The Indian Navy has a

their families. These measures are important levers

system of affi liations of its units with regiments of for human resource development as they serve to

the Indian Army and squadrons of the Indian Air

bolster their morale, raise their esteem and give

Force, which enhances jointmanship between the

them the confi dence that the Navy cares, and that

Services. This section also provides an overview of

their home and hearth will always be secure.

the changes in fl ags and ensigns as well as Naval

uniforms during the decade.

382

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1

Ceremonials in the Navy

Emblems of Service to the Nation

Introduction

guiding principles of life, are testaments to the

importance of gallantry. This tradition has been

Ceremonials are an important part of the customs

immortalized in the motto Satyamev Jayate (truth and traditions of an armed force. They are as

alone shall triumph) and it forms the base of the

important for a navy as for a land or air force. In

national emblem. Gallantry is thus a signifi cant part fact, customs and traditions have bound seafarers,

of our cultural heritage, carefully nurtured over

for ages, instilling a sense of pride as also nurturing centuries of warfare.

camaraderie amongst them, the latter being a key

In the Navy, those who display the fi nest example

requirement for the battlefi eld. While underscoring

of courage in the face of the enemy or under the

the signifi cance of certain events, ceremonials are

harshest (war-like) conditions in peace, willing to

deeply rooted in tradition and form a rich legacy

sacrifi ce themselves for the safety of their men, and that is passed on from one generation to the next.

show the determination to succeed at all costs are

bestowed with Gallantry Awards. The awards are a

Gallantry Awards

tribute to the valour and daring of immortal heroes

for their selfl ess devotion to Service. These awards Gallantry occupies an important niche in the

are given for individual acts in the following areas: traditions of the Armed Forces where ‘Service before

• Conspicuous acts of gallantry that placed

Self’ is an institutionalized motto permanently

Service before self, saving the lives of others

etched in an offi cer’s mind. For aeons, seafarers

in hazardous conditions.

have faced challenges on land and sea and in air

• Acts of valour in the face of enemy fi re, such

alike, their invincible courage and indomitable

as in low-intensity confl ict operations (LICOs).

spirit forming the sturdy keel of the resilient Navy.

• Life-threatening situations in expeditions away

Indian mythology and history too are replete

from Indian shores.

with instances of gallantry. Battles—like that of

Kurukshetra—that were fought in ancient times

The decade of 2001–2010 was replete with instances

to uphold dharma, righteousness and truth as the

of such bravery displayed by selfl ess personnel.

GALLANTRY AWARDS: JANUARY 2001–DECEMBER 2010

Rank, Name, P.No

Appointment/

Action performed under

Gallantry

Year

Function/Activity/

hazardous conditions

Award

Event

and risk to life

LT CDR TILAK

Leader of a MARCOS

Chased, overpowered and

NM (G)

2001

RAJ THAKUR, NM

team in Baramulla

killed an armed terrorist in the

(03719-A)

rugged mountainous terrain of

Baramulla on 24 July 2000.

LT CDR SUBIR

Flight Commander, 321 On 8 May 2000, forced 14

NM (G)

2001

GUHA

Utkrosh Flight

Burmese poachers to surrender

(02432-A)

with equipment, cache and

boat.

GS TANWAR,

Coxswain, Fast Motor

Undeterred by trying

NM (G)

2001

CPO RC 1 (SD)

Boat, Mandovi, Goa

circumstances, helped the crew

(160358-A)

of a sunken boat to stay afloat

for over 11 hours.

AK SHANTI BHAI

Nominated for aid

Displayed indomitable courage

NM (G)

2001

PATEL, LS RP I

to civil power—Op

in rescuing ex-MP Shri Bhakta,

(167295-T)

Sahayata

single-handedly from an

agitated crowd.

LT CDR TULLURI

Captain of TU 142 M

By courageous conduct and

NM (G)

2001

LAKSHMI

aircraft

professional skill, prevented a

PRASAD BABU

catastrophic situation thereby

(02525-N)

saving a costly aircraft and

invaluable lives of his crew.

CDR RAVNEET

Onboard INS Viraat

Displayed extraordinary

NM (G)

2002

SINGH

courage and initiative to

(02646-N)

execute the most precise

touchdown with only two

minutes of flying time available,

saving valuable naval assets.

CDR SANJAY

CO INS Shalki

Tactfully and valiantly executed

NM (G)

2002

MAHINDRU

a sensitive and classified

(02797-F)

mission thereby obtaining

sensitive data unprecedented

by any other unit during

peacetime naval operations.

LT CDR SUNIL

Oi/C MARCOS Prahar

With sheer courage and raw

NM (G)

2002

KUMAR

in Kashmir

power, rescued two injured

(03602-K)

MARCOS sailors, one after the

Contd. to p. 385...

384

Blue Waters Ahoy!

other despite being physically

exhausted and in the face of

terrorist threat in pitch dark

conditions.

HAKIM SINGH

Member of MARCOS

Displayed tremendous courage

NM (G)

2002

TYAGI, LS UC I

Team, Op Rakshak

to rescue his team members

(176051-T)

from enemy fire. Also killed two

terrorists with the help of his

buddy.

CDR M

Seaking 42 C Pilot

Volunteered to fly in rough

NM (G)

2002

RAMACHANDRAN

weather and flew 100nm to

(03066-T)

rescue 16 foreign and Indian

nationals in one go, on 9 July

2001.

LT GAURAV

Senior Engineer and

At grave risk to personal

NM (G)

2002

PRAMOD

Diving Officer, INS

safety and life, entered the

PANDE (41714-B)

Himgiri

boiler room that was on fire to

prevent collateral damage to

machinery.

LT VENKATA

Oi/C MARCOS

Carried out an ambush in Buth

NM (G)

2002

VINAY RAM

Operational Team in

forests and killed one terrorist.

(51492-A)

Op Rakshak

ASIS KUMAR

Boiler Room Petty

Displayed bravery of a very

NM (G)

2002

KHAN, POME

Officer ME, INS Himgiri

high order in standing his

(166063-T)

ground and stabilized the boiler

room machinery from fire.

ABDUL WAHAB,

Part of MARCOS Team

Displayed tremendous courage

NM (G)

2002

LS CD II

during Op Rakshak

and presence of mind in

(179918-F)

gunning down a terrorist.

RAM CHANDER

Part of MARCOS team

Exhibited tremendous courage

NM (G)

2002

YADAV, LS QA II

during Op Rakshak

and presence of mind in

(117321-R)

eliminating a terrorist and

forcing another to retreat.

ANIL KUMAR B,

Deployed in Kashmir

Exhibited tremendous courage

NM (G)

2002

LS CD II

to fight terrorism

in eliminating two terrorists in

(117815-N)

the Vewan jungles of Kashmir.

CAPT RAJESH

Commanded INS

Displayed exceptional valour

NM (G)

2003

SARIN

Sindhushastra during

and helped in collation of

(02298-Y)

Op Enduring Freedom

valuable data on coalition naval

forces.

contd. to p. 386...

Ceremonials in the Navy

385

Rank, Name, P.No

Appointment/

Action performed under

Gallantry

Year

Function/Activity/

hazardous conditions

Award

Event

and risk to life

LT CDR MUKUL

Posted at Naval

Displayed raw courage in

NM (G)

2003

CHATURVEDI

Analysis Unit, Port

the face of great danger that

(02936-Y)

Blair

resulted in the apprehension

of 15 Myanmarese infiltrators

along with two boats.

LT CDR SAMEER

Staff Pilot INAS 330 –

Displayed raw courage in the

NM (G)

2003

S. PATWARDHAN

was flying IN 604 that

face of great danger of flying

(03701-K)

got damaged

badly damaged high-speed

aircraft and landing with safety.

RANVEER SINGH, Was part of Op

Displayed exemplary valour,

NM (G)

2003

AG LS CD II

Rakshak in Sopore

and total disregard for personal

(117974-Z)

area of Kashmir Valley

safety to gun down a terrorist

armed with anti-tank weapons.

LT CDR SHAILESH Oi/C MARCOS

Displayed exceptional

NM (G)

2003

KUMAR DHAKA

Detachment

courage and initiative and was

(03762-Z)

instrumental in neutralizing four

terrorists.

RAMESH

Part of MARCOS

Personally shot and neutralized

NM (G)

2003

CHANDRA, LS CD Detachment

one terrorist. A total of four

II (116126-Z)

terrorists were killed in the

operation.

LT CDR N

Led Marine

Displayed indomitable courage, SHAURYA 2003

SAI KUMAR

Commando Team

unparalleled tenacity and

CHAKRA

TRICHNAPALLI

attached to 15 RR in

bravery against terrorists.

(02903-Y)

Op Rakshak II

TIRATH SINGH,

Lead scout of

Charged audaciously at the

SHAURYA 2003

LEADING

Commandos in Op

stunned terrorists and killed

CHAKRA

SEAMAN (116428-

Rakshak II

two of them.

K)

UMAKANT

Was part of Counter-

Displayed conspicuous bravery, SHAURYA 2003

PANIGRAHI, LS

Insurgency Operations

dogged determination and

CHAKRA

CD II (POSTH)

in J&K

made the supreme sacrifice

(121807-K)

while fighting terrorists.

ARUN DOBHAL,

Part of MARCOS

Shot and neutralized one

NM (G)

2003

CPO QA I

Detachment

terrorist. A total of four terrorists

(160409-T)

were killed in the operation.

386

Blue Waters Ahoy!

CDR

Commanded Sail

Braved strong winds in a

NM (G)

2004

SHOUKATHALI

Training Ship Tarangini

sudden storm during transit

SHEIKH

during maiden

through the Mediterranean and

(02770-W)

circumnavigation

sailed the ship out of the path

voyage (around the

of the storm to safety.

world)

CDR UMED SINGH Senior Pilot, INAS 330

Executed the first single-engine

NM (G)

2004

CHARAN

recovery on a small deck since

(03104-B)

induction of Seakings.

KUNNUMPURATH Onboard INS

Displayed exceptional bravery,

NM (G)

2004

RAMAN BIJU, PO

Nireekshak

perseverance and nerves of

CD I (172828-T)

steel while working long hours

underwater during Op Starfish.

HIMMAT SINGH,

Onboard INS

Carried out strenuous bell runs

NM (G)

2004

LS CD II

Nireekshak

for eleven hours to successfully

(116578-A)

locate the wreckage of crashed

Seaking helicopter.

BG POWAR, LS

Part of Op Rakshak in

Presence of mind and courage

NM (G)

2004

CD I (POSTH)

J&K

displayed by the sailor at

(179869-W)

the scene of action was

instrumental in enabling the

security forces to regroup.

CDR

Oi/C Indian Navy

Led the first all-Navy team to

NM (G)

2005

SATYABRATA

Mountaineering Cell

scale Mt Everest from the north

DAM

face.

(03313-B)

LT CDR

Member of Mt Everest

Endured physical hardships

NM (G)

2005

ABHISHEK

Team

at high altitudes with

KANKAN (41686-

temperatures below –30 degree

R)

C in record-breaking expedition

to Mt Everest.

LT SUMEET

Oi/C MARCOS Team

Took grave personal risk in

NM (G)

2005

PABBY

critically injuring a terrorist,

(05007-B)

who was later neutralized by

the Army.

SURG LT VIKING

Part of team to

Displayed exceptional courage

NM (G)

2005

BHANOO

Mt Everest, 2004

and initiative in the face of

(75792-B)

extreme wind chill and other

hazards while leading from the

front.

Contd. to p. 388...

Ceremonials in the Navy

387

Rank, Name, P.No

Appointment/

Action performed under

Gallantry

Year

Function/Activity/

hazardous conditions

Award

Event

and risk to life

RAKESH KUMAR,

Member, Mt Everest

Endured physical hardship at

NM (G)

2005

POMA

Team

high altitude with temperatures

(153418-B)

below –30 degree C in record-

breaking expedition to

Mt Everest.

VIKAS KUMAR,

Member, Mt Everest

Endured physical hardship at

NM (G)

2005

POMA

Team

high altitude with temperatures

(122944-W)

below –30 degree C in record-

breaking expedition to

Mt Everest.

RAVINDER

Successful mining

Exhibited great personal, moral

NM (G)

2005

KUMAR, SEA I CD

operation of ex- Kesari

courage, promptitude and

III (130041-Z)

alacrity while acting as the

point man.

CAPT PRAMOD

Commanded No: 2

In a daring act, 105 people

NM (G)

2005

SINGH GEHLOT

Rajasthan Naval NCC

from Chikliya village were

(70215-B)

Unit, Ajmer

rescued on 16–17 August 2004

by the officer who led his team

exceptionally well.

CDR

Maintenance Test

Within the limited reaction time

NM (G)

2005

SHAILENDRA

Flight in Sea Harrier

available under demanding

SINGH

IN 617

conditions, saved the Navy

(03229-N)

invaluable human lives and an

operational asset.

LT CDR MANOJ

Night flying as part of

With excellent flying skills,

NM (G)

2005

KUMAR SINGH

CH 483 Mission

achieved the first ever dead

(03082-B)

stick (engine failure) of

helicopter at night outside base

in the history of Indian aviation.

LT CDR SANDEEP

Led Casualty

Saved lives of injured people

NM (G)

2005

TANDON

Evacuation Mission on

by skilfully flying in hazardous,

(03642-A)

request of State police

thickly forested area, under

heavy firing from Naxalites.

LT M. DORAI

Signal Communication

Rescued a youth, who was

NM (G)

2005

BABU

Officer, INS Magar,

a tsunami casualty, from the

(04666-B)

during Op Madad

hillocks of Upper Katchall, with

great difficulty and grave risk to

personal safety.

388

Blue Waters Ahoy!

LT CDR AMIT

A member of Navy’s

Created history by climbing

NM (G)

2006

PANDEY

Mountaineering Team

Mt Everest, perhaps the first

(04596-W)

to Mt Everest

person to do so without any

formal mountaineering training.

LT ANUJ SHARMA

Oi/C MARCOS Team,

Eliminated two terrorists while

NM (G)

2006

(05121-N)

J&K

showing disregard for personal

safety.

AMILAL YADAV,

On duty in ‘A’ Boiler

Rescued a Watch-keeper and

NM (G)

2006

MCMEII

Unit onboard INS

the Watch Tender from fire in

(149840-Y)

Viraat

‘A’ Boiler Unit on board INS

Viraat on 1 February 2005.

LT SUPRADEEP

Posted in ANC

Saved lives of three German

NM (G)

2006

CHENNUPATI

onboard INLCU-L 38

crew who had suffered an

(05207-H)

explosion on board a yacht at

anchorage on 2 February 2006.

RAM MEHAR,

Part of MARCOS Team

Displayed raw courage and

NM (G)

2006

POCD I

in Op Rakshak

valour and was instrumental in

(172508-R)

eliminating two terrorists.

AMARJEET, STD I

Was part of MARCOS

Displayed raw courage and

NM (G)

2006

(155992-B)

Team in Op Rakshak

valour and was instrumental in

eliminating two terrorists

RAVINDER

Explosive Ordinance

Exhibited exceptional devotion

NM (G)

2006

KUMAR, PO CD I

Disposal Team (EODT)

to duty in recovering containers

(115081-Z)

Mumbai, December

laden with explosives.

2005

AJAY KUMAR, LS

Diving Team, off

Exhibited exceptional devotion

NM (G)

2006

CD I

Mumbai, December

to duty in recovering containers

(116383-H)

2005

laden with explosives and

clearing the harbour mouth.

ANOOP SINGH,

Part of MARCOS

Caught a terrorist alive after

NM (G)

2006

SEA I CD II

Team, Op Rakshak,

a hand-to-hand bout and

(121680-Y)

December 2005

gathered valuable information

onwards

after overpowering the terrorist.

LT CDR NITIN

Oi/C MARCOS

Eliminated two terrorists in

NM (G)

2007

GUPTA

Team, October 2006

Village Kuta, with astute handling

(04908-B)

onwards

and sheer tactical acumen.

LT R.P. JAGAN

Oi/C MARCOS (East)

Led by example in a shoot-off

NM (G)

2007

MOHAN

Prahars, October 2006 with two terrorists, resulting in (51700-Z)

onwards

their elimination.

Contd. to p. 390...

Ceremonials in the Navy

389

Rank, Name, P.No

Appointment/

Action performed under

Gallantry

Year

Function/Activity/

hazardous conditions

Award

Event

and risk to life

R.S. BANI, PO CD I

Posted at CCDT (V),

Instrumental in rescuing Army

NM (G)

2007

(173998-A)

May 2006

Jawans during the cyclone on

Andhra Coast in November

2006.

SUDHIR, ME I (SD)

Member MARCOS

Displayed extreme valour and

NM (G)

2007

(135472-T)

Team, Op Rakshak

presence of mind in saving the

life of his buddy.

SURG LT CDR I.B.

District Medical

Displayed exceptional courage

NM (G)

2008

UDAYA

Officer, ICGDHQ-10

and unquestioned loyalty

(75847-B)

towards the Service by risking

his life in bailing out RIB in

keeping with highest traditions

of the Service.

LT CDR MOHIT

Oi/C of IN Afloat

Displayed bravery, initiative and

NM (G)

2008

GUPTA

Support Team (AST)

level-headedness in the face

(42204-T)

onboard Maldivian

of a suicidal enemy. Huravee

ship Huravee

survived unscathed while

establishing the first victorious

encounter of the Maldives

National Coast Guard with

armed terrorists at sea.

CDR PARAMVIR

Pilot TU 142M

Safely landed TU 312, which

NM (G)

2008

SINGH SIDHU

had twin-engine failure and in

(03974-F)

the process, saved the life of

eight crew members.

LT CDR RAJEEV

Oi/C Op Rakshak in

Displayed raw courage and

NM (G)

2008

KUMAR BALI

J&K, March–November

astute leadership in eliminating

(05013-T)

2007

a terrorist.

LT CDR SHWET

Oi/C No. 2 Main

Completely disregarding personal

NM (G)

2008

GUPTA, POSTH

Propulsion Unit, INS

safety, inhaled poisonous H S gas

2

(42139-W)

Jalashwa

while rescuing unconscious sailors

from the affected compartment.

Eventually, the officer breathed his

last on 9 February 2008 after a

gruelling battle for life.

390

Blue Waters Ahoy!

DEEPAK

Commissioning Crew,

Exhibited highest sense of

NM (G)

2008

SHIVRAN, SEA I,

INS Jalashwa; played

valour and camaraderie in

POSTH (211953-N)

an important role

evacuating three personnel

during H S leak on

trapped in CHT 2 compartment.

2

1 February 2008

F CHARLES R.

Commissioning Crew,

Made repeated forays into

NM (G)

2008

KUMAR, MCHERA INS Jalashwa; played

flooded compartment filled

II (193532-Y)

an important role

with highly toxic and explosive

during H S leak on

H S to rescue shipmates.

2

2

1 February 2008

PANKAJ KUMAR,

Commissioning Crew,

Exhibited highest sense of

NM (G)

2008

LME

INS Jalashwa; played

valour and camaraderie in

(124525-N)

an important role

evacuating six personnel

during H S leak on

trapped in CHT 2 compartment.

2

1 February 2008

CDR RAJESH

Pilot of MATCH 465—

Displayed exemplary

NM (G)

2009

VISHNU

9 March 2007

professionalism while

(03964-H)

undertaking the safe and

successful rescue of the

incapacitated co-pilot post-

crash landing.

LT CDR

Team leader of divers

Led by example and recovered

NM (G)

2009

SOUMITRA

in Andhra Pradesh,

bodies of 38 police personnel

ANANT

July 2008

and civilians killed and drowned

DEODHAR

by Maoists.

(05034-R)

SUJEET KUMAR,

Part of first ever wreck First diver to enter the wreck NM (G)

2009

LS CD II

penetration operations of INS Prahar to assess the (129375-K)

of the Indian Navy

internal conditions of the

structure.

MANJEET

Part of first ever wreck Retrieved 9mm pistols and

NM (G)

2009

SIWACH, SEA I CD penetration operations small arms of INS Prahar from a II (139063-B)

of the Indian Navy

depth of 61m in pitch darkness

and also saved his buddy who

got entangled with his own

umbilical.

LT CDR ROHIT

Prahar Commander—

Suffered splinter injuries but

NM (G)

2009

MISHRA

anti-terrorist operation

continued to fight the

(05088-N)

at Taj Hotel during

enemy, thus saving lives of 150

26/11

hostages.

Contd. to p. 392...

Ceremonials in the Navy

391

Rank, Name, P.No

Appointment/

Action performed under

Gallantry

Year

Function/Activity/

hazardous conditions

Award

Event

and risk to life

LT G.B.

Ship’s Boarding Officer

Displayed contagious courage

NM (G)

2009

YADUVANSHI

INS Beas

in overpowering the pirate

(05633-A)

vessel.

SAJJAN SINGH,

Anti-piracy operations

Displayed exceptional courage

NM (G)

2009

POCD I

in the Gulf of Aden;

and initiative in the face of

(116489-Z)

28 November 2008–

great danger from the pirates,

8 January 2009

despite being outnumbered.

VISHWANATH V.

Part of Prahar

Displayed selfless courage and

NM (G)

2009

BHATT, LS CD II

during Op Taj on 27

bravery of the highest order

(119747-B)

November 2008

and suffered shrapnel injuries

to hand and foot while ensuring

safe passage for 150 hostages.

PRAVEEN

Participated in

Being the point man of team,

SHAURYA 2009

KUMAR, SEA I CD

counter-terrorist

he led them with exceptional

CHAKRA

II (132949-H)

operation at Taj Hotel

courage and initiative in the

face of great danger.

LIEUTENANT

Oi/C MARCOS,

Placed IEDs to demolish a

NM (G)

2010

VIKAS DAHIYA

Op Rakshak, July–

house and eliminate two

(05578-H)

December 2008

terrorists hiding in it, at grave

risk to personal safety.

YAIMACHOUL

Member of the Hit

Suffered splinter injuries but

NM (G)

2010

SINGH, LS CD II

team, during Op Taj

stayed undeterred to rescue a

(124094-H)

sailor and also recover a cache

of ammunition and important

documents.

JAIDEV, LS CD II

Part of MARCOS Team

Charged at the enemy and

NM (G)

2010

(131762-K)

allowed the rest of his team

to regroup after having been

suddenly attacked by terrorists.

In this exhibition of sheer

valour, he suffered a bullet

injury in the neck.

CDR

CO, INS Shankush, 21

Displayed extreme courage and

NM (G)

2010

GANGUPOMU

August 2009 onwards

ability to take calculated risk

MURALI (03943-K)

and gathered extremely useful

information.

392

Blue Waters Ahoy!

LT CDR AJAY

Staff Pilot at INAS 315

With merely 13 hours of

NM (G)

2010

KANWAR

experience on IL 38, the officer

(05240-H)

successfully landed the aircraft

to safety despite total electrical

failure in the aircraft.

RAJAN SINGH,

Member of MARCOS

His positive attitude,

NM (G)

2010

SEA I CD III

Team, June–November exceptional professionalism and

(214217-H)

2009

exemplary courage resulted in

the salvage of strong points of

MI 17 helicopter from Baglihar

dam.

CHANDRA

Was part of counter-

Displayed exceptional courage

SHAURYA

2010

SHEKHAR,

terrorist operations in

and initiative in the face of

CHAKRA

POWTR CD III,

J&K

great danger and made the

(POSTH)

supreme sacrifice in saving the

(120351-A)

life of his injured buddy.

CDR NITEEN

Detailed as co-pilot

Played a stellar role by giving

SHAURYA

2010

ANANDRAO

and Safety pilot for

constant guidance and flying

CHAKRA

YADAV (03965-K)

search and shadow

inputs at a crucial time to

mission

the first pilot, leading to safe

recovery of aircraft and the crew.

CDR DILIP

Completed Solo

Sailed for over 270 days

SHAURYA

2010

DONDE

circumnavigation of

covering more than 23,000nm

CHAKRA

(03539-T)

the world on 22 May

to become the first Indian to

2010

successfully circumnavigate the

globe.

Ensigns, Pendants and Uniforms

The Indian Naval White Ensign has evolved

from the white ensign of the Royal Navy, which

Evolution of Flags and Colours

itself developed over centuries. The red St. George’s A warship’s suit of Colours comprises the national

Cross became an emblem of the Royal Navy after

flag and the naval ensign. These symbolize the

the Crusades.1 However, the background colour

State and the Navy respectively, and are held in

varied till about the seventeenth century CE, when

high reverence by all ranks, indicating allegiance

three colours, viz. white, red and blue, were adopted to the Nation and the Service. The association of

for the ensign and represented different sections of

Colours with heroic deeds has caused them to be

the fl eet.2 The squadron in the van was commanded

regarded with veneration. In a sense, they epitomize

by the White Admiral and wore a White Ensign; the

the history of the Service.

middle by the Red Admiral with the Red Ensign;

1 Rear Admiral V.K.Malhotra, Time Tide and Tradition, Naval 2 Ibid.

Headquarters, New Delhi, 1992, p. 79.

Ceremonials in the Navy

393

Unit Citation for Shore Establishments In Conclusion

The award of a Unit Citation is a matter of immense

Naval ceremonials include a vast spectrum of

pride for any unit as it signifies the recognition

events that range from routine daily events like

of excellence and superlative performance of the

hoisting/lowering of ‘Colours’ to Guards of

whole team at the apex level. Unit Citations for

Honour, presentation of citations and awards,

shore establishments are awarded on 4 December

Beating Retreat and Fleet Reviews—each one of

(Navy Day) every year. Recommendations from

them being unique in its legacy, level of formality

Commands are processed by a standing committee.

and tempo of celebration. Most importantly, each

The selected units are presented with scrolls and

ceremonial occasion brings out a sense of pride that

plaques at the next Naval Investiture Ceremony.

is so essential for the motivation and morale of the

uniformed fraternity.

LIST OF UNIT CITATIONS

Name of Units

Year

INS Trata

2001

MARCOS (E)

2001

INHS Sanjivini

2001

NAY (K)

2002

INS Chilka

2003

INS Utkrosh

2004

HQ 31 WEU

2005

CCDT (V)

2005

MARCOS (E)

2009

Ceremonials in the Navy

401

2

The IN Welfare Schemes

Support Measures for the Serving and Retired

Introduction

Navy to the Indian Navy), it was rechristened as the

Indian Naval Benevolent Association (INBA) and

With a view to provide social, medical and

re-registered under Section XIIA of the Societies

fi nancial support to the serving as well as retired

Registration Act, 1860, on 14 January 1956.

personnel, and their families, the Navy has

instituted various measures from time to time.

Benefi ciaries

These have been formalized through establishment

All serving naval personnel are members of the

of dedicated organizations aimed at addressing

Association except medical/dental offi cers seconded

their specific requirements. Some of the key

to the Navy from the other two Services on or after

organizations and their schemes are discussed in

1 July 1976. Conversely, the offi cers seconded from

the subsequent pages.

the Navy to the other two Services on or after that

date continue as members of the INBA till their

Indian Naval Benevolent Association retirement.

(INBA)

Management

Background

The management of INBA is vested in the Indian

The Indian Naval Benevolent Association (INBA)

Naval Benevolent Association Council. All

was established with the primary objective of

applications for assistance are considered and

rendering assistance to relieve fi nancial hardship or dealt with by a Relief and Finance Committee.

distress of serving as well as retired naval personnel The Committee is authorized to sanction loans

and their families. Originally named the Royal

and grants for various purposes at rates, as

Indian Naval Benevolent Association (RINBA),

approved from time to time, by the General

it was set up on 11 March 1943 and registered

Body/INBA Council. The loan amount along

as a charitable organization under the Societies

with interest thereon is recoverable from the

Registration Act XXI of 1860. After India became

pay account of the personnel in stipulated equal

a Republic (and the conversion of the Royal Indian

monthly instalments.

Sources of Income

following loans and grants to serving and retired

Donations made to INBA enjoy 100 per cent

naval personnel:

deduction from gross total income for Income Tax,

• Special Scholarship Scheme (SSS) for wards of

under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.

naval personnel who die in harness

• Fee reimbursements towards vocational

courses for rehabilitation of widows of naval

Donations

received from

Interest on

personnel who die in harness

Allocations from

individuals and

investments and

Flag Day Fund

• Reimbursement of 33 per cent of coaching fees

private/public

loans

undertakings

to the wards of serving naval personnel who

secure admission to IITs or MBBS courses

Allocation from Canteen

• Remittance of grant/loan amount directly

Allocation from Indian

Trade Surplus (CTS) and

transferred to applicant’s bank account

Naval Amenities Fund

Quantitative Discount

(INAF)

(QD) Fund received from

• Education loan for diploma courses for serving

INAF

naval personnel

To sum up, INBA plays a stellar role in the welfare

Welfare Schemes

scheme of the Navy by providing benefits and

The schemes that were in vogue prior to 2001 are

amenities that help alleviate fi nancial distress, and summarized below.

awarding cash incentives for outstanding acts as well Since 2001, INBA has also started offering the

as scholarships for the wards of Naval personnel.

Merit scholarship for

graduation/Post

Grant for mobility

House Repair (Natural

Incentive for sports

graduation courses to

equipment to serving

Calamity) grant for

for serving Naval

wards of serving/retired/

Naval personnel

serving Naval

personnel

deceased naval personnel

personnel

(Pensioners)

Reimbursement of

coaching fee to serving

Scholarship from

PhD/M Phil for

Reimbursement of

sailors whose children

NWWA to the wards of

serving Naval

tuition fee for special

undertake coaching

Naval personnel who

personnel

children

for JEE and MBBS

die after retirement

courses

Financial assistance

for starting self-help

Grant for daughter's

Demise grant to NOK

economic venture to

marriage to widows

widows

The IN Welfare Schemes

403

Naval Group Insurance Fund

funds were empowered to frame and promulgate

detailed rules for operating such funds. Although the Background

beginning of the fi rst insurance scheme in the Service, With the aim to provide meaningful social security

this scheme was run in collaboration with the Life

to serving Naval and Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

Insurance Corporation (LIC) in its initial stages. The personnel, their family members and retired

offi cers’ insurance cover was fi xed at `30,000 and

personnel, the Naval Group Insurance Fund (NGIF)

sailors were covered for `15,000 with contribution

was instituted as a savings-cum-risk scheme under

of `30 and `10 per month, respectively. Known

the Directorate of Non-public Funds. Registered

initially as GIS-75, this arrangement with LIC did

under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860

not last long. In November 1976, an independently

(Punjab Amendment Act, 1957), it provides Life

run scheme called the Naval Group Insurance Fund

Insurance cover, in keeping with the socio-economic

(NGIF) was approved by the GoI. The fund became

conditions prevailing in the society. It also provides a departmentally run self-contributory scheme. In

advances (loans) to Naval and the ICG community

September 1981, the NGIF was registered as a society

during their service, as also a substantial retirement with the Registrar of Societies, Delhi Administration, corpus accrued through savings which helps them

under the Societies Act XXI of 1860.

to settle down in civil life, post retirement.

In October 1981, to cater for high risks involved

in the Naval Aviation, the Indian Marine Special

Initial Steps

Force (IMSF) and Submarine cadres, an Additional

In April 1969, the GoI approved two funds for naval

General Group Insurance Scheme was launched. The

personnel: ‘The Naval Offi cers’ Family Assistance

GoI enhanced Flying and Submarine pay to provide

Fund’ and ‘The Sailors’ Family Assistance Fund’ for

a cover of `2 lakh for offi cers and `1 lakh for sailors, offi cers and sailors respectively. Aimed at inculcating respectively. In the Aviation scheme, three categories a habit of saving amongst serving personnel, and

of officers were considered as possessing varying

providing fi nancial assistance to families in the event degrees of risk, with the rank of Cdr and below in

of the death of Naval personnel, whilst in harness,

the highest risk category, Captains and Commodores

only the accumulated contribution was paid to the

in the ‘less risk’ category, and Rear Admiral and above members upon retirement. There was no insurance

in the ‘least risk’ category.

cover or interest.

Till 1981, all insurance schemes were designed

However, the sinking of the INS Khukri during exclusively for serving personnel and the cover

the 1971 Indo–Pak War emphasized the need for

automatically ceased on retirement. With an

life insurance for Naval personnel. No insurance

overwhelming majority of Naval personnel suggesting

company in the country was ready to provide

insurance beyond their retirement, in January 1982,

insurance cover for armed forces personnel of the

a scheme known as Post Retirement Death Insurance

Union of India during ‘war’ and ‘war-like’ situations, Extension Scheme (PRDIES) was introduced for

due to the high risks involved. In December 1975,

Naval personnel retiring with pensionary benefi ts.

however, constant efforts made to provide life

To join the scheme, a lumpsum contribution was

insurance to Naval personnel led to the approval on

deducted from their savings element as a one-time

substituting the prevailing Family Assistance Schemes non-refundable contribution. In the beginning, the

into ‘the Naval Offi cers’ Family Assistance (Group

cover period was 10 years post retirement or 65 years Insurance) Fund and ‘The Sailors’ Family Assistance

of age, whichever occurred earlier. In March 1984, the (Group Insurance) Fund. Administrators of both the

nomination policy was further streamlined for this

404

Blue Waters Ahoy!

scheme. Since then, every year, 31 March is observed years already under the scheme. In July 2006,

as Nomination Day on which members are advised

PRDIES was extended to Short Service Commission

to update their nomination form.

(SSC) officers and permanent commissioned

In August 1985, the NGIF, which had been

offi cers proceeding on premature retirement after

working under the Directorate of Personnel Services

completion of 10 years’ service. Members engaged

(DPS), became part of the newly created Directorate

in active fl ying duties after retirement were also

of Non Public Funds (DNPF), along with three

made eligible for PRDIES. In 2010, the housing

other funds—INBA, INAF and the Naval Offi cers

loan facility was extended to those widows who

Contributory Education Fund. In May 1988, the

had invested their insurance benefi ts through NGIF,

GoI empowered NGIF to extend advances from its

with 1 per cent subsidy on prevailing interest rates

kitty towards House Building, as a welfare measure

of housing loan.

for the naval community.

The benefits provided by the NGIF can be

The Nomination Policy was rationalized in June

derived by serving as well as ex-Service personnel.

1992 by allowing members to nominate dependent

parents, brothers/sisters up to maximum 25 per cent

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health

share of the total benefi t. Disability benefi t which was Scheme (ECHS)

applicable for 40 per cent and above was brought

down to 20 per cent and above in November 1992.

Introduction

In July 1993, a plan to assist bereaved families came Till the year 2002, personnel retired from the

up. It was decided that either the full or a specifi ed Armed Forces used to be provided medical cover

percentage of their NGIF benefi ts would be invested

by the Naval Group Insurance Scheme (NGIS),

for varying periods with nationalized banks, in

only for certain high-cost treatments like surgeries, fi xed deposits, cumulative schemes, or the interest

cardiac procedures, and treatment for serious

thereon would be paid regularly to the family. In

ailments. For routine healthcare, one had to queue

March 1998, the General Group Insurance scheme

up at the nearest military hospital—if there was

of the NGIF was extended to seagoing cadets who

one close by! This arrangement was therefore not

were in receipt of a ‘stipend’. The GoI authorized

wholly satisfying and did not fulfi l the cost factor the NGIF to introduce Motor Conveyance loan and

in serious ailments.

loan for personal computers and the decision was

In order to improve the medical care rendered

implemented in November 1999.

to the retirees, various holistic medical support

mechanisms were devised which have crystallized

More Recently

into the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health

In August 2004, the Cadet Insurance Scheme was

Scheme (ECHS). A duly deliberated scheme, it

launched for 10+2 Executive/GSES cadets who

provides quality healthcare for Armed Forces

were not in receipt of a stipend, by insuring them

personnel and their dependents.

for a cover of `3 lakh through payment of a one-

Authorized for establishment by the GoI

time non-refundable premium by the individual.

on 30 December 2002 and implemented from

In 2005, a Housing Loan Insurance Scheme was

1 April 2003, the scheme brought a parity between

introduced to protect the interest of the next of kin Armed Forces personnel and Central Government

(NoK) of a deceased member who may have availed

employees by opening up the option to avail

a housing loan. Repayment period of a housing

treatment, not only in Service Hospitals but also in

loan was extended by fi ve years on top of the 15

empanelled civil/private hospitals.

The IN Welfare Schemes

405

Financed by the GoI through the Central are as is given in the table below.

Budget under Defence Estimates, the Scheme aims

On an average, amongst all benefi ciaries, 5 per

at providing quality medicare to ex-Servicemen

cent have been from the Navy, 10 per cent from the

pensioners and their dependents through a network

Air Force and the rest (85 per cent) from the Army.

of ECHS Polyclinics, Armed Forces medical

Of the total numbers, 25 per cent are above 60 years

facilities and private empanelled/government

of age, 42 per cent between 30 and 60 years, and

hospitals spread across the country. It has been

the balance 33 per cent below 30 years of age. As of

structured on the lines of the Central Government

December 2010, there were still 11 lakh pre-2003

Health Scheme (CGHS) and endeavours to provide

retirees who had not taken ECHS membership.

cashless treatment to its benefi ciaries.

Smart cards, that can be used at all ECHS

polyclinics, were issued to all the beneficiaries.

Benefi ciaries

While 16 kb chip-embedded cards were issued in

The Scheme is voluntary for those Ex-Servicemen

2003, 32 kb cards were issued from 2009 onwards.

(ESM) who retired prior to 1 January 2003 (when

ECHS was established) and compulsory for those

Membership1

retiring on or after that date. Applicable for the life All ex-Servicemen pensioners, including those in

of a retired personnel, there is no restriction on age receipt of Disability/Family Pension and their

or medical condition. Also, there is no ‘cap’ on the

dependents (as is applicable under the CGHS

expenses incurred during treatment. Aside from

scheme), are eligible for membership of ECHS.

ex-Servicemen pensioners, including those in receipt

Membership has also been extended to the following:

of Disability/Family Pension and their dependents

• Territorial Army (TA) pensioners

(as is applicable under the CGHS scheme), the

• Defence Security Corps (DSC) pensioners

Scheme also covers Territorial Army (TA), Military

• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) pensioners

Nursing Services (MNS) and full-time offi cers of

• Military Nursing Service (MNS) pensioners

the National Cadet Corps (NCC). On 22 January

• Special Frontier Force (SFF) pensioners

2008, the membership was extended to the ICG,

• Nepal Domiciled Gorkha (NDG) pensioners

the Defence Security Corps (DSC) and the three

• Full time NCC offi cers

main Armed Forces, and on 14 September 2010 to

Nepal-Domiciled Gorkhas (NDGs).

The benefi ciary base of ECHS has grown over the

The approximate cumulative membership details

years.

of Army, Navy and Air Force from 2003 to 2010

Date

Members

Dependants

Increase

Total

31 March 2005

78,999

2,84,262

-

3,63,261

31 March 2006

2,60,876

7,21,778

6,19,393

9,82,654

31 March 2007

4,24,823

10,82,589

5,24,758

15,07,412

31 March 2008

6,33,596

14,69,295

5,95,479

21,02,891

31 March 2009

9,51,763

20,70,157

9,19,029

30,21,920

31 March 2010

10,64,225

23,03,185

3,45,490

33,67,410

1 Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, Committee on Estimates (2016–2017), Twentieth Report Presented to Lok Sabha on 9 December 2016.

406

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Command and Control

office of DESW, MoD, just like the Directorate

Initially the Scheme was fi nanced by the GoI and

General Resettlement (DGR) and the Kendriya

partly contributed to by ESM. As said earlier, it

Sainik Board (KSB).

was based on the same principle as the CGHS and

ECHS has a three-tier structure. A central

contribution rates were the same as for Central

body (Central Organization) at the apex, regional

Government employees. Eventually, the existing

bodies (Regional Centres) at the middle level and

Command and Control structures of the Army,

Polyclinics at the functional level. The Central

Navy and Air Force were given administrative

organization was to be headed by a serving Major

and fi nancial powers to run this Scheme. Station

General designated as the Managing Director

Commanders were empowered to exercise direct

(MD), ECHS and each Regional Centre was to be

control over the polyclinics.

headed by a Colonel.

The policy framework for the Scheme is laid

At the regional level, there are 28 Regional

down by the Government and executive control

Centres sanctioned across the country. Each

is exercised by the Secretary, Department of Ex-

Regional Centre, on an average, has about 15 to 17

Servicemen Welfare (DESW), MoD. The Scheme

Polyclinics under it. These Centres are responsible

is managed through the existing infrastructure

for overseeing the functioning of ECHS Polyclinics

of the Armed Forces to minimize administrative

under their respective areas of jurisdiction.

expenditure. This includes Static2 Headquarters

ECHS Polyclinics form the nerve centre of

of the three Services, spare capacity of the Armed

the ECHS organization at any location. They are

Forces medical facilities, central procurement

designed to provide ‘Out-Patient Care’ which

agencies of the Services, Defence land and buildings, includes consultation, essential investigation and

etc. Station Commanders of the three Armed Forces,

provision of medicines. Specialized consultations,

assisted by the affi liated Senior Executive Medical

investigations and ‘In-Patient Care’ (hospitalization) Offi cer (SEMO), exercise functional control over

are provided through spare capacity available

the ECHS Polyclinics.3

in Service Hospitals and through civil hospitals

empanelled with ECHS. The entire staff at an ECHS

Structure of ECHS 4

Polyclinic is employed on a contractual basis. Up to

Located in Delhi, the ECHS Central Organization

60 per cent posts of doctors and 70 per cent posts

was to function under the Chiefs of Staff Committee

of para-medical/non-medical staff are reserved for

(COSC) through the Adjutant General (AG) and

ESM.

the Directorate General, Discipline, Ceremonials

On being initiated in 2003, the ECHS (Navy)

& Welfare (DG DC&W) at IHQ MoD (Army).

office was located at Sena Bhawan and was

The organization of ECHS was attached to the

headed by an offi cer of the rank of Commander.

2 Static and fi eld formations exist in the Army. A fi eld formation 3 Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, Committee on such as an Army, Corps, Division or Brigade carries out Estimates (2016–2017), Twentieth Report Presented to Lok operational tasks. On the other hand, a static formation Sabha on 9 December 2016.

such as an Area, Sub-Area or Independent Sub-Area is one whose role is purely administrative, such as the execution 4 Ibid.

of construction projects like houses, water works and other facilities; distribution of government funds for works; the control of static supply depots and other administrative units required in military stations and cantonments.

The IN Welfare Schemes

407

The Director functioned under the COP through Revenue

Capital

Financial Year

DGMS (Navy). He was the nodal point for all

Allotment

Allotment

(in Crores)

(in Crores)

aspects concerning ECHS for naval retirees. This

offi ce ensured membership to all retiring/retired

2003–4

13.53

0.00

Naval personnel and also continuously monitored

2004–5

93.42

17.98

the functioning of polyclinics managed by the Navy,

2005–6

188.12

21.35

by suitably allocating the funds received through

2006–7

324.14

23.20

the Central Organization.

2007–8

489.91

8.10

2008–9

640.14

9.50

Types of ECHS Polyclinics

2009–10

889.92

6.40

Polyclinics are categorized as either ‘Military’

or ‘Non-Military’, depending on whether a

Development of Infrastructure

Military hospital is co-located or not and are

The DESW, MoD, while elaborating on the

further categorized into fi ve types, i.e., Type A

geographical coverage of ECHS, had clarified

to E, based on the number of ESM residing in

that the GoI initially sanctioned 227 Polyclinics

that area.

in December 2002 and thereafter the scheme

was expanded in 2010, wherein 199 additional

Types of

Polyclinics were sanctioned.

Number of ESM

Polyclinic

The year-wise data of stations where land has

Type A

Above 20,000

been acquired, is given below.

Type B

Above 10,000

Type C

Above 5,000

Number of Stations where

Year

Type D

Above 2,500

Land was Acquired

Type E

Less than 2,500

Up to 2007

136

In 2008

17

Specialized treatment for serious cases

In 2009

10

(beyond the facilities available at the Polyclinics)

In 2010

08

is provided at Military and empanelled private

hospitals (presently numbering 1268). Rates

At the commencement of the scheme, there

charged by empanelled hospitals, to ECHS, are

were 13 Regional Centres at Jammu, Delhi,

the same as for CGHS beneficiaries. In case of

Chandimandir, Jaipur, Pune, Lucknow, Kolkata,

emergency, members are permitted to avail

Patna, Jabalpur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi

medical treatment at non-empanelled hospitals

and Guwahati. The responsibility of setting

on payment. Their medical treatment bills are

up and administering the Regional Centre at

reimbursed at approved (CGHS) rates.

Kochi and nine polyclinics (Mumbai, Mumbai

Upnagar, Karwar, Visakhapatnam, Kochi,

Financial Outlay

Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Berhampur and Port

Funds are allotted to the ECHS through the Army

Blair) was entrusted to the Indian Navy.

Budget. Over the years, the allotment has been

Eventually, two more Regional Centres (Mumbai

as under:

and Visakhapatnam) and seven Polyclinics (East

408

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Delhi, Kandivali, Vasco-da-Gama, Srikakulam, demand that the welfare of our personnel, their

Puri, Moovattupuzha and Thodupuzha) were

families/dependants is always taken care of—not

added to this list.

only while they are in Service, but throughout their

The number of personnel who avail medical

lives. Previously, the Navy used to provide support

facilities under ECHS has been expanding

to widows/NoK/dependents on an ‘as feasible’

exponentially. Subsequent to the directions of the

basis; however, a need was felt to institutionalize

then Prime Minister, during the KSB meeting held

a support-system akin to the Regimental System in

on 19 May 2007, a decision was taken to establish

the Army, so as to provide proactive and continuous

more Polyclinics and provide improved access to

support to the widows/NoK/dependants.

ECHS for veterans and their families. The COSC

With these objectives in mind the Naval

proposed new infrastructure on 10 September

Regimental System (NRS) was established by

2007 which was approved by the GoI on 18

IHQ MoD (N) vide their letter CPS/0053 dated

October 2010:

29 December 2010 and the organization came into

• Establishment of 199 new Polyclinics, which

being on 1 January 2011.

included six military, 176 non-military and 17

The primary aim of the NRS is to enable a

mobile Polyclinics.

link between the Service and every family after

• Authorization of 15 military medical facilities

the demise of a Naval colleague, irrespective of

in remote areas.

whether the individual was in harness or had died

• Conversion of 10 military-type Polyclinics to

after retirement.

non-military type ones.

• Improvement of 12 Polyclinics.

Organization and Execution

• Establishment of 15 new Regional Centres.

While the Controller of Personnel Services (CPS)

• Reshaping of the Central Organization,

is the Chairman and the nodal point at IHQ MoD

ECHS, with addition of seven offi cers and 15

(N) for the overall coordination and functioning of

personnel below offi cer rank (PBOR).

NRS, the Principal Director Ex-Servicemen Affairs

• Authorization of 67 offi cers and 270 PBOR

(PDESA) at IHQ/MOD (N) and the Chief Staff

and 2263 contractual employees at 15 new

Officers (Personnel and Administration [CSOs

Regional Centres.

(P&A)] at the Command level, act as the Vice

• Sanction of additional expenditure of `130.01

Chairmen (and functional heads) who ensure the

crore for infrastructure and `44.39 crore for

implementation and proper functioning of the NRS

Annual (Revenue) Cost.

at the IHQ/Command levels respectively. To reach out to each affected family and implement the

To summarize, ECHS has turned out to be a very

policies and directives of the NRS, the following

successful avenue for healthcare for the veterans

organizations have been established:

through a total of 426 Polyclinics.

• Command Regimental System Offi cer (CRSO):

A Command Regimental Cell headed by the

Naval Regimental System

Command Regimental System Offi cer (CRSO)

was established in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi,

Introduction

Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Port Blair to

The time-tested traditions of the Armed Forces

look after the interests of the widows in the

The IN Welfare Schemes

409

respective areas of jurisdiction of each CRSO.

from the plan fi nalization stage till the completion Whilst the CRSOs located in Mumbai, Kochi,

of a project. This is accomplished by periodic

Visakhapatnam and Port Blair functioned

Users’ Committee Meetings and through timely

under the CSO (P&A) of each Command, the

construction of sample fl ats.

CRSOs located at New Delhi and Kolkata

The AFNHB generally constructs two categories

functioned under the Commanding Offi cers

of DUs, one for the offi cers and the other for airmen/

INS India and Netaji Subhash, respectively.

sailors. Funding for the DUs is through self-fi nanced

• Regimental State Unit (RSU): Major shore

schemes with approximately 10 per cent of the

establishments were designated as the RSUs.

expected price of the fl at being deposited at the time These Units, in coordination with the CRSOs,

of registration and the balance in five to six easy

have been made responsible to physically reach

installments. Launched in October 1980, the self-

out to each widow/NoK residing in the state

financing Housing Scheme aimed at constructing

of the RSU.

a limited number of DUs at two locations, namely

• Regimental Coordinating Unit (RCU):

Noida and Bangalore (now Bengaluru), where bulk

Minor Naval/NCC Units, located in various

land was likely to be allotted. From 1986 onwards,

districts, have been designated as RCUs and

only these housing schemes have been in operation.

are intended to be the fi rst point of contact

(POC) with the widows/NoKs residing in the

Organizational Structure

geographical area under their jurisdiction.

Since the whole activity of AFNHB is based on self-

fi nanced schemes, the organization works on a ‘no

Clearly, the NRS has been a useful initiative

profi t, no loss’ basis. Day-to-day affairs and routine for making an epochal change in providing for the

functioning is conducted under a Director General

widows/NoKs of Naval personnel.

(Air Vice Marshal/Rear Admiral) and Deputy Director

General (Air Commodore/Commodore). Policy

The Air Force Naval Housing Board

decisions of AFNHB are controlled by a Board of

(AFNHB)

Management (BOM), represented by a Chairman (a

serving Air Marshal/Vice Admiral) and other serving

With its headquarters at the Air Force Station, Race

two-star/one-star offi cers from the Indian Navy and

Course, New Delhi, the Air Force Naval Housing

the Air Force.

Board (AFNHB) is a welfare body registered under

Although AFNHB is directly affiliated with the

the Societies Registration Act 1860 with the aim to

IHQ MoD (Air Force/Navy) and takes guidance

construct dwelling units (DUs) for the personnel/

from these Headquarters, it is not a Defence Service

widows of the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

or governmental organization. It is an independent

The organization has been in existence since 1979,

body and does not receive funds from any government

and has dispensed a very critical component of

or semi-government organization. And since there is

welfare that directly infl uences morale and pride.

neither any control nor any funding from the GoI,

It has come a long way since its inception and

AFNHB is neither a ‘State’ nor an ‘Authority’ as

continues to improve its quality of construction

defi ned in Article 12 of the Constitution of India. It and standard of facilities for its various complexes

functions without any control from the State. It has

through a transparent system of functioning. To live

its own Memorandum of Association (MoA), spelling

up to its motto ‘Allottees’ Satisfaction’, the AFNHB

out its rules, laws and functions.

has always tried to involve its clients (allottees) right 410

Blue Waters Ahoy!

The AFNHB as a service welfare body is committed Association on 14 February 1986 and registered

to serve the housing needs of the Naval and Air

as a Charitable Society under the Societies Act XXI

Force communities purely on a ‘no profit, no

of 1860.

loss’ basis. By the turn of the millennium, it had

Another major milestone in the history of

completed handing over of 12,620 dwelling units.

NWWA was in 1991, when the organization

initiated several multifaceted welfare and

Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA)

development programs.

In the year 2000, NWWA’s Northern Region

Genesis

was merged with NWWA Central and the post of

At the time of Independence, the naval wives were

President-in-Chief was renamed as President, NWWA.

a part of the Armed Forces Women’s Welfare

Organization (AFWWO), a combined body of

Objectives of NWWA

defence wives operating from Delhi with each

• Maintaining contact with wives of Naval

Service holding presidentship by turn. This was

personnel

a legacy carried forward from the colonial times.

• Undertaking developmental programs in

The charter of duties varied from receiving Service

peacetime such as promoting academic

signals (messages) to undertaking hospital visits,

excellence and inculcating vocational skills

assisting nurses and looking after widows of

• Rehabilitating widows of Naval personnel

Service personnel.

• Implementing programs for community

It is often said, ‘Great oaks from acorns

development

grow.’ The NWWA too grew from a small

• Relieving hardships of people affected by

welfare-oriented body into a uniquely structured

natural or man-made disasters

organization. In 1948, with a mission to render

assistance to naval families, a group of Naval

Functioning

ladies met in an informal setting and formed the

Operating from its Kendras present in all major

Naval Offi cers’ Wives Association (NOWA). With

naval stations, the programs of the association

a newly adopted constitution, the association

cover all aspects of community living and the

started functioning at Delhi, Mumbai, Kochi,

specifi c needs of wives/families. As part of NWWA’s

Visakhapatnam and Jamnagar.

guidelines, when a naval personnel gets married,

It would be interesting to know that several of

his wife becomes a member of NWWA. However,

the welfare, health and loan schemes prevalent in

being a voluntary organization, NWWA follows an

Service today can be traced back to the proposals

‘open door’ policy for its members.

and recommendations made by NOWA to the

NWWA has been a dynamic organization

Indian Navy. The fi rst family clinics, an important

keeping pace with the changing needs of time. It

facility today, were initially opened as ‘NOWA

conducts various short- and long-term activities

Clinics’ as were Little Angels and KG schools.

pertaining to women empowerment (instilling in

In the year 1986, the then NOWA President took

them entrepreneurial skills to initiate new ventures

the initiative to widen the scope of the association

and achieve fi nancial independence), community

by opening up the organization to the wives of all

support, education, healthcare, social welfare and

personnel—offi cers as well as sailors. Accordingly,

environmental conservation. Some of the welfare

it was rechristened the Navy Wives Welfare

measures taken by NWWA are:

The IN Welfare Schemes

411

• P r a g a t i . H o b b y c l a s s e s s u c h a s h a n d

•

Beauty Parlours. The NWWA beauty parlours

embroidery, painting, tailoring, beautician

are run by talented and professionally qualifi ed

courses, etc., are conducted for the members.

naval wives. Courses of different duration are

After completion of these courses, the ladies

also conducted by professionals to enhance the

are employed for different NWWA ventures.

trainees’ employability.

NWWA also runs highly professional crèches.

• Udyogika. This unit undertakes orders for

C ommunity Support

stitching good-quality garments at affordable

NWWA is dedicated not only to the welfare of

prices. Training in fashion designing also helps

naval wives but also to the entire naval community

ladies learn the cutting and stitching of simple

including children, special children and senior

and ethnic garments as well as handicrafts that

citizens. Their community development programs

are sold through NWWA shops.

aim at different facets of life, thereby enriching the

• Hostels. Hostels for boys and girls have been fabric of naval society in multifarious ways.

created to cater to the needs of those children

• Sahara. Set up in 1993, the Sahara cell whose parents are posted elsewhere to continue

primarily intended to assist the widows of the

their higher education. This facility goes a long

sunken naval warship Andaman. 5 However, way in easing the minds of naval families, as

it gradually evolved into a full-fledged

they know that their children are safe in a

organization.6 The cell not only provides

protected environment.

fi nancial security and moral support but also

• S e l f - H e l p Wo r k s h o p s . Wo r k s h o p s b y serves as a forum to provide job opportunities

professional trainers on parenting, personality

to naval wives have lost their husbands while in

development, enhancing marital relationships,

Service. It regularly conducts contact programs

etc., are conducted on a regular basis. Talks on

with these women, regarding scholarships

various aspects related to health and hygiene

and the education of their children, pension

are also conducted by medical professionals.

schemes, medical aid, etc., so that they are

able to bear their incalculable loss, and start

life afresh. They are also provided special

vocational training to inculcate a feeling of

self-suffi ciency and confi dence.

• Sakhi. This unit provides an understanding, compassionate voice and support to naval

families under distress. Professional counsellors

and regional presidents counsel the families

in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, while

protecting their privacy and identity.

• Ashirwaad. NWWA, Western Region set up

Ashirwaad for the senior citizens of NOFRA

A NWWA tailoring unit

in August 2003. This initiative has since been

5 INS Andaman sank off Visakhapatnam in 1990.

6 Lalita Ramdas, ‘Down Memory Lane’ , Veerangana, 2007, p. 91. Veerangana is the NWWA’s annual magazine.

412

Blue Waters Ahoy!

expanded across the Navy. Spiritual evenings,

and skills of our young toddlers. Teaching

get-togethers, health check-ups, physiotherapy

methodology and play equipment is updated

sessions, etc., are organized for the benefi t of

regularly in keeping abreast with the

parents of naval personnel. Recreation Rooms

changing times and needs.

and Libraries have been set up for them at most

• Balwadi/Bal Pathshala. NWWA promotes naval stations. To strengthen the bonds of the

the social cause of basic education for all.

naval families, the senior citizens are invited for

Children of domestic help in all the regions

festivals and ‘grandparents’ day’ celebrations.

are provided with free education and their all-

• Anubhavi. NWWA has a special branch that round development is ensured.

looks after the needs and interests of the

• Sankalp Schools. The Special Education Centre wives of retired naval personnel. Every year, it

at Delhi was started in July 1993. It endeavours

organizes a special function that is dedicated

to reach out to differently abled children and to

to them.

assess the needs of each child individually with

• Samudri. NWWA’s shops serve as a unique the help of doctors and specially trained staff.

forum for ladies to work together to provide

The children are trained in both academics

the naval community quality products from all

and vocational subjects and are encouraged to

over India, at reasonable prices. This shop

interact with children of regular schools. They

also offers a unique opportunity for naval

are taught to make greeting cards, incense

wives to showcase their talents and fi nd an

sticks, paper bags and envelopes as well as

outlet for promoting their creations.

training in woodwork, etc. Their products are

• Sanchar. This initiative was launched to report then sold at all NWWA shops.

NWWA activities through quarterly newsletters

and its annual magazine Veerangana. Sanchar Vocational Courses

offers a platform for every member of the

• Tarsh. This unit took wings under the women naval family to share their experiences and

empowerment project, Stree Shakti, in July voice their opinions through, among others,

2007. Block-printing units were set up in

articles, poems, anecdotes and paintings.

all the regions of NWWA to train ladies in

• Kala Kendra. This provides a forum for self-traditional textile art. Cloth, colours and

expression through dance, drama and music.

patterns are improved and updated regularly

Various courses are organized for women

to bring about fi nesse in the fi nished products.

and children in fitness, dance, music, the

performing arts and handicrafts.

Academic Activities

• Jagriti. NWWA conducts various activities and competitions at the Navy Children Schools

(NCS), and provides scholarship incentives to

gifted children and young achievers.

• Little Angels Schools. In these preschools, NWWA strives to inculcate traditional

Indian values as well as develop the talents

Block printing at NWWA Centre

The IN Welfare Schemes

413

Healthcare

In the Face of Disaster

• Arogya. NWWA members pay regular visits to NWWA contributed immensely towards the relief

family, paediatric, oncology and haematology

operations in the wake of the 2004 tsunami.

wards in naval hospitals to ensure patients’

• They distributed rations and clothing in the

comfort and care as well as to spread a message

Kasi Kuppam village near the Naval Coast

of solidarity and cheer among naval family

Battery, Royapuram in Tamil Nadu. NWWA

members. In collaboration with the medical

volunteers initiated door-to-door collection

department, talks, seminars and discussions

of utensils and other domestic items, and

are organized to address various health issues.

undertook distribution of these items and

Medical camps for early detection and cure

cooked food for the affected people in

of diseases are organized regularly in all the

Kottipadu. NWWA Bangalore collected clothes

regions. Walkathons for noble causes such as

and other relief items and handed them over

AIDS and cancer awareness are also arranged

to the International Association for Human

from time to time.

Values (IAHV) for further distribution.7

• Prerna. Established on 22 November 2001,

• At the Andaman & Nicobar Command, the

Prerna is a Tri-Services group that lends a

Defence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA)8

helping hand at oncology wards in Service

made its humble contribution by providing

Hospitals and provides moral support

succour to the 195 Air Force families that were

to patients. Professional counsellors are

evacuated from Car Nicobar to Port Blair.

appointed by NWWA to ensure professional

Three relief centres were set up at Birchgunj

and timely help to all families. It provides

and the NWWA Kendra was also used for

counselling on a variety of issues including

housing the evacuees.

marital problems, parenting issues, learning

• Members of the Outreach group of NWWA,

disorders, stress management, etc.

Western Region also donated essential articles

to the victims of Mumbai fl oods of 2005.

Social Welfare

• Sparsh. NWWA extends its various outreach Environmental Conservation

p r o g r a m s f o r t h e u p l i f t m e n t o f c i v i l

• Prakriti. Consistently endeavouring to create communities. Donations in the form of rations,

awareness about environmental issues, the

clothes, stationery, medicines, blankets and

NWWA organizes walks, presentations and

other utility items are offered to fulfi l the daily

fi lms focussing on the conservation of natural

requirements at orphanages, homes for the

resources, global warming, pollution control,

aged and the destitute. Health and sanitation

etc. In 2004, NWWA ( Mandovi)’s Prakriti

camps are conducted at weavers’ colonies to

club, ‘The Penguins’, became affi liated to the

improve their living conditions.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

7 Set up in 1997, IAHV is an international non-governmental 8 Since Andaman & Nicobar Command is a Tri-Services organization that provides a global platform for humanitarian organization, the association of the wives of the Service personnel initiatives.

is known as Defence Wives Welfare Association (DWWA).

414

Blue Waters Ahoy!

NWWA has been doing yeomen service in binding as any activity which is part of the profession

naval families into a close-knit community. From

because such support measures help maintain the

providing solace in times of distress to facilitating morale of the personnel, which has a direct bearing

skill development, conserving environment to

on their performance. The assurance of a stable

rehabilitating families of the deceased, NWWA has

future for the personnel and their family works in

grown into a multifaceted organization working

favour of boosting their morale.

earnestly for the betterment of the naval community.

In Conclusion

Welfare measures are a part and parcel of any

uniformed Service. These are given as much priority

The IN Welfare Schemes

415

416

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Appendix 1

Ships and Establishments Commissioned/

Decommissioned (2001–10)

SHIPS COMMISSIONED

Name

Type

Commissioning Date

Kirch

Corvette

22 January 2001

Mumbai

Destroyer

22 January 2001

Darshak

Survey Ship

28 April 2001

Kulish

Corvette

20 August 2001

Sarvekshak

Survey Ship

14 January 2002

Prabal

Missile Vessel

11 April 2002

Gaj

Ocean Going Tug

10 October 2002

Pralaya

Missile Vessel

18 December 2002

Talwar

Frigate

18 June 2003

Trishul

Frigate

25 June 2003

Fast Attack Craft (FAC) T-82

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFAC)

9 October 2003

Fast Attack Craft (FAC) T-83

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFAC)

14 January 2004

Karmuk

Corvette

4 February 2004

Tabar

Frigate

19 April 2004

Fast Attack Craft (FAC) T-84

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFAC)

19 April 2004

Betwa

Frigate

7 July 2004

Beas

Frigate

11 July 2005

Bangaram

Fast Attack Craft (FAC)

10 February 2006

Bitra

Fast Attack Craft (FAC)

28 March 2006

Batti Malv

Fast Attack Craft (FAC)

31 July 2006

Baratang

Fast Attack Craft (FAC)

12 September 2006

Shardul

Landing Ship Tank (Large) (LST [L])

4 January 2007

Jalashwa

Landing Platform Dock (LPD)

22 June 2007

Kesari

Landing Ship Tank (Large) (LST[L])

5 April 2008

Chetlat

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

16 February 2009

Car Nicobar

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

16 February 2009

Airavat

Landing Ship Tank (Large) (LST [L])

19 May 2009

Cora Divh

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

10 September 2009

Cheriyam

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

10 September 2009

Shivalik

Frigate

29 April 2010

Cankarso

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

29 June 2010

Kondul

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

29 June 2010

Kalpeni

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC)

14 October 2010

ESTABLISHMENTS/AIR SQUADRONS COMMISSIONED

Establishments

Class

Commissioning Date

Zamorin

Base Depot Ship, Indian Naval Academy

6 April 2005

INAS 552

Naval Air Squadron

7 July 2005

Kadamba

Base Depot Ship, Naval Base Karwar

9 May 2005

INAS 342

Naval Air Squadron

6 January 2006

Patanjali

Naval Hospital

6 December 2006

Shikra

Naval Air Station

22 January 2009

INAS 350

Naval Air Squadron

24 March 2009

INAS 311

Naval Air Squadron

24 March 2009

Parundu

Naval Air Station

24 March 2009

SHIPS DECOMMISSIONED

Ship

Type

Commissioning Date

Decommissioning Date

Pralaya

Missile Boat

17 February 1976

8 June 2001

Magdala

Inshore Minesweeper

10 May 1984

31 Oct 2001

Amini

Submarine Chaser

12 December 1974

16 September 2002

Vijaydurg

Missile Vessel

25 December 1976

30 September 2002

Malvan

Inshore Minesweeper

16 May 1983

3 January 2003

Chatak

Missile Boat

9 February 1977

5 May 2003

Mulki

Inshore Minesweeper

10 May 1984

16 May 2003

Anjadip

Submarine Chaser

23 December 1972

13 December 2003

Mangrol

Inshore Minesweeper

16 May 1983

7 April 2004

Sindhudurg

Missile Vessel

29 May 1977

24 September 2004

TRV 71

Torpedo Recovery Vessel

15 September 1982

25 March 2005

Makar

Survey Craft

31 January 1984

4 April 2005

Contd. to p. 420...

Appendix 1

419

...Contd. from p. 419

Ship

Type

Commissioning Date

Decommissioning Date

Meen

Survey Craft

23 June 1984

25 April 2005

Chamak

Missile Boat

4 November 1976

5 May 2005

Chapal

Missile Boat

4 November 1976

5 May 2005

Himgiri

Frigate

23 November 1974

6 May 2005

SDB T 54

Seaward Defence Boat MK 2

1 September 1982

20 January 2006

Amba

Submarine Depot Ship

28 December 1968

15 July 2006

SDB T 57

Seaward Defence Boat MK 3

26 February 1985

24 August 2006

Malpe

Inshore Minesweeper

10 May 84

5 December 2006

Mithun

Survey Craft

31 March 1984

30 March 2007

Mahe

Inshore Minesweeper

16 May 1983

15 May 2007

Porbandar

Coastal Minesweeper

19 December 1977

25 May 2007

Shakti

Fleet Tanker

21 February 1976

21 July 2007

Udaygiri

Frigate

18 February 1976

24 August 2007

Pondicherry

Coastal Minesweeper

2 February 1978

5 October 2007

Ghorpad

Landing Ship Tank (Medium)

16 January 1975

11 January 2008

SDB T 56

Seaward Defence Boat MK 3

31 October 1984

31 January 2008

SDB T 55

Seaward Defence Boat MK 2

20 August 1983

5 March 2009

SDB T 59

Seaward Defence Boat MK 3

10 July 1985

7 September2009

SDB T 60

Seaward Defence Boat MK 3

24 August 1985

7 September 2009

Bedi

Coastal Minesweeper

27 April 1979

22 September 2009

Bhavnagar

Coastal Minesweeper

27 April 1979

24 December 2009

SDB T 58

Seaward Defence Boat MK 3

26 March 1985

20 July 2010

Dunagiri

Frigate

5 May 1977

20 October 2010

420

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Appendix 2

List of Incidents/Accidents of Indian Naval Ships,

Submarines and Aircraft (2001–10)

Date

Occurrence

12 February 2001

Flying accident of Chetak IN 435

2 March 2001

Accident of Chetak 475 of NAS Kunjali

24 May 2001

Accident of Sea Harrier 610 INS Hansa

9 July 2001

Accident of Chetak IN 465 INS Gomati

18 September 2001

Flying accident of Kamov IN 587 INS Hansa

11 December 2001

Accident of Chetak 425-NAS Kunjali

11 January 2002

Flying accident of Sea Harrier 609 of INS Viraat

26 January 2002

Flying accident of Kamov INS Viraat

24 March 2002

Accident of Dornier CG 754

17 April 2002

Collision between INS Nipat and INS Sindhudurg 1 October 2002

Accident of IL 302 and IL 304 of INS Hansa

10 October 2002

Accident of Chetak 446 of NAS Kunjali

17 October 2002

Touching bottom by INS Guldar

14 December 2002

Fouling of fishing boat’s gear with INS Sindhurakshak 6 March 2003

Collision between INS Taragiri and Merchant Vessel 26 March 2003

Accident of Seaking 525 of INS Viraat

25–26 July 2003

Flooding onboard INS Nipat

20 August 2003

Touching bottom by INS Sindhukesari while leaving Kochi harbour 24 August 2003

Accident of Sea Harrier 615 of INS Viraat

2 October 2003

Collision of INS Shishumar with an unidentified object 22 October 2003

Collision between INS Ratnagiri and MV Maratha 25 November 2003

Damage to both propellers of INS Kirpan

Contd. to p. 422...

...Contd. from p. 421

Date

Occurrence

25 May 2003

Damage to port rudder and propeller of INS Kumbhir 27 December 2003

Touching bottom by INS Sujata

5 February 2004

Flooding and consequent damage to INS Agray

2 March 2004

Fire onboard INS Alleppey

10 March 2004

Sinking of Survey Motor Boat (SMB) of INS Jamuna while being hoisted at sea

20 September 2004

Fire onboard INS Kakinada

16 December 2004

Accident of Sea Harrier 604 of INS Hansa

15 December 2004

Damage to starboard propeller and rudder fin of XFAC T-80

5 February 2005

Collision between INS Sindhuratna and Tug Ocean Opal 16 February 2005

Collision of INS Konkan with a merchant ship at anchorage while connecting up tow with INS Sukanya

17 March 2005

Touch between INS Mumbai and INS Aditya during RAS

11 April 2005

Fire onboard INS Himgiri

6 May 2005

Accident of Chetak 493

6 May 2005

Flooding of electrical SPTA compartment of INS Magar 17 May 2005

Accident of Sea Harrier 603 of INS Hansa

19 August 2005

Accident of Kamov 589 of INS Hansa

7 September 2005

Accident of Chetak 426 of INS Dega

5 December 2005

Accident of Sea Harrier 607 of INS Hansa

26 December 2005

Accident of Sea Harrier 608 of INS Hansa

27 December 2005

Collision of INS Trishul with MV Ambujalaxmi while entering Mumbai harbour 22 February 2006

Explosion of ammunition onboard INS Magar

3 April 2006

Running out of starboard anchor and chain cable, and subsequent damage to bow-mounted sonar of INS Talwar

21 April 2006

Collision followed by sinking of INS Prahar

2 May 2006

Collision of INS Sindhughosh with fishing boat 3 July 2006

Touching bottom by INS Shakti

25 September 2006

Collision between INS Dunagiri and MV Kiti 4 December 2006

Accident of MT 467 of NAS Kunjali

11 January 2007

Accident of UAV Searcher (US-901) at NAS Ramnad

28 February 2007

Accident of Seaking 521 of NAS Kunjali

5 April 2007

Accident of Sea Harrier 651 of INS Hansa

19 June 2007

Touching bottom by LCU L 33 at Nancowry harbour 20 June 2007

Touching bottom by INS Sindhuraj

8 September 2007

Accident of Sea Harrier 608 of INS Viraat

24 December 2007

Accident of Sea Harrier 613 of INS Hansa

12 January 2008

Touching bottom by XFAC T-84

20 January 2008

Collision of INS Sindhughosh with MV Leeds Castle 422

Blue Waters Ahoy!

1 February 2008

Accidental venting of H S gas in a compartment and loss of lives 2

onboard INS Jalashwa

9 May 2008

Touching bottom by INS Mahish

4 June 2008

Touching bottom by INS Vindhyagiri

14 August 2008

Ground accident of Kamov 562 of INS Hansa

27 August 2008

Belly fire on Sea Harrier 616 of INS Hansa

13 October 2008

Accidental bursting of detonator onboard INS Sindhuvijay 17 October 2008

Ground accident of Kamov 566 at INS Hansa

23 January 2009

Damage to both propellers of INS Godavari

17 July 2009

Fire onboard INS Agray

4 August 2009

Collision between INS Ranvir and INS Kuthar 26 February 2010

Battery pit explosion onboard INS Sindhurakshak

26 November 2010

Fire onboard INS Delhi in Officers' galley

Appendix 2

423

Acknowledgements

A book, particularly one on the history of an Armed

required on the fi nal composition and rechecking the Force, cannot but be a team effort. Recording history material collected. In this task, efforts must be placed does not just involve channelling of thoughts and

on record of Cdr Ashish Kale, Offi cer-in-Charge,

material, from research to a script, it also involves a Naval History Division, and his subordinates,

long-drawn-out process. It begins with digging into

Lt Cdr Kalesh Mohanan, Lt Cdr Amrinder Singh

preserved records, moving on to collating dialogues

(since retired) and Lt Cdr Divyajot. The officers

and interviews with offi cers of the concerned era,

laboured for months in their interactions with the

and then etching out a framework. Thereafter

professional directorates, located material from the

comes the conceptualizing of sections with specifi c

archives, and burnt the midnight oil in putting the

themes, covering all domains of the naval Service,

pieces together. It is not easy for an OiC to spare

chapterization and fi nally, the process of drafting

so much (of his and his team’s) time and effort

the script. Of course, much more follows in terms

towards an activity such as this book, apart from

of proofreading and revisiting of content before

fulfi lling their primary duty. The previous OiCs,

the professionals in the publishing house start their Capt (TS) Harinder Singh and Cdr Pradumn Joshi,

work of editing and designing the entire effort into

too merit mention for their support to my work.

a book for the shelves.

In May 2018, Captain M. Dorai Babu helped

To start with, I must express my gratitude to all

me with inputs for a couple of chapters and also

the Commands and the naval staff (particularly the

offered valuable suggestions on the publishing

professional directorates) at IHQ MoD (Navy) who

process.

had to endure my intrusions for archival material,

I must specially acknowledge the contributions

photographs and clarifi cations at various times,

of two offi cers who assisted me in the important

stages and levels.

task of putting the book together. First amongst

The team effort that I mention above, meant

them is Lt Cdr Vrat Baghel who assisted me

that the personnel of the Naval History Division

between June and October 2018 in putting

were completely engaged by me in this activity. The

together/composing some of the material as well

toughest period is always the last lap when focus is

as in fi nalizing the structure. The other offi cer was

Lt Cdr Ankush Banerjee whose assistance in putting Santosh Kumar POME (since retired), Bhuvnesh

the preliminary pieces together came in handy in

Kumar POME, Siddharth Rao PO COM (TAC),

January 2018.

R. Aiyappan LH, A.K. Pansari L LOG (F&A), S.N.

When it comes to the sailors of the History

Swami LS (HY) II, P.A. Reddy ME I and A. Dixit

Division, Sumit Kumar PO COM (TAC) (since

LOG I (F&A).

retired) and Rohit Sharma PO LOG (F&A) deserve

The material received from Vice Admiral Vinod

special mention for tirelessly taking dictation

Pasricha (Retd) for the chapter on Kursura Museum

from me and undertaking voluminous typing

is duly acknowledged. Also, the inputs/photographs

work. Nothing escaped the experienced eyes of

received from Commodore Manohar Nambiar and

S.P. Singh PO LOG (F&A), who maintained a

Air Commodore Nitin Sathe with permission from

meticulous log and checklist. Credit must also be

Vitasta Publishing Pvt. Ltd, for the chapter on the

given to Yogesh Kumar L LOG (F&A), Sandeep

2004 tsunami are acknowledged. The contribution

Kumar L LOG (F&A) and Sumit Kumar L

of Mrs Sucharita Velamala to the research into

LOG (F&A) for undertaking thorough fi ling and

the historical background of the NWWA (for the

archiving of the very sizeable documents. Last but

chapter on the Navy’s welfare schemes) is duly

not the least, administrative support, ranging from

appreciated.

chasing fi les in the labyrinths of IHQ MoD (Navy)

For the Section on Builder’s Navy the inputs

to performing the full gamut of offi ce roles, was

received from the four defence shipyards, viz. MDL,

provided efficiently by R.C. Ravindran POHS,

GRSE, GSL and HSL, are also acknowledged.

Vice Admiral Anup Singh (Retd)

New Delhi

Acknowledgements

425

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A Pictorial History of the Medical Services of the Indian Navy, 2004, DGMS (Navy), IHQ MoD

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Social Sciences and Humanities, Tellicherry.

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Mishra, H.K., 2013, Indian Navy through the

Through the Labyrinth of History: A Journey

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through Two Hundred and Seventy-fi ve Years of

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Dockyard, Mumbai.

to Bluewater: The Indian Navy 1951– 65, Lancer, New Delhi.

Victory through Jointness, 2014, Andaman & Nicobar Command, Port Blair.

———,1986, Under Two Ensigns, The Indian

Navy 1945– 50, Oxford & IBH, New Delhi.

Warriors of Stealth: 50 Glorious Years of Silent

Service, 2017, Indian Navy.

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of Information and Broadcasting, Government of

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Arunachalam, B. (ed.), 1998, Essays in Maritime

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Behera, Laxman Kumar, 2016, Indian Defence

Industry: An Agenda for Making in India, Pentagon Press, New Delhi.

Bibliography

427

Abbreviations and Acronyms

AAG Australian Acoustic Generator

AFD Accelerated Freeze Dried

AAI Airports Authority of India

AFMRC Armed Forces Medical Research Committee

AAP Annual Acquisition Plan

AFNHB Air Force Naval Housing Board

ACC Afl oat Clothing Centre

AINSC All India Nau Sainik Camp

ACCP Assistant Controller of Carrier Projects

AIO Action Information Organization

ACD Aircrew Diver

AIP Approval-in-Principle

ACIDS Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff AIS Automatic Identifi cation System

ACM (D) Aircrew Man (Diver)

AISDN ATM-based Integrated Shipborne Data

ACNS (CSNCO) Assistant Chief of Naval Staff

Network

(Communications, Space and Network Centric

AJT Advanced Jet Trainer

Operations)

ALH Advanced Light Helicopter

ACNS (FCI) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff

ALOGO Assistant Logistics Offi cer

(Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence)

AMD Anti-Missile Defence

ACOL Assistant Controller of Logistics

ANAIO Assistant Naval Armament Inspecting Offi cer ACOM (D&R) Assistant Chief of Materiel

ANC Andaman & Nicobar Command

(Dockyard & Refi t)

ANFLOT Andaman & Nicobar Flotilla

ACP Assured Career Progression

ANO Associate NCC Offi cer

ACR Annual Confi dential Report

AoN Acceptance of Necessity

ACWP&A Assistant Controller of Warship

AOPV Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel

Production & Acquisition

AoR Area of Responsibility

AD Air Defence

APO Army Purchase Organization

ADA Aeronautical Development Agency

APSO Assistant Principal Staff Offi cer

ADS Air Defence Ship

APT Automatic Picture Transmission receiver

AEROS Aero Engine Repair and Overhaul Shop

APWD Andamans’ Public Works Department

AEW Airborne Early Warning

ARF Armament Repair Facility

AFC Aviation Facilities Complex

ASC Army Supply Corps

ASRS Automated Storage Retrieval System CBEC Central Board of Excise and Customs

ASTA American Sail Training Association

CBMs Confi dence-Building Measures

ASW Anti-submarine Warfare

CCPA Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs

ATPL Airline Transport Pilot Licence

CDA(N) Controller of Defence Accounts (Navy)

ATU Air Treatment Unit

CDE Committee on Defence Expenditure

AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Cdr Commander

AVCAT Aviation Carrier Turbine Fuel

CDS Chief of Defence Staff

AVSC Ajay Vikram Singh Committee

CEC Central Examination Centre

CELABS Centre of Excellence in Ethics, Leadership BDL Bharat Dynamics Ltd

and Behavioural Studies

BEL Bharat Electronics Ltd

CFA Competent Financial Authority

BEO Base Engineering Offi cer

CFRP Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic

BER Beyond Economical Repair

CGHS Central Government Health Scheme

BHEL Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd

CGPCS Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast

BMF Base Maintenance Facility

of Somalia

BMP Best Management Practices

CHB Clothing History Books

BMS Base Maintenance Staff

CII Confederation of Indian Industry

BPDMS Barak Point Defence Missile System

CINA Chief Inspector of Naval Armament

BRO Base Repair Organization

CINCAN Commander-in-Chief Andaman &

BRO Border Roads Organization

Nicobar Command

BRM Bridge Resource Management

CISC Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the

BRTF Border Roads Task Force

Chairman, COSC

BVR Beyond Visual Range

CIWS Close In Weapon System

BVY Base Victualling Yard

CIWTC Central Inland Water Transport Corporation CKD Completely Knocked Down

C4ISR Command, Control, Communications,

CLCS Commission on the Limits of the

Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and

Continental Shelf

Reconnaissance

CLOIS Clip-on Infl uence Sweep System

CABS Commodore Bureau of Sailors

CMASS Command for Maritime and Strategic Studies CAD Computer-Aided Design

CMF Combined Maritime Forces

CAIO Computer-aided Action Information

CMMFR Combat Mission Monitoring and Flight

Organization

Recorder

CAM Computer-Aided Manufacturing

CMMI Capability Maturity Model Integration

CAN Campus Area Network

CMS Combat Management System

CARES Centre for Avionics Repair and Software

CNC Contract Negotiation Committee

Development

CoC Conclave of Chiefs

CASE Computer Assisted Software Engineering

COD Carrier Onboard Delivery

CASEVAC Casualty Evacuation

CODAD Combined Diesel and Diesel

CATC Combined Annual Training Camp

COE Center of Excellence

CCA Carrier Controlled Approach

COINCOM Command Indigenization Committee

CCA Central Coordinating Authority

COM Chief of Materiel

CCS Cabinet Committee on Security

COMCEN Communication Centre

Abbreviations and Acronyms

429

COMCOS Commodore Commanding Submarines DDU Data Distribution Units

COP Chief of Personnel

DECs Designated Exam Centres

COP Common Operational Picture

DEDC Detailed Engineering Documentation Contract COQC Commanding Offi cer’s Qualifying Course

DEDH Direct Entry Diploma Holder

COSC Chiefs of Staff Committee

DEE Directorate of Electrical Engineering

COTS Commercial-off-the-Shelf

DESW Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare

CPC Central Pay Commission

DFC Directorate of Foreign Cooperation

CPO Chief Petty Offi cer

DFL Directorate of Foreign Liaison

CPS Controller of Personnel Services

DGAFMS Director General Armed Forces

CRAA Close Range Anti-air

Medical Services

CRSO Command Regimental System Offi cer

DGAQA Director General of Aeronautical

CSI Combat Systems Integration

Quality Assurance

CSL Cochin Shipyard Ltd

DGBR Directorate General Border Roads

CSRS Coastal Surveillance Radar System

DGDPS Directorate General, Defence Planning Staff CTD Colour Tactical Display

DGCA Director General Civil Aviation

CTOL Conventional Take-Off and Landing

DGLL Directorate General of Lighthouses and

CRGO Close Range Gunnery Offi cer

Light-ships

CUSAT Cochin University of Science and Technology DGNAI Director General of Naval Armament

CW Commission Worthy (scheme)

Inspection

DGND Director General Naval Design

DA Dearness Allowance

DGNP Director General Naval Projects

DA Diesel Alternator

DGR Director General Resettlement

DAC Defence Acquisition Council

DGQA Director General of Quality Assurance

DACIDS Deputy Assistant Chief of Integrated

DHQs District HQs

Defence Staff

DIA Defence Intelligence Agency

DAG Diesel and Gas Turbine department

DISTEX Disaster Relief Exercises

DAPSA Directorate of Adventure, Physical

DL Defect List

Fitness, and Sports Activities

DLP Directorate of Leander Project

DART Defect and Repair Transaction

DMDD Digital Met Data Dissemination System

DARTs Disaster Relief Teams

DMRL Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory DATs Delivery Acceptance Trials

DNAS Directorate of Naval Air Staff

DC Damage Control

DNC Directorate of Naval Construction

DC&W Discipline, Ceremonials & Welfare DNCO Directorate of Network Centric Operations DCF Discounted Cash Flow

DND Directorate of Naval Design

DCI Dredging Corporation of India

DND (SDG) Directorate of Naval Design

DGICG Director General Indian Coast Guard

(Submarine Design Group)

DCIDS Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff DND (SSG) Directorate of Naval Design (Surface DCMG Defence Crisis Management Group

Ship Group)

DCNS Deputy Chief of Naval Staff

DNE Directorate of Naval Education

DCNS Direction des Constructions Navales

DNI Directorate of Naval Intelligence

DCS Direct Commercial Sales

DNEM Directorate of Naval Education and

DDP Department of Defence Production

Meteorology

430

Blue Waters Ahoy!

DNO Directorate of Naval Operations ELFE Extra Low-Frequency Emissions

DNOM Directorate of Naval Oceanology and

ELINT Electronic Intelligence

Meteorology

EMCCA Electronic Modular Command & Control DNP Directorate of Naval Plans

Applications

DNPF Directorate of Non Public Funds

EMP Electro-Magnetic Pulse

DNS Directorate of Naval Signals

ENC Eastern Naval Command

DNSO Directorate of Network and Space Operations ENC Electronic Navigational Chart

DNSPI Directorate of Nuclear Submarine Projects EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal

and Infrastructure

EoI Expression of Interest

DNT Directorate of Naval Training

EOS Electro-Optical Sight

DNuSMAQ Directorate of Nuclear Submarine

EOT Engine Order Telegraph

Acquisition

EPG Eminent Persons Group

DOFA Defence Offsets Facilitation Agency

ERV Exchange Rate Variation

DoI Directorate of Indigenization

ESM Electronic Support Measures

DoS Directorate of Standardization

EUNAVFOR European Union Naval Force

DoT Department of Telecommunications

EW Electronic Warfare

DPB Defence Procurement Board

EWO Electronic Warfare Offi ce

DPD Detailed Project Document

DPP Defence Procurement Procedure

FAC Fast Attack Craft

DPR Detailed Project Report

FBSU Forward Base Support Unit

DPS Directorate of Personnel Services

FC Foreign Cooperation

DPSU Defence Public Sector Undertakings

FCR Fire Control Radar

DRDO Defence Research and Development

FCS Fire Control System

Organization

FDN Floating Dock Navy

DSMAQ Directorate of Submarine Acquisition

FE Field Evaluation

DSR Directorate of Staff Requirements

FENC Far Eastern Naval Command

DSRV Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle

FET Field Evaluation Trial

DSCT Directorate of Strategy, Concepts and

FF Fire Fighting

Transformation

FFCs Friendly Foreign Countries

Dtes Directorates

FFO Furnace Fuel Oil

DU Dwelling Unit

FIB/FIC Fast Interceptor Boat/Craft

DWWA Defence Wives Welfare Association

FICCI Federation of Indian Chambers of

Commerce and Industry

ECDIS Electronic Chart Display and Information FIG Fédération Internationale des Géomètres

System

FIP Fuel Injection Pump

ECHS Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

FMS Foreign Military Sales

ECI Engine Controls and Instrumentation

FMU Fleet Maintenance Unit

ECS Electronic Clearance Service

FOAB Forward Operating Air Base

EDA Excess Defence Article

FOB Forward Operating Base

EDP Electronic Data Processing

FOC-in-C (West) Flag Offi cer Commanding-in-

EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone

Chief, Western Naval Command

ELCT Evacuation Liaison and Coordination Team

FOCRIN Flag Offi cer Commanding Royal Indian

Abbreviations and Acronyms

431

Navy

HQIDS Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff

FOCWF Flag Offi cer Commanding Western Fleet

HQSNC Headquarters Southern Naval Command

FODAG Flag Offi cer Defence Advisory Group

IAAG Improved Australian Acoustic Generator

FODC Flag Offi cer Doctrines and Concepts

IAAMS Integrated Automatic Aviation

FOMA Flag Offi cer Commanding Maharashtra Area Meteorological System

FONOPS Freedom of Navigation Patrols

IAC Indigenous Aircraft Carrier

FOSM Flag Offi cer Submarines

IADRO Integrated Action Damage Response

FOST Flag Offi cer Sea Training

Organization

FPM Force Protection Measures

IAHV International Association for Human Values FPVs Fast Patrol Vessels

IB Interceptor Boat

FRAO Fire Resistant Action Overall

IBS Integrated Bridge System

FSED Full Scale Engineering Development

IC Integrated Circuit

FTSU Flotilla Technical Support Unit

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization FTTT Fleet Testing and Tuning Team

ICG Indian Coast Guard

ICMS Integrated Clothing Management System

GD General Duty

ICP International City Parade

GENFORM General Information

ICR Interim Confi dential Report

GMDSS Global Maritime Distress and Safety System IDF Israeli Defence Forces

GMS Genform Management System

IDS Integrated Defence Staff

GoA Gulf of Aden

IFATs Integrated Factory Acceptance Trials

GoI Government of India

IFFTI International Foundation of Fashion

GoM Group of Ministers

Technology Institutes

GP Grade Pay

IFR International Fleet Review

GPIEM International Marine Environment Award

IFTU Intensive Flying and Trials Unit

GPS Global Positioning System

IGA Inter-Governmental Agreement

GRSE Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd IGMDP Integrated Guided Missile Development

GSL Goa Shipyard Limited

Program

GT Gas Turbines

IGNOU Indira Gandhi National Open University

GTG Gas Turbines Generator

IGMS Integrated Grievance Management System

IGNS Inspector General Nuclear Safety

HACC Heavy Aircraft Carrying Cruiser

IHM Irregular Human Migration

HADR Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief IHO International Hydrographic Organization

HAG Higher Administrative Grade

IHO-HCA International Hydrographic

HAL Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd

Organization-Hydrographic Co-operation on

HBL Hyderabad Batteries Ltd

Antarctica

HDW Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (Company)

IHOP Integrated Hull Outfi tting and Painting

HMU Helicopter Maintenance Unit

IHQ MoD (N) Integrated Headquarters, Ministry

HPC High Powered Committee

of Defence (Navy)

HSL Hindustan Shipyard Ltd

IIRO Island Integrated Relief Organization

HUMVAD Hull Mounted Variable Depth Sonar

IIT Kgp Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur HQANC Headquarters Andaman & Nicobar

IITM Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology

Command

ILMS (Air) Integrated Logistics Management

432

Blue Waters Ahoy!

System for Aviation

IPMS Integrated Platform Management System

IMCS Integrated Machinery Control System

IPMT Integrated Project Management Team

IMD India Meteorological Department

IR Infra-red

IMO International Maritime Organization

IRC Integrated Relief Command

IMS Inshore Minesweepers

IRLA Individual Running Ledger Account

IMS Indian Medical Service

IRS Indian Register of Ships

IMSF Indian Marine Special Force

IRTC Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor IN-CDO Indian Navy’s Central Design Organization IS Information Security

INA Indian Naval Academy

ISRO Indian Space Research Organization

INAC Indian Naval Academy Course

ISRR Indian Search and Rescue Region

INAF Indian Naval Amenities Fund

IT Information Technology

INBA Indian Naval Benevolent Association

ITEC Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation INCA Indian National Cartographic Association

IT&IW Group Information Technology &

INCOIS Indian National Centre for Ocean

Information Warfare Group

Information Services

IUs Indigenization Units

INDLT Indian Naval Design and Liaison Team

IUU Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported

INDSAR Indian Maritime Search and Rescue

IVMS Integrated Victualling Management System

INHD Indian Naval Hydrographic Department

INI Indian Army’s Institute of National Integration JCOs/ORs Junior Commissioned Offi cers/Other

INLMSB Indian Naval Leadership and

Ranks

Management Study Board

JCDA Joint Controller of Defence Accounts

INM Institute of Naval Medicine

JD Junior Division

INMAC Indian Naval Meteorological Analysis Centre JIC Job Information Cards

INMC Indian Navy Mountaineering Cell

JMI Jamia Milia Islamia

INOES Indian Navy Online Examination System

JNPT Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust

INPEC Indian Naval Polo and Equestrian Contingent JSEPC Joint Staff Equipment Policy Committee

INSA Indian Naval Sailing Association

JSM Joint Services Memorandum

INSCB Indian Navy Sports Control Board

JSQRs Joint Staff Qualitative Requirements

INSCC Indian Navy Sports Control Cell

INSMA Indian Naval Ship Maintenance Authority

KMS Knowledge Management System

INSOC Indian Naval Strategic and Operational

KRA Key Result Area

Council

KRC Kargil Review Committee

INTEG Indian Naval Tactical Evaluation Group

KSB Kendriya Sainik Board

INU Inertial Navigation Unit

INWT Indian Naval Work up Team

LCA Light Combat Aircraft

INWTC Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre LCA Landing Craft Assault

IONS Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

LCA-TD-1 LCA Technology Demonstrator

IOR Indian Ocean Region

LCM Landing Craft Mechanised

IPA Individual Pay Accounts

LCU Landing Craft Utility

IPADS Integrated Pay Accounting and

LCV Landing Craft Vehicle

Disbursement System

LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel

IPKF Indian Peace Keeping Forces

LEVCON Leading Edge Vortex Control

Abbreviations and Acronyms

433

LICO Low Intensity Confl ict Operations METOC Meteorology and Oceanography

LIMO Low Intensity Maritime Operations

MFR Multi-Function Radar

LLMC Long Logistics and Management Course

MGTOC Marine Gas Turbine Overhaul Centre

LMC Low Medical Category

MISS Modular Interface for Ship-borne Systems

LND Local Naval Defence

MLUs Mid-Life Upgrades

LO Lubrication Oil

MNS Military Nursing Service

LOA Letter of Offer and Acceptance

MO Medical Offi cer

LOFAR Low Frequency Analysis and Recording

MO Material Organization

Centre

MOC Maritime Operations Centre

LoI Letter of Intent

MoD Ministry of Defence

LPD Landing Platform Dock

MoE Measure of Effectiveness

LRIT Long-Range Identifi cation and Tracking system MOM Modular Ocean Model

LR-SAM Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

MOST Ministry of Shipping & Surface Transport LRMR Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance

MOXCEN Material Organization Extension

LRS Lloyd’s Register of Ships

Centre

LSHSD Low Sulphur, High Speed Diesel

MPA Maritime Patrol Aircraft

LST (L) Landing Ship Tank-Large

MPCO Master Chief Petty Offi cer

Lt Lieutenant

MPRC Media and Public Relations Cell

Lt Cdr Lieutenant Commander

MR Maritime Reconnaissance

LTIPP Long Term Integrated Perspective Plan

MRs Medium Refi ts

LWTs Local Work-up Teams

MRCC Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre

MRE Meals-Ready-to-Eat

MA Medical Assistant

MR-MLU MR-cum-Mid Life Upgrade

MACP Modified Assured Career Progression

MR-SAM Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

(Scheme)

System

MAINTOP Maintenance Operation

MRSC Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre

MARCO Marine Commando

MSA Merchant Shipping Act

MARIN Maritime Research Institute, Netherlands MSI Maritime Safety Information

MATCH Medium-range Anti-submarine Torpedo

MSIS Merchant Ship Information System

Carrying Helicopter

MSMEs Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

MbPT Mumbai Port Trust

MSO Main Signal Offi ce

MCF Marine Commando Force

MSP Military Service Pay

MCMF Movement Control and Movement

MSTSP Mobile Surgical Technical Support Platoon Forwarding

MSQAA Missile Systems Quality Assurance Agency MCMVs Mine Counter Measure Vessels

MSV Multipurpose Support Vessel

MDA Maritime Domain Awareness

MT Meteorological Training Section

MDB Modular Data Bus

MTCR Missile Technology Control Regime

MDCC Maritime Doctrines and Concepts Centre

MTP Missile Technical Position

MDL Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited

MTTs Mobile Training Teams

MEA Ministry of External Affairs

MTS Meteorological Training Section

MENU Most Enterprising Naval Unit

MU Matrix Units

MES Military Engineering Service

MUHS Maharashtra University of Health Sciences 434

Blue Waters Ahoy!

MWC (Mbi) Maritime Warfare Centre, Mumbai NIDS Naval Institute of Dental Sciences

MWO Main Wireless Offi ce

NIH National Institute of Hydrography

MZI Maritime Zones of India

NIO National Institute of Oceanography

NAD Naval Armament Depot

NIOHC North Indian Ocean Hydrographic

NAE Naval Air Enclave

Commission

NAI Naval Armament Inspection (earlier Inspectorate) NIOT National Institute of Ocean Technology

NAIO Naval Armament Inspection Offi cer

NIPO Navy International Programs Offi ce, US

NAL National Aerospace Laboratories

NIT National Institute of Technology

NAS Naval Air Station

NMF National Maritime Foundation

NA Stores Naval Armament stores

NMOs Naval Meteorological Offi ces

NAMC Naval Aero-Medical Centre

NMRL Naval Materials Research Laboratory

NAQAS Naval Aeronautical Quality Assurance

NMRTC Naval Medical Research and Training

Service

Centre

NBC Nuclear Biological Chemical

NMS New Management Strategy

NBCD Nuclear Biological Chemical Defence and

NMSARB National Maritime Search and Rescue

Damage Control including fi re fi ghting

Board

NBCDO Nuclear Biological Chemical Defence and

NODPAC Naval Operations Data Processing and

Damage Control including fi re fi ghting Offi cer

Analysis Centre

NCC National Cadet Corps

NOIC Naval Offi cer-in-Charge

NC (e) Non Combatants (enrolled)

NOIC A&N Naval Offi cer-in-Charge, Andaman NCMRWF National Centre for Medium Range

& Nicobar Islands

Weather Forecast

NoK Next of Kin

NCO Network-Centric Operations

NOPVs Naval OPVs

NCO Non-Commissioned Offi cer

NOSDCP National Oil-Spill Disaster

NCS Navy Children School

Contingency Plan

NCT National Capital Territory

NPO Naval Pay Offi ce

ND Naval Detachment

NPOL National Physical & Oceanographic

ND (V) Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam

Laboratory

ND (Mbi) Naval Dockyard, Mumbai

NRs Normal Refi ts

NDA National Defence Academy

NRS Naval Regimental System

NDB Nevskoye Design Bureau

NRW Navigation Repair Workshop

NDT Non-Destructive Testing

NSB Naval Selection Board

NEC Naval Engineering College

NSCS National Security Council Secretariat

NES Naval Engineering Standards

NSDRC National Ship Design and Research

NETSAFA Naval Education Training and Security

Centre, Visakhapatnam

Assistance Field Activity

NSG Nuclear Suppliers Group

NEWN Navy Enterprise Wide Network

NST Navy Sailing Team

NFU Non-Functional Upgradation

NSTL Naval Science and Technological Laboratory NGIF Naval Group Insurance Fund

NSQRs Naval Staff Qualitative Requirements

NGIS Naval Group Insurance Scheme

NSRY (Kar) Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar

NHO National Hydrographic Offi ce

NSRY (Koc) Naval Ship Repair Yard (Kochi)

NICA Naval Institute of Computer Applications

NTP Naval Transport Pool

Abbreviations and Acronyms

435

NTRO National Technical Research Organization Fitness and Sports Activities

NWWA Navy Wives Welfare Association

PDESA Principal Director Ex-Servicemen Affairs NWC Naval War College

PDSCT Principal Director of Strategy, Concepts OBM Outboard Motor

and Transformation

OBS Onboard Spares

PDSMS Principal Director Submarine Safety

ODA Offshore Development Area

PET Physical Effi ciency Test

ODC Offi ce of Defence Cooperation, US Embassy PETB Pegasus Engine Test Bed

OEM Original Equipment Manufacturer

PFR President’s Fleet Review

OFB Ordnance Factory Board

PI staff Permanent Instructional staff

OFC Ocean Forecasting Centre

PINA Principal Inspector of Naval Armament

Oi/C Offi cer-in-Charge

PIO Person of Indian Origin

OJT On the Job Training

PME Professional Management Examination

ONGC Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

PMO Prime Minister’s Offi ce

Op Demo Operational Demonstration

PNC Price Negotiation Committee

OPDEFs Operational Defects

PNM Pipe Noise Maker

Ops Room Operations Room

PODPS Physical Oceanographic Data Processing

OPV Offshore Patrol Vessel

System

ORDBMS Oracle Database Management System

POL Petroleum, Oils and Lubricants

ORI Operational Readiness Inspection

POT Propulsion Order Telegraphs

OROP One Rank One Pension

PPM Planned Preventive Maintenance

OSC Operational Sea Checks

PRCN Pre-Commission Course

OSCC Offshore Security Co-ordination Committee PRDIES Post-Retirement Death Insurance

OSD Overseas Deployment

Extension Scheme

OSD Oil Spill Dispersal

PSI Propulsion System Integration

OSR Outline Staff Requirements

PSR Preliminary Staff Requirement

OST Operational Sea Training

PSU Public Sector Undertaking

OSV Offshore Supply Vessel

PTA Pilotless Target Aircraft

OTA Offi cers Training Academy

OTHT Over-the-Horizon-Targeting

QUAEST Quality Assurance Expert System Tool

OTR Operational Turn-Around

R&R Repair and Re-equipment

PAF Pakistan Air Force

RA Request for Assistance

PAF Project Affected Families

RBD Rajabagan Dockyard

PASSEX Passage Exercise

RBI Reserve Bank of India

PBOR Personnel Below Offi cer Rank

RCS Radar Cross Section

PC Permanent Commission

RCU Regimental Coordinating Unit

PCB Printed Circuit Board

ReCAAP Regional Co-operation Agreement on

PCDA (Navy) Principal Controller of Defence

Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against

Accounts (Navy)

ships in Asia

PCT Pre-Commissioning Training

RFI Request for Information

PCV Pollution Control Vessel

RFP Request for Proposal

PDAPSA Principal Director, Adventure, Physical RIB Rigid Infl atable Boat

436

Blue Waters Ahoy!

RIN Royal Indian Navy

SIDS Small Island Developing States

RINR Royal Indian Naval Reserve

SMB Survey Motor Boat

RINVR Royal Indian Navy Volunteer Reserve

SME Small and Medium Enterprise

RLG Ring Laser Gyro

SMU (V) Submarine Maintenance Unit (Visakhapatnam) RMA Revolution in Military Affairs

SINA Senior Inspector of Naval Armament

RMSFF Rocket Motor Static Firing Facility

SLOCs Sea Lines of Communication

RNVR Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

SLt (X) Sub Lieutenant (Executive Branch)

RO Reverse Osmosis

SNAES Special Naval Architecture Entry Scheme

RPA Remotely Piloted Aircraft

SNM School of Naval Medicine

RRC Repair Rate Contract

SNOC Short Naval Orientation Course

RSES Revised Special Entry Scheme

SNOM School of Naval Oceanology and

RSU Regimental State Unit

Meteorology

RTD Repair and Technical Documentation

SOC Statement of Case

SOI Survey of India

S&P Standards & Processes

SOMA School of Medical Assistants

S&S Supply & Secretariat Branch

SONAR Sound Navigation and Ranging

SAIL Steel Authority of India Ltd

SOP Standard Operating Procedure

SAM Surface-to-Air Missile

SQR Staff Qualitative Requirement

SAP Special Aid Program

SRAR Ships Running and Activity Return

SAR Search and Rescue

SRE Space Recoverable Experimental (Capsule)

SATs Sea Acceptance Trials

SRGM Super Rapid Gun Mount

SBC Ship Building Centre

SRs/ESRs Short/Extended-Short Refi t

SBTF Shore Based Test Facility

SSAC S&S Advanced Course

SCC Sea Cadet Corps

SSB Service Selection Board

SCAP Services Capital Acquisition Plan

SSC Short Service Commission

SCAP-CHC SCAP Categorization Higher Committee

SSCB Services Sports Control Board

SCE Staff College Entrance

SSC (O) Short Service Commission (Observer)

SCS Sea Control Ship

SSC (P) Short Service Commission (Pilot)

SCS Submarine Combat System

SSC Sea Safety Checks

SD Senior Division

SSM Surface-to-Surface Missile

SD Special Duties List (offi cer)

SSQAG Strategic Systems Quality Assurance Group SDB Seaward Defence Boat

STE Seaman Training Establishment

SDN Ship Data Network

STI Sail Training International

SDR Software Defi ned Radio

STOBAR Short-Takeoff-But-Arrested-Recovery

Secy DP Secretary, Defence Production

STOVL Short-Takeoff-But-Vertical-Landing

SE Staff Evaluation

STS Sail Training Ship

SEMO Senior Executive Medical Offi cer

STUFT Ship Taken Up from Trade

SEPC Staff Equipment Policy Committee

STW Setting to Work

SFD Ship Fit Defi nition

SW Senior Wing

SFS Self-Financing Scheme

SWAN Simulating Waves Nearshore

SHADE Shared Awareness and Deconfl iction

SHQs Service Headquarters

TA Turbo Alternator

Abbreviations and Acronyms

437

TACS Total Atmospheric Control System VME Versa Model Europa

TATE Teradyne: Automated Test Equipment

VPN Virtual Private Network

TC Turbo Compressor

VPT Visakhapatnam Port Trust

TCoE Testing Centre of Excellence

VSTOL Vertical or Short Take-off and Landing

TDF Technology Development Fund

VSWR Voltage Standing Wave Ratio

TEC Technical Evaluation Committee

VTOL Vertical Takeoff and Landing

TEL Transporter Erector Launcher

VUDA Visakhapatnam Urban Development

TF Task Force

Authority

TISS-SVE School of Vocational Education, Tata

Institute of Social Sciences

WAM Wave Ocean Model

TLM Tube Launched Missiles

WECORS Weapon Electronic Controls Overhaul

TM Technical Manager

and Repair Shop

TNC Technical Negotiation Committee

WED Weapon Equipment Depot

TOC Technical Oversight Committee

WESEE Weapons and Electronics Systems

ToT Transfer of Technology

Engineering Establishment

TPCR Technology Perspective and Capability

WJFAC Water Jet Fast Attack Craft

Roadmap

WMO World Meteorological Organization

TR Tons of Refrigeration

WMS Warehousing Management System

TRV Torpedo Recovery Vessel

WOT Warship Overseeing Team

TWA Trailing Wire Antenna

WPNS Western Pacifi c Naval Symposium

WPS Warship Production Superintendent

UASS Upper Air Sounding System

WRINS Women’s Royal Indian Naval Service

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

WWO Warship Work Up Organization

USG US Government

XFAC Extra Fast Attack Craft

VAdm Vice Admiral

X/GS Executive Branch/General Service

VBSS Visit, Board, Search and Seizure

VLSI Very-Large-Scale Integration

YAI Yachting Association of India

438

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Index

Action Information Organisation (AIO), 306

Base Engineering and Electrical Workshop, 65

Aditya, 12–13, 67, 96–98, 138, 324, 377–78, 422

Beirut, Port City, 105

Admiral Gorshkov, 35, 363–64

Betwa, 13, 102, 106, 354, 418

Agray, 59–60, 422, 423

Brahmaputra, 13, 93, 102, 106, 138

Airavat, 12

Brahmaputra-class frigates, 29–30

Aircrew divers (ACDs), 239

‘Bridges of Friendship’, 126, 134, 137, 141, 159

Air Force Naval Housing Board (AFNHB), 410

Bucket Dredger Nikaraksha, 25

Ajay, 11–12

Alouette Medium-range Anti-submarine Torpedo

Campus Area Network (CAN), 61

Carrying Helicopter [MATCH] Role, 8

Car Nicobar, 13, 85–88, 92–93, 101

Amar, 11–12

Centre for Leadership and Behavioural Studies

Ambuda, 25

(CLABS), 206–8

Amrit, 25

Centre of Excellence in Ethics, Leadership and

Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC)

Behavioural Studies (CELABS), 208

area of responsibility, 302

CGS Rajhans, 12

Chain of Command, 303

Chakra, 246, 248

components,

303–4

Chetlat, 13

support organizations of, 304–5

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), 295–96

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Chilka, 218

after tsunami, 101

Circars, 61

Indian Navy’s Humanitarian Relief and Disaster

‘Clean Air’ Campaign, 136

Relief (HADR) operations in, 91–94

Clip-on Infl uence Sweep (CLOIS) System, 349

Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW), 348–49

Cochin Shipyard (CSL), xi, 6, 36, 39–48, 365, 378

ATM-based Integrated Shipborne Data Network

College of Nursing, 276

(AISDN), 30

Colour Tactical Display (CTD), 308

439

Combat Management System (CMS), 43

Directorate of Submarine Acquisition (DSMAQ),

Commander-in-Chief Andaman & Nicobar

311

Command (CINCAN), 301, 303

Disaster Relief Teams (DART), 94

Commissioning of squadrons, 237–38

DND ‘Submarine Design Group’ (DND-SDG), 25

C o m m o d o r e C o m m a n d i n g S u b m a r i n e s DND ‘Surface Ship Group’ (DND-SSG), 25

(COMCOS), 248

Doctrine and Concept Development Handbook,

Computer-aided Action Information Organisation

315

(CAIO), 30

Donde, Cdr Dilip, 218

Computerized AIO (CAIO) system (IPN-10), 306

Dunagiri, 26, 73

Cromwell, Oliver, 128

Cyclone Nargis, relief operations for. see Operation Eksila, 70–71

Sahayata

Electronic Chart Display and Information System

(ECDIS), 350

Darshak, 18, 21, 260

Ensigns and Pendants, 398–400

Deepak, 24, 377–78

Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme

Defence Crisis Management Group (DCMG), 297

(ECHS), 405–9

Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)

2002,

335–36

Faculty of Naval Architecture, IIT Kharagpur

2005,

336–39

(IIT Kgp), 24

2006,

339–42

Far Eastern Naval Command, 300

2008 (as amended in 2009), 342–43

Fifteen-Year Shipbuilding Plan, 312

‘Make’ category, 341–42, 378

Fifth Pay Commission, 201

Dega, 88, 91, 231, 234, 238

First Pay Commission, 200

Dhruvak, 20

Flag Offi cer Commanding Maharashtra Naval Area

Directorate of Adventure, Physical Fitness and

(FOMA), 196

Sports Activities (DAPSA)

Flag Offi cer Commanding Western Fleet (FOCWF),

creation of, 209

196

major adventure activities conducted by, 210–11

Flag Offi cer Sea Training organization

objective,

209

aim of, 196

organizational structure of, 211–13

as Centre for Regional Excellence, 197–98

Directorate of Electrical Engineering (DEE), 311

conduct of work up, 198

Directorate of Foreign Cooperation (DFC), 313

creation of, 196

Directorate of Foreign Liaison (DFL), 313

growth of, 197

Directorate of Naval Air Staff (DNAS), 311

interaction with navies, 198

Directorate of Naval Construction, 24

vision document, 198

Directorate of Naval Design (DND), 25

Work Up Teams, 197–98

Directorate of Network and Space Operations

Flags and Colours, 393–98

(DNSO), 311

Fleet Maintenance Unit (FMU), 64–65

Directorate of Network-Centric Operations

Fleet Review

(DNCO), 309–10

Beating Retreat ceremony, 138

Directorate of Strategy, Concepts and

‘Bridges of Friendship’, 134

Transformation (DSCT), 313–14

‘Clean Air’ Campaign, 136

440

Blue Waters Ahoy!

concept,

131

Garden Reach Workshops, 5

events,

133–40

Gharial, 12, 21, 92

history of, 131–32

Ghorpad, 95

in India, 133

Goa, as port city, 15–16

motto,

133

Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), 5

past,

132

background,

16

preparations and rehearsals, 134–36

Extra Fast Attack Craft (XFACs), 18–19

President’s, 132 ( see also President’s Fleet

Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs), 19

Review)

Naval OPVs (NOPVs), 18

Fleet Testing and Tuning Team (FTTT), 64

1241 RE-class missile vessels, 18

Floating Dock Navy-1 (FDN-1), 67–68

shipbuilding activity, chronology, 17–19

Foreign cooperation initiatives, 129–30

Sutlej-class ships, 18

funding schemes, 159–60

Godavari-class frigates, 9, 74, 138, 328

training programs, 160–62

Development of stabilizer systems, 75

Fourth Pay Commission, 201

EOT/POT system for, 75

Foxtrot-class submarines, 243–44

Goyal, Captain Prabhat, 109

Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs), 159

Griffon Hoverwork Limited, 13

Funding schemes

Gunnery

ITEC schemes, 159–60

‘A 190-E’ Gun, 346

Self-fi nancing Scheme (SFS), 160

background,

344–45

Special Aid Programme (SAP), 160

Barak Anti-Missile Defence (AMD) System,

345–46

Gallantry Awards, 383–92

BrahMos SSM, 345

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd

CRN 91, 347

(GRSE)

Dhanush missile system, 346

anti-submarine warfare corvettes (ASW

Kavach Chaff Dispensing System, 347–48

Corvettes),

14

Klub SSM, 346

background,

11

Medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile System

Brahmaputra-class frigates, 13

(MR-SAM),

348

Fast Attack Craft (FAC), 13

Shtil Area Defence SAM System, 346

fl eet tankers, 12

SRGM,

346–47

guided missile corvettes, 13

Talwar class, 346

hovercrafts,

13

hydrographic ship, 12

500 HP Tug Balshil, 25

landing ships, 12

Hansa, 237

modernization programme and expansion,

Hercules. see Vikrant

14–15

Himgiri, 26, 73

SDBs,

12

Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), 5, 20–22

ships for Indian Coast Guard (ICG), 12

Hirachand, Seth Walchand, 5, 20

warship building, 11

HMS Investigator, 4

Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC), 13–14

HMS Meanee, 4

Index

441

Hopper Barges Sevak and Sahayak, 25

Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

Hospitals of Indian Navy

additional responsibilities, 285

Asvini, 274

coastal security, 289

Dhanvantari, 275

combat against piracy and armed robbery, 289

Jeevanti, 275

duties and functions, 285

Kalyani, 274

Fleet Review, 289

Kasturi, 275

major pollution response operations/exercises,

Nivarini, 275

289–91

outreach efforts, 277–78

missions,

285–86

Patanjali, 275–76

organizational hierarchy, 286

Sanjivani, 274–75

pollution response, 288–91

Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), 8–9

SAR/MEDEVAC operations, 287

Human Resource Development and Management

search and rescue (SAR) operations, 286–87

Ajay Vikram Singh Committee, 167–69

types of units, 286

branch/cadre/specialization,

171

Indian Maritime Doctrine, 160

chain of reporting/ reporting cycle for

Indian Maritime Doctrine (2009), 315

confi dential reports (CRs), 169

Indian maritime power, medieval period, 3

commanding

offi cers qualifying course

Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA),

(COQC),

172

262

Command/Staff College Examinations, 173–74

Indian Naval Academy

Commission Worthy Scheme, 174

at Cochin, 183–84

duties of MCPOs, 178–79

commencement of training, 187

hydro courses, 172–73

crest and motto, 187

induction procedures, 181

curriculum,

188

management philosophy, 167

design,

186

professional management examination, 174

expansion and inauguration, 187

manpower sanctions, 180–81

extra-curricular activities, 189

naval armament inspectorate (NAI) offi cers, 172

at Goa, 184

out-of-turn promotion, 176

objective,

183–84

permanent absorption of offi cers, 172

obstacles and construction, 185–86

promotions,

169–70

practical and outdoor training, 188–89

promotion to captain under ‘staff stream’,

site selection, 184–85

170–71

watermanship training, 189

sailors,

175–77

Indian Naval Benevolent Association (INBA),

sea time for offi cers, 170

402–3

selection procedure, 172

Indian Naval Hydrographic Department (INHD),

Short Service Commission scheme, 167, 173

258–59

foreign cooperation, 264–65

IHQ MoD (N), 73–74, 86, 94, 102–3, 144, 153,

Hydrographic Training Unit, 259–60

175–77, 313–14

Indo-Maldives Cooperation, 265

Incidents/accidents of Indian Naval ships,

Indo-Mauritius Cooperation, 265

Submarines and aircraft (2001–2010), 421–23

Indo-Seychelles Cooperation, 264–65

442

Blue Waters Ahoy!

role of, 260–63

assistance to small island developing states,

Indian Naval Polo and Equestrian Contingent

127–28

(INPEC), 212–13

bilateral and multilateral exercises, 129

Indian Naval Sailing Association

foreign cooperation initiatives, 129–30

medals won, 217–18

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster

role and charter, 216–17

Relief (HADR) operations ( see Indian Navy’s

Indian Naval Ship Maintenance Authority

HADR

operations)

(INSMA), 63–64

hydrographic assistance to different countries,

Indian Naval Strategic and Operational Council

128–29

(INSOC), 314

information sharing arrangement, 129

Indian Navy Mountaineering Cell (INMC), 213–14

literature on, 124–26

North Pole Expedition, 216

India’s shipbuilding heritage, 24–25

Indian Navy Online Examination System (INOES),

during Indus Valley Civilization, 2

193–94

during Mauryan era, 3

Indian Navy’s Central Design Organisation (CDO),

modern period, 3–6

24

steam ships, 4

Indian Navy’s Humanitarian Relief and Disaster

in Vedic texts, 2

Relief (HADR) operations, 86–87, 128

Indigenization efforts

in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, 91–94

Burnshield blankets, 74

in Andhra Pradesh, 91

cable trunks, 76

lessons learnt, 100

development of stabilizer systems, 75

Operation Castor, Maldives, 97–98

Directorate of Indigenisation (DOI), 73

Operation Gambhir, Indonesia, 98–99

DRDO, role of, 73

Operation Madad, 88–90

early,

72–73

Operation Rainbow, Sri Lanka, 94–97

in ‘Float’ and ‘Move’ category systems, 74

Operation Seawaves, 91–94

future of, 76–77

response mechanism and speed of execution,

Godavari-class frigates, 9, 74–75

101

GTG control system, 75–76

Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), 158

hermetic jackets for missiles, 75

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), 129

IU(E) and IU(W) products, 76

acceptance of, 156–57

Klub Missile Loader, 75

activities 2008-10, 157

LST(M) Capstan, 76

formal launch of, 154

lubrication oil (LO) coolers and drain coolers

inaugural event of, 154

for

INS

Viraat, 75

India’s acceptability, 153–54

Rajput-class destroyers, 74

international maritime security initiative, 154

Talwar-class ship, 74

membership of, 155–56

Type-I Battery, 76

objectives,

154

Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), 32–33

sessions,

157

air defence ship (ADS), 37–38

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), 158

challenges,

39–50

India’s maritime outreach

complexity of construction, 47–48

Index

443

complexity of design, 43–45

Lloyd’s Register of Ships (LRS) classifi cation, 18

construction milestones, 37

Logistics of Indian Navy

designing and construction, 35–36

military logistics framework, 250

efforts at indigenization, 36

operational,

254–56

extension of designated phases, 40–43

post-Independence era, 252–54

fi rst attempts, 34–35

pre-Independence era and World War years,

MiG-29K,

36–37

251–52

sea control ship (SCS), 36

Lokayans, 222–24

supervision,

39–40

Indo-Pak Maritime Boundary talks, 262

Magar, 137

IN Polo Team, 213

Mahesh, Cdr Ramachandran, 217

Inspector General Nuclear Safety (IGNS), 249

Maintenance of ships

Institute of Naval Medicine (INM), 276

defects

classifi cation, 57

Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor

sustenance through, 56–57

(IRTC), 110

Marine Medicine, 277

Maritime Diplomacy, 126–27

Jalashwa, 370–75

Maritime Doctrine, 312

Jamuna, 96

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), 129

Jyoti, 92

Maritime Military Strategy (document), 312, 315

Maritime reconnaissance anti-submarine warfare

Kadamba, 191, 325

(MRASW) aircraft, 9

Kalvari, 51, 54–55

Maritime security measures post 26/11, 118

Kalyani, 97

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)

Kamath Committee, 200

Godavari-class frigates, 9

Kamorta-class ASW corvettes, 31–32

Khukri class of ships, 9

Kardip, 88

Leander-class frigates, 7–8

Kargil Review Committee (KRC), 295, 301, 334

milestones,

10

Kelkar, L., 340

Multipurpose Support Vessels (MSVs), 10

Kesari, 12

Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), 10

Khalijia-III, 288

Offshore Supply Vessels (OSVs), 10

Khanjar, 89, 97

origin and background, 7

Khukri, 90

P-15

Delhi-class Destroyers, 10

Khukri class of ships, 9

scale, scope and nature of achievements, 7

Kirch, 95

submarines,

8–9

Kolkata-class destroyers, 31

Vibhuti class of ships, 9

Krivak, 361

Medical branch of Navy

Kumar, Admiral Sushil, 133, 142

dental

offi cers, 273

Kunjali, 237

medical assistants (MAs), 274

Kursura Museum, 351–55

medical

offi cers, 272–73

nursing

offi cers, 273–74

Leander-class frigates, 7–8, 25, 137, 306, 349, 359

Medical Camps, 278

Leda-class frigate, 57

Medical training in Navy, 276–77

444

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Mehta, Admiral Sureesh, 113, 158

UH3H,

230

Meteorological training in Navy, 280–84

Naval Aircraft Yard, Goa, 235

Mohanan, Rear Admiral K., 139

Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi, 234

Moskva-class cruiser, 345, 363–64

Naval Air Enclave (NAE), Santa Cruz, 237

MT Stolt Valor, 109, 113

Naval Armament Inspection (NAI) Organization

Mumbai, 102, 105, 106, 138

history of, 267–68

Mumbai Terror Attacks (26/11)

infrastructure and test facilities, 269–70

locations,

114

roles, responsibilities and functions, 268

naval actions at Oberoi Trident, 116–17

seminars and workshops, 270–71

naval actions at Taj, 114–16

Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, 57–61

targets for assault, 114–18

Automated Test Equipment (ATE), 59

terrorists assault, 117–18

background,

57–58

WNC’s Marine Commandos (MARCOS)

design parameters and weight distribution

response,

114–17

curves,

60

MV Harshavardhan, 36

Engine Controls and Instrumentation (ECI), 59

MV Jala Usha, 20

infrastructure and facilities of, 58–59

reconstruction work, 59–60

Nancowry, 4

Weapon Electronics Controls Overhaul and

Nashak, 9

Repair Shops (WECORS) unit, 59

NAS Shibpur, 234

Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, 61–63

NAS Shibpur (Diglipur), 234

background,

61

National Defence Academy (NDA), 183–84

capacity building, 62–63

National Maritime Foundation, 318

initiatives undertaken, 62

Executive Committee, 319

refi t of submarines Sindhudhwaj and

Governing Council, 319

Sindhuvir, 62

Naval Aeronautical Quality Assurance Service

resource centre, 61

(NAQAS), 235

Naval Education Society, 192

Naval Air Arm

Naval Education System

Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), 230

Bachelor in Technology (BTech)-centred

Boeing P-8I, 231–32

curriculum,

191

enhancement of aircraft capabilities, 232–34

Boys Entry scheme, 190

Hawk AJT MK 132, 232

Education Branch of the Navy, 190–91

IL 38SD (Sea Dragon), 233

Kendriya Vidyalayas, 191

infrastructure and maintenance capability

Professional Management Examination

enhancement,

234–37

(PME),

192–93

Kamov 31 helicopters, 229–30

Sainik Schools, 191–92

LCA (Navy), 233–34

Staff College Entrance (SCE) Examination,

MiG-29K,

230

192–93

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), 230

Naval expeditions, ancient times, 3

Sea Harrier (LUSH), 233

Naval Group Insurance Fund, 404–5

Short Range Surveillance Dornier (DO-228),

Naval Hydrographic School, 128

230

Naval Regimental System, 409–10

Index

445

Naval Science and Technological Laboratory logistics arrangement, 107

(NSTL), 152

port of embarkation, 103–4

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Karwar, 66–67

transit through Suez, 103

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Kochi, 65–66

Pankaj, 25

Naval Ship Repair Yard, Port Blair, 67–70

Paramanandhan, Shri S., 27

Navigation and Direction, 349–50

Parundu, 237

Navy Wives Welfare Association (NWWA), 411–15

Pirates/piracy

Newly commissioned ships and establishments

Best Management Practices (BMP)-Piracy High

(2001-2010), 418–20

Risk Area (HRA), 112–13

Nilgiri, 7, 26, 73

in Gulf of Aden (GoA), 109–10

Nirdeshak, 96

India’s anti-piracy deployment, 109–10

Nireekshak, 150

international efforts against, 110–12

North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission

Somali pirates, 109

(NIOHC), 261–62

Planning/strategic thinking in Navy, 312

NHO website, 262

Pondicherry, 137

Nuclear submarines, 245–46

Prabal, 9

Prakash, Admiral Arun, 152, 301, 305, 316, 319,

Operation Denim

364, 376

action,

119

President’s Fleet Review, 132, 143–52

backdrop,

119

anchor plan for review, 147

request for help from Indian Navy, 119

band concert, 147

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), 81–82

Beating Retreat ceremony, 150

Operation Madad, 88–90, 120–21

literacy events, 150

Operation Parakram

operational demonstration, 149–50

background,

83

planning and coordination, 144–46

de-escalation,

83

presentation of the President’s Colour, 150

mass mobilization, 83

Presidential banquet, 147–48

naval deployments and capabilities, 83

review,

149

Operation Rahat, 120

Project 11430, 364–65

Operation Sahayata, 121

Project 1135.6 frigate, 359, 361

Operations Sagittarius

background,

81

Rajali II, 237

Indian angle, 81–82

Rajput, 150

Operation Sukoon

Rajput-class destroyers, 74–75

arrangements at Larnaca airport, 107–8

GTG control system, 75–76

Beirut entry, 104–5

Ramdas, Commander (later Admiral and CNS),

communication with mission, 104

183

crisis background, 102

Rani Padmini, 6

diplomatic support and media coverage, 107

Ranjit, 89–90

evacuation shuttles, 105–6

Ranvijay, 90

hospitality for evacuees, 106–7

Russia, frigates from, 359–62

Israel’s blockade, 104

446

Blue Waters Ahoy!

Sandhayak, 12, 26, 94

inspection and after, 242

Sangharsh, 307

Kalvari/ Vela class, 244

Sarayu, 21

nuclear,

245–46

Sarvekshak, 26, 96, 261

Submarines of Indian Navy, 51

Savitri, 21

Sudarshini, 19–20

School of Medical Assistants (SOMA), 277

Sujata, 21

School of Naval Medicine (SNM), 276

Sukanya, 94, 137

Scindia Steam Navigation Company, 5

Survivability of a warship, 6

Scorpène-class of submarines, 54–55

Sutlej, 96

Second Pay Commission, 200

Suvarna, 137

Shakti, 102, 106, 377–78

Shalki, 9

TAL Mk I, 349

Sharabh, 90, 92

Talwar-class ship, 74, 361–62

Sharda, 21, 119

Taragiri, 8, 26, 97

Shardul, 12

Tarangini, 19–20, 220

Shikra, 237

construction of, 221

Shishumar, 244–45

Third Naval Base

Shivalik-class stealth frigates, 30–31

infrastructure, 321–22, 326

Sindhughosh, 244–45

location Karwar, 320–21

Sindhukirti, 21

marine works, 324–25

Sindhurakshak, 150

onshore and offshore works, 321–23

Singh, Vice Admiral Madanjit, 298, 364

requirement for, 320

Sixth Central Pay Commission, 201–2

Third Pay Commission, 200

anomalies in, 202–4

Trenton, 375

Sonars, 348–49

Trigun, 308–10

Sports achievements by naval sportsmen, 217–18

Tsunami 2004, 84–85

Subhadra, 137

affected areas, 85–86

Submarine Arm (2001–10)

Indian Navy’s Humanitarian Relief and

development of nuclear propelled submarine,

Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, 86–87

247–48

operational logistics, 87–88

major

refi ts/modernization, 247

operations,

246–47

Udaygiri, 26

organizational changes, 248–49

Uniforms, 398–400

Submarine-construction, 51–52

UN Peace Keeping (UNPK) Missions, 278

project 75, 53–54

UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1816

Scorpène-class of submarines, 54–55

(2008), 110

Shalki and Shankul, 52–53

USNS Mercy Mission 2005 and 2008, 278

Shishumar-class submarines, 52

USS Trenton, 371

thirty-year plan, 53

Utkrosh, 88

Submarine Maintenance Unit (SMU), 69

Submarines, 240–42

Vagli, 21

Foxtrot class, 243–44

Vibhuti, 9, 307

Index

447

Vijayaba, 95

naval staff qualitative requirements

Vikramaditya, 363–69

(NSQRs),

23

Vikrant, 34, 38, 49–50, 140–41, 363

properties included, 23

Vindhyagiri, 8, 26

Shivalik-class stealth frigates, 30–31

Viraat, 75

of stretched Leander, 26

EOT/POT for, 75

of survey vessels, 25–26

V.K. Misra Committee, 340

Warship Work Up Organisation in Visakhapatnam

(WWO [V]), 196

Warships, designing of

Weapons and Electronics Systems Engineering

Brahmaputra-class frigates, 29–30

Establishment (WESEE)

Cadets Training Ship, 28

Combat Management Systems (CMS), 331–32

challenges,

23–24

Combat Systems Integration (CSI), 330–31

‘1969-74’ Defence Plan, 25

Cyber Security Systems, 333

Delhi-class destroyers, 28–29

growth,

329–30

Design Bureau, 25

Networking and Data Links, 332

Godavari-class ships, 26–27

origin,

328

India’s heritage in, 24–25

present location, 328–29

indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC), 32–33

working model, 329

Kamorta-class ASW corvettes, 31–32

Khukri-class corvettes, 27

Yachting Association of India (YAI), 217

Kolkata-class destroyers, 31

landing ship tank-large (LST-L), 28

Zamorin, 187

‘must-haves’/requirements,

23–24

448

Blue Waters Ahoy!

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(1135.6 x 669.1 mm)

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Document Outline

- FC

- FLAP

- Binder1

- 1AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 2AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 3AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 4AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 5AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 6AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 7AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 8AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 9AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 10AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 11AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 12AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 13AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 14AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 15AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 16AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 17AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 18AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 19AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 20AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 21AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 22AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 23AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 24AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

- 25AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 26AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 27AB_INDIAN NAVY

- 28AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

- 29WT_INDIAN NAVY_N

- 30AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

- Front End Papers

- Back End Papers

- BC

Table of Contents

FC

FLAP

Binder1

1AB_INDIAN NAVY

2AB_INDIAN NAVY

3AB_INDIAN NAVY

4AB_INDIAN NAVY

5AB_INDIAN NAVY

6AB_INDIAN NAVY

7AB_INDIAN NAVY

8AB_INDIAN NAVY

9AB_INDIAN NAVY

10AB_INDIAN NAVY

11AB_INDIAN NAVY

12AB_INDIAN NAVY

13AB_INDIAN NAVY

14AB_INDIAN NAVY

15AB_INDIAN NAVY

16AB_INDIAN NAVY

17AB_INDIAN NAVY

18AB_INDIAN NAVY

19AB_INDIAN NAVY

20AB_INDIAN NAVY

21AB_INDIAN NAVY

22AB_INDIAN NAVY

23AB_INDIAN NAVY

24AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

25AB_INDIAN NAVY

26AB_INDIAN NAVY

27AB_INDIAN NAVY

28AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

29WT_INDIAN NAVY_N

30AB_INDIAN NAVY_N

Front End Papers

Back End Papers

BC