The Indian Navy has a long history dating back to 1612 and played a key role in World War 2 by keeping supply lines open. It has grown to be one of the top five largest navies in the world with advanced capabilities like the BrahMos cruise missile. The Indian Navy trains elite units like the MARCOS commandos and undertakes missions from the North and South Poles to international disaster relief and aims to further expand its fleet and global operations.

1. 23 Incredible Facts About The Indian Navy
The Indian Navy could easily be the coolest and classiest of armed forces in the world. Here are
23 interesting facts .
1. Originally called the Royal Indian Navy, our supreme naval branch of the armed forces
of India was founded in 1612 by the East India Company and renamed the Indian Navy on
26th January, 1950 after independence.
Source: SES Batteries
2. Navy Day does not commemorate the day the Indian Navy was founded. Rather, it is the
day the Indian Navy successfully executed Operation Trident, an attack on Pakistani Naval
Headquarters in Karachi.
Source: Wikipedia

2. 3. The Indian Navy's first independent mission was against the Portuguese Navy during the
liberation of Goa in 1961.
captured Portugese ship
Albuquerq
Source: Youth Connect
4. India's naval forces played a key role in the Second World War .
A small fleet to begin with, the onset of the war led to an expansion in vessels and personnel
described by one writer as "phenomenal". The large number of Indian merchant seamen and
merchant ships were instrumental in keeping the large stream of raw material and supplies from
India to the United Kingdom open.
Source: Team BHP

3. 5. The Indian Navy fought one of the largest naval conflicts since the Second World War.
During the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war, the Indian Navy executed a blockade, carrier aircraft
bombing missions and cruise missile strikes against land targets. Using anti-ship cruise missiles
to destroy Pakistani oil tank farms was quite innovative for its time.
Source: Bharat Rakshak
6. The Indian Navy is among the top ten naval forces of the world.
It is most commonly ranked as the 5th largest navy. As of 2015, the Indian Navy has a strength
of 58,350 personnel and a large operational fleet consisting of two aircraft carriers , one
amphibious transport dock , 9 Landing ship tanks , 10 destroyers , 15 frigates , one nuclear-
powered attack submarine , 14 conventionally-powered attack submarines , 25 corvettes , 7 mine
countermeasure vessels , 47 patrol vessels , 4 fleet tankers and various other auxiliary vessels .
Source: Daily Backgrounds

4. 7. The missile BrahMos , is the fastest cruise missile in the world with a speedof Mach
(ratio between the speedof the object and the speed of sound) 2.8 – 3.0.
It makes India the only country with supersonic cruise missiles in their army, navy, and air force.
Source: Wikipedia
8. The Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kerala is the largest naval academy in Asia.
Source: Youth Connect

5. 9. Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale is considered as the Father of Indian Navy.
He built a strong naval presence across the coast of Konkan and Goa to protect sea trade.
Source: Wikimapia
10. INS (Indian Naval Ship) Viraat was the navy’s first aircraft carrier and the oldest
aircraft carrier in the world.
Our second aircraft carrier is the INS Vikramaditya. Additionally, INS Vikrant is the first aircraft
carrier to have been manufactured in India.
Source: Wikimapia

6. 11. Most Indian Navy ships and submarines are now manufactured indigenously .
Source: Topyaps
12. The INS Arihant is a 6,000 tonne vessel and the lead ship in India's nuclear-powered
ballistic missile submarines.
INS Arihant is the first ballistic missile submarine to have been built by a country other than one
of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council .
Source: Sputnik News

7. 13. The Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB) formed in March 2009 after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, is
the unit of the Indian Navy responsible for patrolling India’s coastal waters.
Source: Defence Forum India
14. MARCOS or Marine Commandos, nicknamed magarmach, are the special operations
(very secretive) unit of the Indian Navy.
They are widely feared by terrorists who call them ‘ Dadiwali fauj ‘ because of their bearded
disguises in civil areas. They played a huge role during the rescue mission of the hostages during
the 26/11 attacks of Mumbai.
Source: B Modi 700

8. 15. The MARCOS are given rigourous training that they can undertake operation on any
terrain. They face a 90% drop-out rate during training and recruitment.
Source: Expressions-KT
16. There are only two naval aerobatic teams in the world and one of them is our country’s
navy. It is known as Saagar Pawan .
Source: Aerobatic Teams

9. 17. Indian Navy uses a multi-brand communication satellite called GSAT – 7.
It helps Indian Navy to acquire the blue water capabilities, which means an oceangoing fleet is
able to operate on the high seas far from its nation's homeports.
Source: Economic Times
18. The Indian Navy has successfully completed an expedition to the North Pole and the
South Pole.
Source: Youth Connect

10. 19. Indian Navy was the first navy to send a submariner on an expedition to Mt. Everest!
Source: Youth Connect
20. India also uses its navy to enhance the international relations by conducting frequent
port visits and going on humanitarian missions like providing disaster relief.
Source: Youth Connect

11. 21. The current flag of Indian Navy incorporates St. George’s Cross design, a part of the
Union Jack.
Source: CRW Flags
22. Indian Navy expects to be a force of 150 ships and 500 aircraft by 2027.
Source: Topyaps

12. 23. India will have its first supercarrier in INS Vishal by 2025.
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Posted by: YR Raghavan <raghavan_yr@yahoo.com>