Service of State
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime-warfare service of the Indian Armed Forces, responsible for securing India's coastline, island territories and sea lines of communication across the Indian Ocean. It operates aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines and a surface fleet from three commands, and is the instrument through which India provides security and exercises influence in the Indian Ocean Region. It reports through the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) under the Chief of the Naval Staff.
Updated
- Headquarters
- Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi (Integrated HQ, MoD-Navy)
- Commands
- Western (Mumbai), Eastern (Visakhapatnam), Southern/Training (Kochi)
- Fleet
- ~150 warships and submarines in commission; ~300 naval aircraft (reference)
- Carriers
- 2 active: INS Vikramaditya, INS Vikrant
Role
The Indian Navy is the maritime service of the Indian Armed Forces. It secures India’s roughly 7,500-kilometre coastline, its island territories in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, its exclusive economic zone and the sea lines of communication through which most of the country’s trade and energy move. It carries the sea-based leg of India’s nuclear deterrent aboard ballistic-missile submarines, and it is a principal instrument of Indian influence in the Indian Ocean Region, where it conducts anti-piracy patrols, maritime-security partnerships and humanitarian relief. The service is organised into three commands — the Western (Mumbai) and Eastern (Visakhapatnam) operational commands covering the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and the Southern Command (Kochi), which is the training command.
Operational and administrative control runs through the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi, under the Chief of the Naval Staff, who is assisted by the Vice Chief and other Principal Staff Officers. The service is a seat of maritime power because it, and not any individual, holds the platforms — carriers, submarines and a fleet of around 150 warships and submarines — and the doctrine through which India acts at sea. It is also a leading edge of India’s indigenous warship-building programme under Atmanirbhar Bharat, drawing on public-sector yards at Mazagon Dock, Garden Reach, Cochin Shipyard and Hindustan Shipyard.
Desk maintained by IndiaStand editorial cycles. Officeholders are transient; this dossier tracks the institution.
Timeline since 1947
- reference
Navy inherited at independence
On Partition the Royal Indian Navy's assets were divided; India received roughly 32 vessels and about 11,000 personnel.
- reference
Reconstituted as the Indian Navy
With the Republic's founding the service dropped the 'Royal' prefix and its ships took the designation INS (Indian Naval Ship).
- reference
Naval blockade in the war with Pakistan
The Navy enforced a blockade of East and West Pakistan and struck Karachi harbour, with the carrier INS Vikrant operating in the Bay of Bengal.
- reference
First indigenous ballistic-missile submarine enters service
INS Arihant gave India a sea-based leg of its nuclear triad, making it one of a small group of states operating an indigenous SSBN.
- official
INS Vikrant, first indigenous aircraft carrier, commissioned
Built by Cochin Shipyard and designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau, the carrier was commissioned at Cochin Shipyard in Kochi.
- official
Second SSBN INS Arighaat commissioned
The second Arihant-class ballistic-missile submarine was commissioned at Visakhapatnam, deepening the sea-based deterrent.
- reference
SAGAR vision widened to MAHASAGAR
During a visit to Mauritius the government reframed its 2015 SAGAR maritime vision as MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), extending it beyond regional security to economic and technological cooperation.
- official
New maritime strategy INMSS-2026 released
At the Naval Commanders' Conference in New Delhi the Navy released the Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy 2026 (INMSS-2026), its third public maritime strategy after 'Freedom to Use the Seas' (2007) and 'Ensuring Secure Seas' (2015).
Frequently asked
- What is Indian Navy?
- The Indian Navy is the maritime-warfare service of the Indian Armed Forces, responsible for securing India's coastline, island territories and sea lines of communication across the Indian Ocean. It operates aircraft carriers, nuclear-powered submarines and a surface fleet from three commands, and is the instrument through which India provides security and exercises influence in the Indian Ocean Region. It reports through the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Navy) under the Chief of the Naval Staff.
- When was Indian Navy established?
- Indian Navy was established 1950-01-26.
- What does Indian Navy do?
- Its remit covers Sea control and maritime defence of India's coast, islands and EEZ, Sea-based nuclear deterrence via ballistic-missile submarines, Protection of sea lines of communication and anti-piracy patrols, Maritime diplomacy and first-responder role in the Indian Ocean Region, Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief at sea.
- What is the latest on Indian Navy?
- As of 2026-07-05: New maritime strategy INMSS-2026 released. At the Naval Commanders' Conference in New Delhi the Navy released the Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy 2026 (INMSS-2026), its third public maritime strategy after 'Freedom to Use the Seas' (2007) and 'Ensuring Secure Seas' (2015).