Indian Navy Day 2020: India is today celebrating its Navy, honouring and recognising achievements of the valiant men and women in white who protect our country from all marine threats. The Navy, one of the 3 gems of the Indian Armed Forces, is presently the seventh strongest maritime force on the earth.  Let’s learn more about this formidable force. Check out few interesting facts below:

1) Indian Navy was initially called Royal Indian Navy and was founded in 1612 by the East India Company. However, it was renamed as Indian Navy on January 26, 1950 after Independence.

2) 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. The entire operation was known as Operation Trident and it resulted in the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region, and only the second worldwide.

3) The Indian Navy’s first first independent mission was against the Portuguese Navy in Goa in 1961.

4) BrahMos, Indian Navy’s anti-ship cruise missile, is the world’s fastest operational system in its class with a speed of Mach (ratio between the speed of the object and speed of the sound) 2.8-3.0.

5) Shivaji demonstrated great skill in creating his military organisation, which lasted till the demise of the Maratha empire. He also built a powerful navy, which is why he is considered as the Father of Indian Navy

6) The Ezhimala Naval Academy in Kerala is the largest of its kind in Asia. The Naval Academy (NAVAC) was established in May 1969, while its Ezhimala campus was inaugurated on 8 January 2009 and the name changed to Indian Naval Academy

7) Indian Navy successfully completed an expedition to the North Pole and the South Pole. Indian Navy was also the first navy to send a submariner to an expedition to Mt. Everest! A ten-member team of the Indian Navy created history in May 2008, by reaching the North Pole and joining an elite group of adventurers who have conquered the “three poles”.

8) Navy’s Sagar Pawan, the aerobatic demonstration team, is one of the only two naval aerobatic teams in the world. The other one being the Blue Angels of the US Navy.

Why is Dec 4 celebrated as Indian Navy Day?

December 4 was chosen as Indian Navy Day it was on this day, that ships of the Indian Navy led a deadly attack during Operation Trident, on Karachi Harbour during the 1971 Indo Pak War. The Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar and PNS Shah Jahan killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel.

The Three Vidyut class missile boats of the Indian Navy, INS Nipat, INS Nirghat, and INS Veer, all played a pivotal role. With no damage to the naval ships and no casualties, it is remembered as the most successful attack launched by the Indian Navy.