Indian Navy Day 2023

GS Paper III Defence and Security

Context: Indian Navy Day is celebrated on December 4 each year, to recognize the role and achievements of the Indian Navy.

Indian Navy Day 2023: Key Highlights

On the occasion of Navy Day, the PM unveiled a grand statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th-century Maratha king at the coastal fort of Sindhugarh, Maharashtra.
He noted that Shivaji knew the importance of naval power, and announced that epaulettes (ornamental shoulder pieces denoting rank) adorned by naval officers would soon carry his emblem.
The Indian Navy Day 2023 theme is “Operational Efficiency, Readiness, and Mission Accomplishment in the Maritime Domain”.

The celebration of Indian Navy Day, on December 4 holds historical significance as it commemorates ‘Operation Trident‘ during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

Operation Trident and its significance:

In 1971, Pakistan launched an attack on December 3 on the Indian air bases.
In response, the Indian Navy planned an attack on the night of December 4 and 5, as Pakistan didn’t have the aircraft to carry out bombings.
The Indian Navy targeted the Pakistan naval headquarters in Karachi during ‘Operation Trident’.
It launched three missile boats – INS Veer, INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and Vidyut-class boats – towards Karachi and sank three Pakistani Navy ships, including PNS Khaibar.

INS Shivaji: To commemorate the sea-faring prowess of the Marathas, under Shivaji, the Indian Navy has named its training establishment in Lonavla as INS Shivaji.
INS Angre: The shore-based logistics and administrative hub of the Western Naval Command, Mumbai, is named as INS Angre — after Kanhoji Angre (1669-1729), the celebrated Maratha naval commander.
New Naval Ensign: The use of the octagonal design of the seal of Shivaji on the new Naval Ensign.

Father of the Indian Navy’: Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj the great Maratha ruler, is considered by many as the ‘Father of the Indian Navy’.
- It is him who laid the foundation of a modern navy in India.
Philosophy of Naval Dominance: Historians note that his vision for the navy was based in his belief – “Jalameva yasya, balameva tasya”, which translates to “He who rules over the seas is all powerful”.
- According to Indian Navy documents, the Maratha navy held both the Portuguese and the British at bay.
Construction of multiple naval forts: Between 1653 and 1680, Shivaji ordered the construction of multiple naval forts, starting with the Vijaydurg in 1653, and followed by the likes of Sindhudurg and Kolaba.
Birth of the Maratha Navy (1661-1663): Between 1661 and 1663, the Maratha Navy came into existence, and at its peak included 400-odd ships of various kinds and sizes. These included both larger battleships, and other vessels of varying shapes and purposes, such as the gurab, tarande, galbat, shibad, and pal.
According to BK Apte’s pioneering A History of the Maratha Navy and Merchant Ships (1973), Shivaji’s navy tasted its first success when he used 85 ships to attack Basuru near Kundapura in today’s Karnataka a mission that yielded a huge booty.
Limitation: The Marathas could hold their own in littoral waters but could not challenge European naval power in the high seas.