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”.
About Indian Navy Day:
- 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.
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Marathas and Indian Navy:
- 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.
About Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj:
- 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.
News Source: The Indian Express
December 5, 2023