Context:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate several infrastructure facilities of Project Seabird in Naval Base Karwar.

Project Seabird Milestone: Inauguration of Key Naval Facilities

• Facilities Inaugurated
  • Piers: Two major piers that will help house Naval Ships and Submarines will be inaugurated.
  • Residential Towers: There will be seven residential towers that will include 320 houses for naval officers and defence civilian personnel and 149 single officers’ accommodation.
    

What is Project Seabird?

• Necessity: During the 1971 war, Indian Navy had to face problems in the existing Mumbai Harbour due to congestion from commercial ships, fishing boats and tourists.
• Alternative Plan: The thinktank contemplated developing a Naval Base south of Mumbai and the possible locations in Kerala were explored.
• Zeroing on the Location: In 1980s, the then Naval Chief, Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson envisioned a new Naval Base to be located south of the naval bases in Mumbai and Goa and north of Kochi.
• Geographical Location: The base would be located in the Binaga Bay between the rugged hills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea at Karwar in Karnataka.
• Advantage: The base would very close to the world’s busiest shipping route between the Persian Gulf and east Asia but would be completely out of range of most strike aircraft from neighbouring countries. 

Project Seabird’s Evolution: Phases of Construction

• Phase I: The Phase I of Project Seabird was completed in 2011 at a cost of ₹2,629 crore, while the Naval Base, now named INS Kadamba, was commissioned in 2005.
  • Naval Assets: Post completion of Phase I, the base could house 11 front-line warships and 10 smaller FIC-type boats. 
  • Ship Lift: Key facility in the Phase I includes a 10,000-tonne ship lift and ship transfer system for dry docking at the Naval Ship Repair Yard.
• Phase II-A: The Phase II-A started in 2014 for expanding the base and adding more facilities. Plans were made for berthing of 32 ships and submarines, along with 23 yardcraft. 
  • Piers:  The piers have now been constructed to accommodate ships/ submarines. There are plans to house multiple aircraft carriers, warships and submarines.
  • Dry Docks: The most unique feature is a Covered Dry Berth. It seeks to facilitate simultaneous docking and complete enclosed maintenance of up to four capital ships.
  • Residential Facilities: As part of the plan, 10,000 dwelling units of all types will be constructed for Officers, Senior and Junior Sailors and Defence Civilian staff.
  • Naval Air Station: A green field dual-use Naval Air Station with 2700 m runway and civil-enclave will be developed for both Naval use as well as commercial operations.
• Phase II-B: This phase of development is still under pipeline. Once completed, the Naval Base will be able to house 50 front-line warships.

What is INS Kadamba?

• About: INS Kadamba is a Naval Base located on the Western Coast of India at Karwar in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada District.
  • It is currently the third largest Naval Base in India, after ones in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. It is the home base of INS Vikramaditya.
  • Once completed, INS Kadamba will be the largest Naval Base in Asia. It will be the largest Naval Base east of the Suez Canal.

• Nomenclature: 

  • INS Kadamba is named after the Kadamba Dynasty, the first Kannada royal dynasty, which had its origin in Uttara Kannada district’s Banavasi.

• Facilities at INS Kadamba

• • Naval Dockyard: The naval Base houses specialised dockyard repair and maintenance facilities with piers, wharfs, revetments, quay walls, etc.
  • Dry Berths: The base also hosts a covered dry berth for ships and submarines which will arrive in the future.
  • Communication Facility: The base will contain new technologically advanced security and communication systems.
  • Naval Air Station: A Naval Air Station, including multiple runways, hangars, housing, ordnance handling areas, services, personnel support infrastructure, etc., will be part of the base.
  • Residential Complex: The base will have housing and residential complexes at multiple locations for personnel working on the base.

INS Kadamba: A Catalyst for Economic and Security Growth

• Economic Potential
  • Boost Tourism: The construction of civilian airports will boost tourism potential in the nearby region, thus acting as a catalyst for growth.
  • Job Creation: The construction in the Naval Base and the growth of private companies will create new job opportunities for the local population.
  • Industrial Growth: The setting up of the Naval Dockyard and the arising maintenance needs of ships will promote industrial growth in the region.
  • Boost Local Economy: Post the completion of the Naval Base, an estimated 50,000 individuals will be residing in the Naval Facilities, thus contributing to the growth of the local economy.
  • Self-Reliance: Majority of the construction is carried out by renowned Indian industry infrastructure leaders, thus catering to the principles of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
  • Investments: The industrial development and the development of basic infrastructure will attract investments into the region.
• Security Potential
  • Faster Deployment of Naval Assets: The Naval assets can be deployed faster than Mumbai due to lower congestion from commercial traffic.
  • Beyond Enemy Strike Range: The Naval Base is located far down south of Mumbai base, taking it out of strike range of enemy aircrafts.
  • Indian Ocean Protection: The Naval Base offers protection to Indian Ocean shipping routes, which pass near the coast of India.
  • Expansion Potential: The Naval Base is greenfield and has a large amount of land available for future expansion.

INS Vajrakosh: The Arsenal of INS Kadamba

• About: INS Vajrakosh is a Naval Station located close to INS Kadamba. Missile and ammunition of the Indian Navy at Karwar will be stored at INS Vajrakosh.
• Functions: It has the role of equipping warships and airplanes with ammunition and also provides specialized servicing facilities for sophisticated missiles and ammunition.
  • Constructed by DRDO the naval missile base will also store the long-range BrahMos missiles and armaments.

Conclusion

INS Kadamba is a very important component of India’s Naval expansion. The base will secure India’s maritime borders and also ensure growth of India’s security role in the Indian Ocean Region.