Major Naval Commands and Bases in India

The Indian Navy safeguards India’s coastline, exclusive economic zone, and sea lines of communication through a structured network of operational commands, strategic bases, air stations, and training establishments.

Organization of the Indian Navy

The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. Operational and administrative control is exercised by the Chief of the Naval Staff from the Integrated Headquarters under the Ministry of Defence in New Delhi. To perform its functions, the Navy is structured into three operational commands and one joint tri-services command.

Operational and Joint Commands

Each operational command is led by a Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief holding the rank of Vice Admiral.

Western Naval Command (WNC)

• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Role: Maritime security in the Arabian Sea.
• Importance: Protects India’s western maritime borders and energy trade routes from the Persian Gulf.
• Fleet: Controls the Western Fleet, known as the Sword Arm of the Indian Navy.
• Major stations: Mumbai, Karwar, Goa, Porbandar, and Okha.

Eastern Naval Command (ENC)

• Headquarters: Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• Role: Operations in the Bay of Bengal.
• Importance: Monitors strategic sea routes leading to the Strait of Malacca and conducts maritime exercises with Southeast Asian nations.
• Fleet: Controls the Eastern Fleet, also known as the Sunrise Fleet.
• Key bases: Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, and Rambilli.

Southern Naval Command (SNC)

• Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala.
• Role: Primary training command of the Navy.
• Functions: Designs training curricula, conducts basic and advanced courses, and manages key training academies.
• Area of responsibility: Naval operations in the southern waters of the Indian Ocean, including the Lakshadweep archipelago.

Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC)

• Headquarters: Port Blair.
• Role: India’s first operational tri-services command.
• Composition: Integrates assets from the Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard.
• Strategic value: Its location near the Malacca Strait helps monitor key maritime choke points.

Key Strategic Naval Bases

INS Kadamba (Karwar, Karnataka)

• Location: Near Karwar.
• Project: Developed under Project Seabird, initiated due to heavy commercial traffic and congestion at Mumbai Harbour after the 1971 war.
• Significance: Once Phase II expansion is complete, it will be the largest naval base in the Eastern Hemisphere, east of the Suez Canal.
• Assets: Hosts the aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
• Feature: India’s first shiplift and transfer system for docking and maintenance of ships and submarines.

INS Varsha (Rambilli, Andhra Pradesh)

• Location: Near Visakhapatnam.
• Purpose: Home port for India’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) fleet.
• Feature: Underground pens protect nuclear submarines from aerial detection and external strikes.

INS Jatayu (Minicoy, Lakshadweep)

• Location: Minicoy Island.
• Role: Forward operating base for surveillance of vital sea routes in the Arabian Sea.
• Functions: Helps counter piracy, prevent illegal smuggling, and coordinate search and rescue operations.

Naval Air Stations

INS Rajali (Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu)

• Feature: One of the longest military runways in Asia.
• Role: Primary base for P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.

INS Hansa (Dabolim, Goa)

• Feature: Largest naval air station in India.
• Role: Home base for MiG-29K carrier-borne fighter aircraft and several naval helicopter squadrons.

INS Baaz (Campbell Bay, Great Nicobar)

• Feature: Southernmost air station of the Indian Armed Forces.
• Role: Monitors the Six Degree Channel, a major international shipping lane.

INS Garuda (Kochi, Kerala)

• Feature: Oldest operational naval air station in India.
• Role: Houses training squadrons, helicopter units, and repair facilities.

Specialized Training and Operational Establishments

INS Shivaji (Lonavala, Maharashtra)

• Role: Premier technical training institute of the Indian Navy.
• Training: Engineers of the Engineering Branch, including personnel from the Coast Guard and friendly foreign nations.

INS Valsura (Jamnagar, Gujarat)

• Role: Training center for the Electrical Branch of the Indian Navy.
• Training areas: Electronics, radar systems, and information technology.

INS Chilka (Odisha)

• Location: Near Chilika Lake.
• Role: Primary basic training establishment for all newly recruited sailors.

INS Abhimanyu (Mumbai, Maharashtra)

• Role: Headquarters and training ground for the Marine Commandos (MARCOS), the elite special forces unit of the Indian Navy.

INS Karna (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh)

• Role: Dedicated naval base on the east coast for MARCOS units.

Command and Base Summary Tables

Rare Facts for Prelims

• INS Kadamba is among India’s few naval bases designed as a major deep-water facility for future fleet expansion.
• INS Varsha is closely linked to India’s sea-based nuclear deterrence and submarine survivability.
• INS Baaz is strategically important because of its proximity to the Six Degree Channel and the eastern Indian Ocean trade route.
• Andaman and Nicobar Command is the only Indian command that brings together all three services under one operational umbrella.
• INS Rajali is a key hub for long-range maritime surveillance over the Indian Ocean region.
• INS Chilka is one of the most important entry points for sailor induction in the Indian Navy.

Recent Context

On 19 August 2026, the Eastern Naval Command inaugurated a shore-based Launch and Recovery System (LARS) Test Plinth at the Submarine Rescue Unit (East) in Visakhapatnam. The facility supports testing and maintenance of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) rescue system.