Indian Navy: Orbat for the 1971 War, Arabian Sea
v.1.1 September 8, 2002

From the unpublished Official History of the 1971 War.

Additional participating ships names thanks to Umesh Rana.

 

-         Chief of Naval Operations: Admiral S.M. Nanda

-         Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, Bombay: Vice Admiral S.N. Kolhi

-         Flag Officer Commanding, Southern Naval Area, Cochin: Rear Admiral V.A. Kamath

 

Western Fleet [Rear Admiral E.C. Kuruvila]

All ships prefaced INS for Indian Naval Ship

1 CA

9 FF

3 DD

3 Petya

2 AO

1 AS

3 Survey

8 MSO

5 Patrol

8 Missile Boats

2 SS

1 Training

 

Ship

Comments

Mysore

Capt. R.K.S. Gandhi, 11,040 tons, flagship; 9 X 6”, 8 X 4”, 12 X 40mm

 

 

Trishul

Capt. K.R. Nair, leader, 15th Frigate Squadron

Talwar

Cdr. S.S. Kumar

 

 

Khukri

Capt.M.N. Mulla, leader, 14th Frigate Squadron

Kirpan

 

??

 

 

 

Beas

Cdr. R.K. Chaudhri

Betwa

Cdr. R.K. Chaudhri

 

 

Cauvery

Cdr. I.K. Erry  (Training Squadron)

Krishna

Cdr. R.A.J. Anderson (Training Squadron)

Tir

Cdr. M. Pratap (Training Squadron)

 

 

Ranjit

Cdr. R. N. Singh (destroyer)

Godavari

(destroyer)

Ganga

(destroyer)

 

 

Kiltan

Cdr. K.P. Gopal Rao (Petya frigate/corvette), leader, 312 Division

Kadmath

Cdr. Tony Jain (Petya) 312 Division

Katchal

(Petya) 312 Division

Anjadeep

(Petya)

Arnala

(Petya)

 

 

Deepak

Oiler

Sagardeep

Oiler

 

 

Amba

Submarine Tender

 

 

Darshak

Survey

Sutluj

Survey

Investigator

Survey

 

 

Nipat

Cdr B.B. Yadav, flag, 25th Missile Boat Squadron; Lt. Cdr. B.N. Kavina

Nirbhik

 

Nashak

 

Nirghat

Lt. Vdr. Cdr. I.J. Sharma

Vinash

 

Vijeta

 

Veer

Lr. Cdr. O.P. Mehra

 

 

Kursura

(Foxtrot submarine)

Karanj

(Foxtrot submarine)

Vagshir

(Foxtrot submarine)

 

 

Karwar

MSC

Kakinada

MSC

Cuddalore

MSC

Cannanore

MSC

Bassien

MSI

Bhatkal

MSI

Bulsar

MSI

 

 

Atul

Patrol Boat

Pamban

Patrol Boat

Savitri

Patrol Boat

Subhadra

Patrol Boat

Suvarna

Patrol Boat

 

 

Hathi

Tug



Aircraft Navy

4 Seaking

3 Alize 

3 Alouette 3

IAF Reconnaissance Aircraft for Navy Support

Super Constellation

Il-14

An-12

DC-3

Note

The bulk of the ships above were with the Western Fleet.  Godavari, Ganga (frigates) and Amba (submarine tender) were with the Southern Naval Area, patrolling off Sri Lanka.  The Konkan and Hathi were the harbor patrol for Cochin, HQ of the Southern Naval Area. Eight MCM were based at Bombay for harbor patrol.

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All content © 2003 Ravi Rikhye. Reproduction in any form prohibited without express permission.