INS Kadamba
Encyclopedia
INS Kadamba is part of an initiative of the Indian Navy
to develop a blue water navy and to acquire strategic depth
. The project was first envisioned by the Chief of Naval Staff
Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson during the 1980s. However, the initiative was not adopted intil 1999, under the tenure of Defence Minister
, George Fernandes
, who spearheaded a new drive to realise the project under the name Project Seabird.
The first phase of Project Seabird, completed in 2005 involved the construction of a large new naval base
(INS Kadamba) at Karwar
in Karnataka
, for exclusive use by the Indian Navy. The primary motivation for building a new base on the western coast is the overcrowding at the major harbours of Mumbai
and Vishakhapatnam, as well as at the smaller ports of Kochi
and Goa
, which the Indian Navy has to share with commercial vessels. On the east coast, Visakhapatnam can provide berths for fifty vessels, which is adequate for India’s security needs in the east. However, the west coast ports are congested with merchant vessels, particularly Mumbai. This often forces Western Naval Command
vessels to wait before they can dock. The shallow approach channel at Mumbai may also make it impossible for larger aircraft carrier
s of the future to dock.
The crowded Mumbai harbour also provides no opportunity for expansion, especially because of sensitive nearby buildings like the Bombay Stock Exchange
. Establishing a dedicated Naval base at Karwar will alleviate these problems, and provide strategic depth to the Indian Navy. The topography of Karwar bay is also favourable with a deep, even approach channel of water for navigation and berthing, low silt deposit rates, and forested terrain for privacy.
Other locations considered were Thiruvananthapuram
, Kannur
and Thoothukudi
. Further development of the base will include Phase II (to double most of the existing facilities), a new naval air station and ultimately enough berths for fifty naval vessels. Efforts have been initiated by the Karnataka state government and the Airports Authority of India in conjunction with the Navy to plan for an international airport that can handle A320s.
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
to develop a blue water navy and to acquire strategic depth
Strategic depth
Strategic depth is a term in military literature that broadly refers to the distances between the front lines or battle sectors and the combatants’ industrial core areas, capital cities, heartlands, and other key centers of population or military production...
. The project was first envisioned by the Chief of Naval Staff
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson during the 1980s. However, the initiative was not adopted intil 1999, under the tenure of Defence Minister
Defence Minister of India
The Ministry of Defence is India's federal department allocated the largest level of budgetary resources and charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the Indian armed forces.The Indian Armed Forces ; the...
, George Fernandes
George Fernandes
George Mathew Fernandes is an Indian trade unionist, politician, journalist, agriculturist, and member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar. He is a key member of the Janata Dal , and was the founder of the Samata Party...
, who spearheaded a new drive to realise the project under the name Project Seabird.
The first phase of Project Seabird, completed in 2005 involved the construction of a large new naval base
Naval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
(INS Kadamba) at Karwar
Karwar
Karwar is the administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka, India. It is a seaside town situated on the banks of the Kali river which is on the west coast of the Indian peninsula. The town lies about 15 kilometres south of the Karnataka–Goa border and 519 km north-west...
in Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
, for exclusive use by the Indian Navy. The primary motivation for building a new base on the western coast is the overcrowding at the major harbours of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Vishakhapatnam, as well as at the smaller ports of Kochi
Kochi
-Places:* Kochi, a city in the state of Kerala, India, formerly known as Cochin* Kingdom of Cochin, a former feudal city-state on Malabar Coast, India** Fort Kochi, one of the three main urban components which constitute the present day city of Kochi, Kerala, India...
and Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, which the Indian Navy has to share with commercial vessels. On the east coast, Visakhapatnam can provide berths for fifty vessels, which is adequate for India’s security needs in the east. However, the west coast ports are congested with merchant vessels, particularly Mumbai. This often forces Western Naval Command
Western Naval Command
The Western Naval Command is a formation of the Indian Navy. It has its HQ in Mumbai, Maharashtra and is commanded by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, currently Vice Admiral D. K. Joshi...
vessels to wait before they can dock. The shallow approach channel at Mumbai may also make it impossible for larger aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s of the future to dock.
The crowded Mumbai harbour also provides no opportunity for expansion, especially because of sensitive nearby buildings like the Bombay Stock Exchange
Bombay Stock Exchange
The Bombay Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located on Dalal Street, Mumbai and is the oldest stock exchange in Asia. The equity market capitalization of the companies listed on the BSE was 1.63 trillion as of December 2010, making it the 4th largest stock exchange in Asia and the 8th largest...
. Establishing a dedicated Naval base at Karwar will alleviate these problems, and provide strategic depth to the Indian Navy. The topography of Karwar bay is also favourable with a deep, even approach channel of water for navigation and berthing, low silt deposit rates, and forested terrain for privacy.
Other locations considered were Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, Kannur
Kannur
Kannur , also known as Cannanore, is a city in Kannur district in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of the District of Kannur and 518km north of state capital Trivandrum. During British rule in India, Kannur was known by its old name Cannanore, which is still in...
and Thoothukudi
Thoothukudi
Thoothukudi , also known as Tuticorin, is a port city and a Municipal Corporation in Thoothukudi district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Thoothukudi is the headquarters of Thoothukudi District....
. Further development of the base will include Phase II (to double most of the existing facilities), a new naval air station and ultimately enough berths for fifty naval vessels. Efforts have been initiated by the Karnataka state government and the Airports Authority of India in conjunction with the Navy to plan for an international airport that can handle A320s.