The Eternal Spirit of Indian Navy

(Source: President’s Secretariat)

Every year on December 4, as the Indian Navy commemorates the bravery of Operation Trident, we take pride in our sailors and their shining warships. Yet, the story of the Indian Navy did not begin in 1971 or even in 1947. Its origins trace back more than 350 years to the rocky shores of Maharashtra, with one visionary who gazed at the sea and declared, “This water belongs to us.”That warrior was Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the true Father of the Indian Navy.

( Image Source: Shivaji and His Times – Portrait of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj)

Let us journey back in time to understand why the genesis of the Indian Navy, when examined through the prism of maritime strategy rather than administrative chronology, reflects the gradual consolidation of organized sea power in the northern Indian Ocean, a region whose security, trade, and geopolitical contests have long shaped the subcontinent. Its institutional foundations were laid in 1612, not out of imperial ambition, but as a strategic necessity following Captain Thomas Best’s encounter with the Portuguese at Swally and the surge of piracy threatening the East India Company’s commercial lifelines. The formation of the East India Company’s Marine Wing marked the first deliberate attempt to systematize maritime force in Western India. Initially a coastal defense flotilla, it gradually evolved into an operational arm capable of influencing events beyond the shoreline. This evolution accelerated when Bombay became the fulcrum of regional maritime power. Transferred to the Company in 1668, it required a naval force capable not only of escort duties but also of contesting the littoral against established European navies and indigenous maritime powers.

By 1686, the rechristened Bombay Marine had assumed this role effectively, engaging the Portuguese, Dutch, and French, countering the naval assertiveness of the Marathas and Siddhis of Janjira, conducting anti-piracy operations across the Arabian Sea; and undertaking amphibious and survey missions extending British influence into the Bay of Bengal and the Burmese coast. The organization underwent several re-naming over the years. Her Majesty’s Royal Indian Navy RIN (1830), Bombay Marine, Her Majesty’s Indian Marine, and ultimately the Royal Indian Marine (1892) reflecting Britain’s growing maritime imperatives following the capture of Aden, the opening of the Red Sea route, and the need for coastal and riverine dominance from the Indus delta to the Straits of Malacca.

By the late 19th century, with more than fifty vessels across two major maritime divisions, the Marine had become a multidimensional force, performing hydrography, convoy escort, harbour defence, amphibious logistics, and extended patrols. These roles were tested during the First World War, with minesweeping, anti-raider patrols, and logistical missions across the Arabian Sea and East Africa. The interwar years brought significant strategic change. The commissioning of Sub-Lieutenant D.N. Mukherji in 1928 initiated the long-delayed Indianisation of the officer cadre, while the 1934 transformation into the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) aligned the service structurally, operationally, and doctrinally with global naval standards. World War II became the RIN’s crucible: growing from eight vessels to over a hundred, it performed convoy escort duties in U-boat–infested waters, anti-submarine operations across the Indian Ocean, fleet support missions in the Mediterranean, and amphibious logistics in Burma.

These experiences forged a professional ethos rooted in technical competence, operational resilience, and a deep understanding of multidomain maritime warfare. Yet, the Navy’s growth was intertwined with the political ferment of late-colonial India. The vision of Subhas Chandra Bose, emphasizing India’s maritime autonomy, resonated with sailors chafing under colonial subordination. This tension erupted in February 1946, during the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny, involving 20,000 sailors across 78 ships and shore establishments in Bombay, Karachi, and other centres.

(Source: The Indian Express)

Though suppressed, the revolt became a potent symbol of nationalist sentiment, highlighting the essential link between maritime power and political sovereignty, a lesson that shaped post-Independence naval policy. At independence in 1947, the Navy inherited 32 ageing vessels and a largely foreign leadership. Strategic focus shifted decisively toward national interests, with the dropping of the “Royal” prefix in 1950 and progressive Indianisation of senior command.

(Source: indianbookofrecords.com)

On 22 April 1958, Vice Admiral Ram Das Khatri became the first Indian Chief of Naval Staff. From a small protective squadron at Swally to a sovereign maritime force, the Navy’s evolution embodies fundamental principles of seapower, control of sea lanes, littoral dominance, mastery of maritime logistics, and persistent assertion of strategic agency across the Indo-Pacific a continuity rooted in national authority, professional competence, and the recognition of maritime sovereignty exemplified by the 1946 mutiny and leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose. On 4 December 1971, the Indian Navy launched decisive attacks in both the Eastern and Western theatres under Operation Trident. In the east, INS Vikrant-based aircraft destroyed Pakistani ships, gunboats, and key installations, including the Cox’s Bazar airfield, and sank the submarine Ghazi off Visakhapatnam. In the west, daring night strikes on Karachi on 4 and 8 December caused massive damage and crippled Pakistan’s naval operations. Though India lost INS Khukri, whose captain MN Mulla went down with his ship in supreme sacrifice, the Navy achieved complete supremacy over the Arabian Sea, bottling up the Pakistan Navy in Karachi for the rest of the war.

But this is only one side of the story.

In her seminal work, A History of the Maratha Navy and Merchantships, Dr. B.K. Apte emphasizes that India’s identity as a seafaring nation predates classical history, rooted in a highly developed maritime culture perhaps even older than the Vedic civilization. Literary references reveal knowledge of shipbuilding and navigation in the Rigveda, mentioning the “hundred-oared boat” (shataritram navam), while the Mahabharata suggests a west coast sea-route connecting Cape Comorin, Gokarna, and Surparaka, reflecting a longstanding tradition of coastal mobility. The Arthashastra of Kautilya provides systematic guidance on naval administration, detailing the Navadhyaksa (Superintendent of Ships), crew classifications such as shasaka (captain) and niyamaka (steersman), as well as rules regarding piracy, maritime revenue, and passenger regulation. Complementing this administrative tradition, Sanskrit texts like Yuktikalpataru, dedicated to King Bhoja, provide advanced shipbuilding knowledge, classifying woods, recommending Kshatriya wood for deep-sea ships, and specifying hull designs for speed and seaworthiness.

Interestingly, the text advised avoiding iron for ocean-going vessels to prevent magnetic interference, showing sophisticated maritime engineering. India’s maritime geography, especially the Konkan coast, shaped Maratha naval strategy.

(Source: Indian Institute of Geomorphologists (IGI), Allahabad)

Narrow coastal plains, deep creeks like Rajpuri and Vijaydurg, and seasonal monsoons necessitated fortified naval bases such as Kulaba, Sindhudurg, and Vijaydurg, which allowed safe anchorage, storage, and operational readiness after Narali Purnima.

It was against this backdrop that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj emerged as the founder of the Maratha Navy. Recognizing maritime power as essential for state security, particularly against the Siddhi of Janjira , Shivaji envisioned the navy as an autonomous arm of the state, prioritizing sovereignty over home waters while supporting commerce with armed protection. Naval construction began around 1657 at Kalyan Creek, with operational success demonstrated in the 1665 Basrur expedition and the Khanderi campaign (1679–1680), where fortifications monitored European ships near Bombay. Shivaji’s navy employed a sophisticated combination of warship designs and tactics to offset European technological superiority.

Fast, maneuverable vessels such as Gurabs (battle ships), Galbats (skirmishers), and Pals (heavier ships) enabled coastal operations, surprise attacks, and retreats into shallow creeks inaccessible to larger European vessels. Constraints existed, including reliance on foreign equipment, outdated firearms, and social limitations with higher castes avoiding seafaring. Administrative practices under the Peshwas included meticulous records (Zadati) for crew, provisions, and welfare, while shipbuilding remained a hereditary craft dominated by Sutars at Bassein, Thana, Kalyan, Alibag, Vijaydurg, and Malvan, primarily using teak and traditional clinker-built planking.

(Source: travelkonkan.in)

The Maratha Navy reached its zenith under the Angres, particularly Kanhoji Angre, whose assertive maritime policies required foreign ships to obtain Maratha passports (dastak). Treaties like the 1713 agreement with the English highlighted his diplomatic acumen. However, internal divisions and alliances with the English led to the catastrophic fall of Tulaji Angre’s fleet in 1756, marking the decline of indigenous maritime power and enabling British dominance.

According to Dr. Nalini K. Tembhekar (International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development), Shivaji’s naval strength varied, with estimates ranging from 200 to 500 ships. Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad describes two squadrons of 200 ships each, while Malhar Rao Chitnis cites 400–500 vessels. English factory records corroborate continuous shipbuilding, highlighting operational deployments such as the 160-ship Dariya Sarang expedition (1670). The fleet included five types of fighting ships Ghurabs, Galbats, Pals, Shibars, and Manjhuas crewed by Kolis, Bhandaris, Muslims, and occasionally Europeans, with noted admirals such as Daulat Khan and Mai Nayak Bhandari. Ghurabs carried 16 guns and 150 men, while Galbats carried six guns and 60 fighters.

Conclusion

The story of the Indian Navy is inseparable from the vision of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. From the creeks and forts of the Konkan coast to today’s modern fleets projecting India’s influence across the Indo-Pacific, there exists an unbroken thread of strategic foresight, maritime governance, shipbuilding expertise, and naval discipline. On this Navy Day, as we honor the courage of Operation Trident’s heroes, we also salute India’s first maritime pioneers, whose vision and valor laid the foundation for the Navy that safeguards our nation today.

Punit Shyam Gore (MA Defence and Strategic Studies) is an alumnus of Rashtriya Raksha University, (an institution of national importance) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Source:

https://archive.org/details/life-exploits-of-shivaji-krishnaji-anant-sabhasad

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