The Indian Navy is geared up to face the challenges in the Indian Ocean region. Vela, the country’s fourth Scorpene class submarine, was launched in May this year. INS Khanderi and INS Kalvari Scorpene class submarines are already commissioned, while ‘Karanj’ is undergoing sea trials

Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant, the indigenously built nuclear submarine, completed India’s nuclear triad, which is the ability to fire from air, sea and land.

Acquired from Russia and re-fitted to meet the Indian Navy’s requirements, INS Vikramaditya can accommodate more than 30 aircraft and helicopters

December 4 is dedicated to India’s brave warriors who rule the seas. Marking the Navy’s 1971 Operation Trident, Navy Day is also a good time to take stock of how far this wing of the Indian military has evolved since Independence, and its critical importance in future conflicts, projecting power and maintaining the peace in the seas that surround India and beyond.

In a message to the Navy on the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “On Navy Day, we salute our courageous navy personnel. Their valuable service and sacrifice have made our nation stronger and safer.”

Let’s take a closer look at what the Indian Navy has in its arsenal – when it comes to aircraft carriers and submarines -- that makes it a formidable maritime presence. As we enter the third decade of the millennium, the new era will bring a host of military and strategic challenges to India’s backyard, especially an assertive China that is seeking to make inroads in the Indian Ocean, and a Pakistan that continues to promote terrorism in the region.

India’s Naval Strength

According to globalfirepower.com, India’s Navy has a total of 295 assets, which include one aircraft carrier, 13 frigates, 11 destroyers, 22 corvettes, 16 submarines and 139 patrol vessels.

Submarines

Last year, the indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant completed its first deterrence patrol. Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant completed India’s nuclear triad, which is defined as the ability to fire from air, sea and land. INS Arighat, the next stealthy vessel in the class, is under construction.