INS Sardar Patel

INS Sardar Patel is a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Indian Navy in Porbandar, Gujarat and the Headquarters of the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Gujarat, Diu & Daman). It provides the logistic support to the Indian Navy units deployed in the Northern Arabian Sea, including along the International Maritime Boundary Line with Pakistan.[1][2][3][4]

INS Sardar Patel
Porbandar, Gujarat
TypeForward Operating Base
Site information
Controlled byIndian Navy
Site history
Built9 May 2015 (2015-05-09)
In use2015–present
Garrison information
OccupantsWestern Naval Command

History

INS Sardar Patel is the second naval base in Gujarat after INS Dwarka, which is near Okha. The name Sardar Patel has been chosen to signify the role of India’s Iron Man Vallabhai Patel, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.

The base was commissioned on 9 May 2015 by Anandiben Patel, the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The commissioning ceremony was attended by Admiral RK Dhowan, Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral SPS Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding–in–Chief, Western Naval Command, senior naval officers and other dignitaries of the state government.[4]

Cmde BR Prakash, VSM who is the Naval Officer-in-Charge (Gujarat, Diu & Daman) is the first Commanding Officer of INS Sardar Patel.[4]

Objective

After the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, the Indian Navy was entrusted the responsibility of a lead agency to coordinate coastal and offshore security requirements and also augment naval presence in sensitive areas.

Gujarat is a front line maritime state of India with the longest coastline of 880 nautical miles, besides sharing 532 km of land border with Pakistan. Over the preceding decade, there has been a significant growth in the maritime infrastructure along the coast of Gujarat. Many ports have come up along the coastline, which collectively handle 300 million tons of cargo annually, constituting approximately 30 per cent of the total cargo handled in the ports of India.

In addition, there are 12 single point moorings (SPMs) in the Gulf of Kutch, through which about 120 million tons of crude oil is supplied to various refineries on the coast and in the hinterland, constituting 71 per cent of the oil import into the country. The creation of considerable infrastructure along the coastline makes them vulnerable from sea, not only during hostilities but also during peacetime.

The commissioning of INS Sardar Patel at Porbandar enables the Navy to augment its infrastructure and organisational effectiveness in Gujarat. It will improve coordination and synergy with other maritime agencies.

Units
  • INAS 310, "Cobras", operating Dornier 228 aircraft in electronic warfare roles (rebased from INS Hansa on 30 September 2017)[5]

See also
Indian navy
Integrated commands and units
Other lists

References
  1. "INS Sardar Patel: Indian Navy's new base in Gujarat set to be commissioned – The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  2. "INS Sardar Patel commissioned". The Hindu. 9 May 2015. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  3. "Navy to commission Porbandar base INS Sardar Patel on May 9". Zee News. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  4. "Naval Base at Porbandar Commissioned as INS Sardar Patel by Chief Minister of Gujarat". pib.nic.in. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  5. SpokespersonNavy (30 September 2017). "Cobras (Dorniers – Maritime Recce ac) of Indian Navy "INAS 310" were accorded a ceremonial welcome at Porbandar yesterday. Cobras based in Hansa, Goa since 1961 till date, now in a new lair. Fangs just as sharp ! @DefenceMinIndiapic.twitter.com/l4hdjJwBx2". @indiannavy. Retrieved 1 October 2017.

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