Royal Indian Navy
Encyclopedia
The Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies
and the later British Indian Army
it comprised the Armed Forces of British India.
From its origin in 1612, as the East India Company's Marine, the Navy underwent various changes, including changes to its name. Over time it was named the Bombay Marine, Her Majesty's Indian Navy, Her Majesty's Indian Marine and the Royal Indian Marine, until being named the Royal Indian Navy in 1934.
After the independence of India in 1947 and the subsequent partition
, the Navy's assets and personnel were split with the Royal Pakistan Navy, while the RIN became the navy of the Union of India. When India became a republic on 26 January, 1950 the force was renamed as the Indian Navy
.
was established in 1612, soon after Captain Thomas Best defeated the Portuguese
at the Battle of Swally
. This led the Company to build a port and to establish a small navy based at Suvali, near Surat
, Gujarat, to protect its trade routes. The Company named the force the 'Honourable East India Company's Marine', and the first fighting ships arrived on 5 September 1612. This force protected merchant shipping off the Gulf of Cambay and the rivers Tapti and Narmada. The ships also helped map the coastlines of India, Persia and Arabia.
s and the Sidis and took part in the Anglo-Burmese Wars. While it recruited Indian sailors extensively, it had no Indian commissioned officers.
Commodore William James was appointed to command the Marine in 1751. On 2 April 1755, commanding the Bombay Marine Ship Protector, he attacked the Maratha
fortress of Tulaji Angre at Severndroog
between Bombay and Goa
. James had instructions only to blockade the stronghold, but he was able to get close enough to bombade and destroy it.
In February 1756, the Marine supported the capture of Gheriah (now Vijaydurg
) by Robert Clive and Admiral Watson and was active in skirmishes against the French, helping to consolidate the British position in India.
In 1830, the Bombay Marine was renamed 'Her Majesty's Indian Navy'. The British capture of Aden
increased its commitments, leading to the creation of the 'Indus Flotilla'. The Navy then took part in the First Opium War
of 1840.
In 1852, at the outset of the Second Anglo-Burmese War
, ships of Her Majesty's Indian Navy joined a Royal Navy
force under the command of Admiral Charles Austen
to assist General Godwin
in the capture of Martaban and Rangoon.
following the Indian rebellion of 1857
, the force came under the command of the British government of India.
In recognition of its fighting services, HMIM was given the title of 'Royal Indian Marine' in 1892. By this time it consisted of over fifty vessels.
When mines were detected off the coasts of Bombay and Aden, during the First World War
, the Royal Indian Marine went into action with a fleet of minesweeper
s, patrol vessels and troop carriers. Besides patrolling, the Marine ferried troops and carried war stores from India to Iraq
, Egypt
and East Africa
.
The first Indian to be granted a commission was Sub Lieutenant D. N. Mukherji, who joined the Royal Indian Marine as an engineer officer in 1928.
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In 1934 the Royal Indian Marine became the Royal Indian Navy (RIN). Its ships carried the prefix HMIS, for His Majesty's Indian Ship.
At the start of the Second World War
, the Royal Indian Navy was small, with only eight warships. The onset of the war led to an expansion in vessels and personnel.
The sloop
s and played a key role in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily
.
, and the Armed Forces Reconstitution Committee divided the ships and men of the Royal Indian Navy between India and Pakistan.
The committee allocated to the newly-formed 'Royal Pakistan Navy' (RPN) three of the seven active sloop
s, , and , four of the ten serviceable minesweepers
, two frigate
s, two naval trawler
s, four harbour launches and a number of harbour defence motor launches
. 358 personnel, and 180 officers, most of whom were Muslims or Europeans, volunteered to transfer to the RPN.
India retained the remainder of the RIN's assets and personnel, and many British officers opted to continue serving in the RIN. On 26 January 1950, when India adopted its current constitution
and became a republic
, the 'Royal Indian Navy' was finally succeeded by the Indian Navy
. Its vessels were redesignated as 'Indian Naval Ships', and the ship prefix for existing vessels was changed to 'INS'.
Presidency armies
The presidency armies were the armies of the three presidencies of the East India Company's rule in India, later the forces of the British Crown in India...
and the later British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
it comprised the Armed Forces of British India.
From its origin in 1612, as the East India Company's Marine, the Navy underwent various changes, including changes to its name. Over time it was named the Bombay Marine, Her Majesty's Indian Navy, Her Majesty's Indian Marine and the Royal Indian Marine, until being named the Royal Indian Navy in 1934.
After the independence of India in 1947 and the subsequent partition
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
, the Navy's assets and personnel were split with the Royal Pakistan Navy, while the RIN became the navy of the Union of India. When India became a republic on 26 January, 1950 the force was renamed as the Indian Navy
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...
.
1612–1686
The East India CompanyEast India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
was established in 1612, soon after Captain Thomas Best defeated the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
at the Battle of Swally
Battle of Swally
The naval Battle of Swally took place on 29–30 November 1612 off the coast of Suvali , a village near the city of Surat, Gujarat, India, and was a victory for four English East India Company galleons over four Portuguese naus and 26 barks .-Importance:This relatively small naval battle is...
. This led the Company to build a port and to establish a small navy based at Suvali, near Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
, Gujarat, to protect its trade routes. The Company named the force the 'Honourable East India Company's Marine', and the first fighting ships arrived on 5 September 1612. This force protected merchant shipping off the Gulf of Cambay and the rivers Tapti and Narmada. The ships also helped map the coastlines of India, Persia and Arabia.
1686–1830
In 1686, with most of English commerce moving to Bombay, the force was renamed the 'Bombay Marine'. This force fought the MarathaMaratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s and the Sidis and took part in the Anglo-Burmese Wars. While it recruited Indian sailors extensively, it had no Indian commissioned officers.
Commodore William James was appointed to command the Marine in 1751. On 2 April 1755, commanding the Bombay Marine Ship Protector, he attacked the Maratha
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
fortress of Tulaji Angre at Severndroog
Suvarnadurg
Suvarnadurg is a fort that is located on a small island in the Arabian Sea, near Harnai in Konkan, along the West Coast of India, in the Indian state of Maharashtra...
between Bombay 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...
. James had instructions only to blockade the stronghold, but he was able to get close enough to bombade and destroy it.
In February 1756, the Marine supported the capture of Gheriah (now Vijaydurg
Vijaydurg
Vijaydurg may refer to:* Vijaydurg * Vijaydurg fort...
) by Robert Clive and Admiral Watson and was active in skirmishes against the French, helping to consolidate the British position in India.
1830–1858
Aden
Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
increased its commitments, leading to the creation of the 'Indus Flotilla'. The Navy then took part in the First Opium War
First Opium War
The First Anglo-Chinese War , known popularly as the First Opium War or simply the Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom and the Qing Dynasty of China over their conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic relations, trade, and the administration of justice...
of 1840.
In 1852, at the outset of the Second Anglo-Burmese War
Second Anglo-Burmese War
The Second Anglo-Burmese War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and the British Empire during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence....
, ships of Her Majesty's Indian Navy joined a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
force under the command of Admiral Charles Austen
Charles Austen
Rear Admiral Sir Charles John Austen CB was an officer in the Royal Navy. He served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and beyond, eventually rising to the rank of rear-admiral.-Family and early life:...
to assist General Godwin
Henry Godwin (Army officer)
Sir Henry Thomas Godwin KCB was a British officer. He fought in the British Army in the Peninsular War and in the First Anglo-Burmese War before joining the Bengal Army, in which he served as commander in chief of British and Indian forces in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852 and 1853.-Military...
in the capture of Martaban and Rangoon.
Direct British rule in India
After the end of Company rule in IndiaCompany rule in India
Company rule in India refers to the rule or dominion of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent...
following the Indian rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
, the force came under the command of the British government of India.
1858–1934
Her Majesty's Indian Navy resumed the name 'Bombay Marine' from 1863 to 1877, when it was renamed 'Her Majesty's Indian Marine' (HMIM). The Marine then had two divisions; an Eastern Division at Calcutta and a Western Division at Bombay.In recognition of its fighting services, HMIM was given the title of 'Royal Indian Marine' in 1892. By this time it consisted of over fifty vessels.
When mines were detected off the coasts of Bombay and Aden, during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Royal Indian Marine went into action with a fleet of minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
s, patrol vessels and troop carriers. Besides patrolling, the Marine ferried troops and carried war stores from India to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
.
The first Indian to be granted a commission was Sub Lieutenant D. N. Mukherji, who joined the Royal Indian Marine as an engineer officer in 1928.
1934–1945
At the start of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Royal Indian Navy was small, with only eight warships. The onset of the war led to an expansion in vessels and personnel.
The sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
s and played a key role in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
.
Mutiny of 1946
In 1946, the Indian sailors launched the Royal Indian Navy Mutiny on board ships and in shore establishments, to protest about discrimination against Indian sailors and officers by the British during the war. The mutiny found widespread support and spread all over India, including the Army and the Air Force. A total of seventy-eight ships, twenty shore establishments and 20,000 sailors were involved in this mutiny.Independence and Partition of India, 1947
Following India's independence in 1947 and the ensuing partition, the Royal Indian Navy was divided between the newly independent Union of India and Dominion of PakistanDominion of Pakistan
The Dominion of Pakistan was an independent federal Commonwealth realm in South Asia that was established in 1947 on the partition of British India into two sovereign dominions . The Dominion of Pakistan, which included modern-day Pakistan and Bangladesh, was intended to be a homeland for the...
, and the Armed Forces Reconstitution Committee divided the ships and men of the Royal Indian Navy between India and Pakistan.
The committee allocated to the newly-formed 'Royal Pakistan Navy' (RPN) three of the seven active sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
s, , and , four of the ten serviceable minesweepers
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, two frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s, two naval trawler
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
s, four harbour launches and a number of harbour defence motor launches
Harbour Defence Motor Launch
The Harbour Defence Motor Launch was a British small motor vessel of the Second World War.The HDML was designed by W J Holt at the Admiralty in early 1939. During the war, 486 HDMLs were constructed, mainly by yacht builders, in the United Kingdom and a number of other allied countries...
. 358 personnel, and 180 officers, most of whom were Muslims or Europeans, volunteered to transfer to the RPN.
India retained the remainder of the RIN's assets and personnel, and many British officers opted to continue serving in the RIN. On 26 January 1950, when India adopted its current constitution
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
and became a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, the 'Royal Indian Navy' was finally succeeded by the Indian Navy
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...
. Its vessels were redesignated as 'Indian Naval Ships', and the ship prefix for existing vessels was changed to 'INS'.
Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy
| No. | Name | Appointment Date | Left Office | Decorations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear-Admiral Sir Humphrey Walwyn | October 1934 | November 1934 | KCSI Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion... KCMG CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... DSO Distinguished Service Order (disambiguation) Distinguished Service Order may refer to:* Distinguished Service Order * Distinguished Service Order * Distinguished Service Order It may also refer to:... |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral Arthur Edward Frederick Bedford | November 1934 | 20 November 1937 | CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... CSI Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion... |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral Sir Herbert Fitzherbert Herbert Fitzherbert Admiral Sir Herbert Fitzherbert, KCIE, CB, CMG was a Royal Navy admiral who served as the third Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Navy, from 1937 to 1943.-Life and career:... |
20 November 1937 | 22 March 1943 | KCIE KCIE KCIE may refer to:* Knight Commander, one of the ranks of the Order of the Indian Empire* KCIE , a radio station licensed to Dulce, New Mexico, United States... CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... CMG CMG CMG may refer to:* Course Made Good,navigation* Case mix group, medical-care accounting mechanism* Collectible miniatures game* Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, a British and Commonwealth honour... |
| 4 | Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... John Henry Godfrey John Henry Godfrey Admiral John Henry Godfrey CB was an officer of the Royal Navy and Royal Indian Navy, specializing in navigation.... |
22 March 1943 | 15 March 1946 | CB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey John Audley Miles Geoffrey John Audley Miles Admiral Sir Geoffrey John Audley Miles, KCB, KCSI was a senior Royal Navy admiral who served as Deputy Naval Commander, South East Asia Command under Lord Mountbatten during the Second World War, as the Senior British Representative on the Tripartite Naval Commission and as the last... |
15 March 1946 | 15 August 1947 | KCB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... KCSI Order of the Star of India The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1861. The Order includes members of three classes:# Knight Grand Commander # Knight Commander # Companion... |
Chiefs of Naval Staff
| No. | Name | Appointment Date | Left Office | Decorations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rear Admiral Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"... John Talbot Savignac Hall John Talbot Savignac Hall Rear-Admiral John Talbot Savignac Hall, CIE was a Royal Navy officer who became the first post-Independence Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Naval Staff of the Royal Indian Navy.-Life and career:... * |
August 15, 1947 | August 14, 1948 | CIE Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion... |
| 2 | Admiral Admiral Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"... Sir William Edward Parry* |
August 14, 1948 | October 13, 1951 | KCB Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath... |
See also
- List of ships of the Royal Indian Navy
- History of the Indian NavyHistory of the Indian Navy-Early history:India has a rich maritime history dating back 5,000 years. The world's first tidal dock is believed to have been built at Lothal around 2300 BCE during the Indus Valley Civilization, near the present day Mangrol harbour on the Gujarat coast....
- Indian Army (pre-1947)British Indian ArmyThe British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...