Marinazhg at 12:12, 9 March 2026

2026-03-09T12:12:05Z

New page

{{Short description|Naval Base Depot Establishment}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox military installation
| name = INS ''India''
| ensign = File:Naval_Ensign_of_India.svg
| ensign_size =
| native_name =
| partof = 
| location = [[Delhi Cantonment|Nausena Bhawan]], [[Delhi Cantonment]], [[New Delhi]]
| nearest_town = 
| country = [[India]]
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Crest of INS India
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| type = [[Stone frigate|Naval shore establishment]]
| coordinates =
| gridref =
| image_map =
| image_mapsize =
| image_map_alt =
| image_map_caption =
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_label =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_mark =
| pushpin_marksize =
| ownership = [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defence]]
| operator = [[Indian Navy]]
| controlledby = 
| open_to_public = 
| site_other_label = 
| site_other = 
| site_area =
| code = 
| built =
| used = 1941 – present
| builder =
| materials =
| height = 
| length = 
| fate = 
| condition = Operational
| battles =
| events =
| current_commander = [[Commodore (India)|Commodore]] Vishal Rawal<ref>{{cite web |title=INS India |url=https://x.com/INS_India_IN/status/1983531243049496646 |access-date=9 March 2026}}</ref>
| past_commanders = 
| garrison = 
| occupants = 
| designations =
| website =
}}
'''INS ''India''''' is a "[[stone frigate]]" (shore establishment) of the [[Indian Navy]] in [[New Delhi]]. The base depot ship is the [[flagship]] of the [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]] of the Indian Navy. The establishment is the only naval establishment in New Delhi and provides administrative and logistics support to all officers and sailors in Naval Headquarters and other units at Delhi.

==History==
The stone frigate was established on 13 July 1941 as HMIS India.<ref name="IN">{{cite web |title=INS India - Base Depot Ship of Indian Navy at New Delhi celebrates Platinum Jubilee {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/hi/content/ins-india-base-depot-ship-indian-navy-new-delhi-celebrates-platinum-jubilee |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref> It was a small unit with a complement of few officers and sailors. The establishment was commanded by an officer of the rank of [[Lieutenant Commander]]. Receptions in the honour of visiting dignitaries of foreign navies were held in the establishment.<ref>{{cite web |title=INDONESIAN NAVAL CHIEF'S ONE-DAY VISIT TO DELHI |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1960-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1960-08-24_062.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=24 August 1960}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ADMIRAL HARRINGTON ARRIVES IN DELHI |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1961-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1961-03-19_141.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=19 March 1961}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ADMIRAL BEGG ARRIVES |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1964-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1964-02-11_123.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=11 February 1964}}</ref> During the change of command of the Navy, the outgoing CNS would receive the incoming CNS in INS India. The farewell [[guard of honour]] to the outgoing CNS also took place at the establishment.<ref>{{cite web |title=NAVY'S NEW CHIEF |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1962-JAN-DEC-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1962-06-05_222.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=5 June 1962}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PIB |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1973-JAN-MAY-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1973-02-26_098.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=26 February 1973}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ADMIRAL O.S. DAWSON TAKES OVER |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1982-JAN-JUNE-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1982-03-01_117.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=1 March 1982}}</ref>

==Today==
INS India today is a major establishment in New Delhi with a plethora of duties and responsibilities.<ref name="IN" /> The commanding officer of the establishment is also the station commander and is a one-star officer with the rank of [[Commodore (India)|Commodore]].<ref name="CO INDIA">{{cite web |title=Commodore Ravi Malhotra, VSM assumes command as Station Commander (Navy) Delhi {{!}} Indian Navy |url=https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/commodore-ravi-malhotra-vsm-assumes-command-station-commander-navy-delhi |website=www.indiannavy.nic.in}}</ref>
Since it is the flagship of the [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]], the [[Admiral (India)|Admiral]]'s flag is hoisted on ''INS India''. In March 2000, the post of Controller of Personnel Service (CPS) was created in the rank of [[Vice Admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]]. The CPS acts as the administrative authority of INS India.{{sfn|Hiranandani|2010|p=239}} The establishment was awarded the unit citation for a naval establishment for the year 2022.<ref name="Unit citation">{{cite web |title=INS India twitter |url=https://twitter.com/INS_India_IN/status/1664691097497489413 |website=Twitter |access-date=13 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

==Crest==
The crest of INS India consists of a [[swastika]] with each of its arms ending in a circle enclosing a smaller swastika. The [[Motif (visual arts)|motif]] is taken from the ancient coins of [[Ujjain]] and represents well-being and good relationship. It also represents the spirit of India and her international outlook.<ref name="Crest">{{cite web |title=ASOKA PEDESTAL TO REPLACE BRITISH CROWN IN NAVAL CRESTS |url=https://archive.pib.gov.in/archive/ArchiveSecondPhase/DEFENCE/1952-JULY-DEC-MIN-OF-DEFENCE/PDF/DEF-1952-04-10_094.pdf |website=archive.pib.gov.in |date=10 April 1952}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Indian Navy bases]]
*[[List of active Indian Navy ships]]
*[[Stone frigate]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{citation|first1=G. M.|last1=Hiranandani|title=Transition to Guardianship: The Indian Navy 1991-2000|year=2010|isbn= 978-1935501268|publisher= Lancer InterConsult, Incorporated}}

{{Indian Navy}}

{{coord missing|Delhi}}

[[Category:Indian Navy bases]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in New Delhi]]

INS India - Revision history

Marinazhg at 12:12, 9 March 2026