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14°45′51.20″N 74°7′42.36″E / 14.7642222°N 74.1284333°E / 14.7642222; 74.1284333

INS Kadamba
Karwar, Karnataka
INS Delhi docked using the ship-lift system at Naval Ship Repair Yard at INS Kadamba.
INS Kadamba
Type	Naval station
Site information
Controlled by	Indian Navy
Site history
Built	2005 (2005)
In use	2005–present
Garrison information
Current commander	Captain V S Guru
Occupants	Western Naval Command

INS Kadamba or Naval Base Karwar or Project Seabird is an Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka. The first phase of construction of the base, code-named Project Seabird, was completed in 2005 and the base was commissioned on 31 May 2005. Development of Phase II commenced in 2011. INS Kadamba is currently the third largest Indian naval base, and is expected to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after completion of expansion Phase IIB. The construction of Naval Base covers an area of 11,169 acres in Phase I.

Both the Navy's aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant are based at Karwar. The base also has the country's first sealift facility, a unique “shiplift” and transfer system for docking and undocking ships and submarines.

History

During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, the Indian Navy faced security challenges for its Western Fleet in Mumbai Harbour due to congestion in the shipping lanes from commercial shipping traffic, fishing boats and tourists. At the end of the war, various options were considered on addressing these concerns. Alternative locations for a base on the west coast were evaluated, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur and Thoothukudi.

In the early 1980s, then Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson conceived of a dedicated naval base sandwiched between the craggy hills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea near Karwar in Karnataka state. Located south of the naval bases in Mumbai and Goa and north of Kochi, the location had significant advantages as being very close to the world's busiest shipping route between the Persian Gulf and east Asia and out of range of most strike aircraft from neighboring countries. It also offered a natural deep-water harbour and significant land area for expansion, allowing larger aircraft carriers to berth. However, due to a variety of reasons, including the 1991 economic crisis, development was delayed.

Project Seabird

In 1999, following Pokhran-II, then Defence Minister George Fernandes approved Project Seabird to pursue the construction of the new naval base at Karwar. Larsen & Toubro was the lead contractor for the marine works on the harbour, in partnership with Hochtief, Ballast Nadem Dredging of the Netherlands, Radisson of Australia and Nedeco of The Netherland. Over five km (3.1 mi) of breakwater were constructed using over 4.4 million cubic metres of rock to protect the harbour. The Binaga Bay was dredged and its rock outcrops blasted to allow even large aircraft carriers to turn inside the bay. Anjadip Island is one of the two islands to which the breakwaters are linked for reinforcement. A second channel will be added to the base to allow warships to enter and exit the port simultaneously.

Combat Training Centre, Karwar

The Indian Navy plans to construct an Integrated Training Facility of 75 acres (300,000 m) at Karwar. The facility will train Navy personnel, MARCOS operators and Special Forces of friendly foreign nations to combat piracy and terrorism. The facility will include a Three-Storey Multilevel Kill House including mock-ups of hotel lobbies, rooms, conference halls, offices of different sizes as well as that of machinery and living spaces of ships. The Kill House will have ballistic protection. It will also have a Maritime Workup Station consisting of mock-ups of an oil rig, a ship along with a pool capable of wave generation to simulate various sea-states, and an Obstacle-cum-Jungle Firing Range. The oil rig mock-up will have replicate all the parts of an operational oil rog while that of a ship will replicate the side of a merchant ship, its weather deck and superstructure. An Urban Terrain Complex will include two complexes, one replicating an urban setup of a city or town and the other replicating a rural setup of a village. Lastly, the training centre includes an Indoor Firing Range with Advanced Target System and Firing Simulator. It will house an armoury for stowage of weapons, ammunition, explosives and special equipment.

Phase I expansion

Spread over an area of 45 square kilometres (11,000 acres) and 23 km (14 mi) of coastline on the Arabian Sea, Phase I of INS Kadamba was commissioned on 31 May 2005. The expanded base opened in 2007, with space for up to 11 front-line warships and 10 smaller FIC-type boats. Key facilities include the 10,000 tonne, 175 m × 28 m (574 ft × 92 ft) ship lift, a ship transfer system for dry docking at the Naval Ship Repair Yard, and a 141-bed naval hospital INHS Patanjali. Naval Ship Repair Yard commenced functioning in July 2006 and the ship-lift was commissioned on 8 November 2006. Commodore K P Ramachandran was the first Commanding Officer of INS Kadamba.

Phase-I was completed at a total cost of ₹2,629 crore (US$315 million).

Phase II expansion

Development of Phase II of INS Kadamba was supposed to commence in 2011 but got delayed due to lack of environmental clearance. The Phase-IIA expansion approval was obtained from the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2012, after getting approval from then Defence Minister, and ₹13,500 crore (US$2 billion) were granted. The environment clearance for Phase II was granted in June 2014 on a priority basis for strategic reasons by the environment minister. The work will commence in 2016 and is expected to be completed by 2022.

Phase II-A

Phase II-A is expected to commence in 2017 and end in 2021–2022 with an expected cost of ₹19,600 crore. The project is expected to generate large scale employment and infuse money into the local economy. In this phase, the base will undergo the following upgrades:

• The base will be able to host 32 ships and submarines along with 23 yardcraft. The upgrade will provide berthing space of over 6 km.
• There will be a covered dry berth of 75 m height and an area of 33,000 m with capability of simultaneously docking of upto four capital ships.
• Eight operational jetties, two refit jetties, four cover drivers and full-pledged dockyards to handle additional ships
• Residential townships to accommodate 10,000 officers, sailors and defence civilian staff.
• Naval air station for helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and medium transport aircraft with a civil terminal
• INHS Patanjali will be upgraded from 141-bed to 400-bed hospital
• Second Kendriya Vidyalaya

After completion of this phase, the base will have over one lakh personnel working there, apart from their families living in an upcoming residential township. Apart from berthing INS Vikramaditya, two more aircraft carriers will be homeported here. For this, two more jetties will be used. A few of the Kalvari-class submarines will also be based here.

Under the proposed expansion plans, a 3,000 feet long runway will be built as Karwar Airport. If the Centre and the State request the Indian Navy seeking to utilise the runway for civil aviation aircraft, the runway length will be increased to 6,000 feet. Post completion as many as 30 warships can be anchored at the base and it would have a hangar to hold as many military aircraft. The Indian Navy, through the State government, has acquired 11,334 acres of land which includes 8,661 acres of forest land.

Inauguration

On 5 March 2024, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated new facilities and infrastructure at the base. These consist of "two major piers and seven residential towers comprising 320 houses for officers and civilian defence personnel as well as 149 single officers’ accommodation."

On 9 April 2024, the Chief of the Naval Staff R. Hari Kumar inaugurated a pier and a residential complex. Pier 3 or Offshore Patrol Vessels Pier is a 350 m long pier capable of berthing Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), large survey vessels and mine countermeasure vessels. The pier would supply the ships with a variety of shore-based facilities, which includes power, potable water, chilled water for air conditioning, a 30-ton mobile crane, and other domestic services. A residential housing consisting of two towers with 80 apartments each for married officers and 149 apartments for single officers, as well as associated facilities and outside services were inaugurated as well. The facility also included six towers housing 360 apartments of Type-II for civilian employees of the Defence Department were opened.

Phase II-B

After the completion of this phase of the project, INS Kadamba will be able to base 50 front-line warships, and will be the biggest naval base east of the Suez Canal.

Important milestones

• Initial Sanction - 1985
• Foundation Stone laid - 24 October 1986
• Acquisition of land - 1985–1988
• Master Plan & DPR - 1990
• Truncated Phase 1 sanctioned - Oct 1995
• Execution of project - 1995–2005
• Rehabilitation Phase 1 - 1995–1999
• Construction commenced - 2000
• Priority Housing - February 2003
• Breakwater completed - February 2004
• Sailors Residential Colony - July 2004
• Anchorage completed - November 2004
• Pier completed - February 2005
• Officers Colony at Kamath Bay - February 2004
• Docking of the first navy ship INS Shardul
• Karwar Naval Hospital - Feb 2005 (Temporary location)
• Ship Lift installed - Apr 2005
• Phase 2 sanctioned- 2012
• Arrival of Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya - January 2014
• Phase 2 construction commenced - 2016
• Berthing of Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant - May 2023
• Phase 2A Pier 1 and 2 completed - March 2024
• Phase 2A Pier 3 (OPV) completed - April 2024

See also

Indian navy

• Director General Project Seabird
• List of Indian Navy bases
• List of active Indian Navy ships
• INS Varsha, the other major naval base, which is being developed on India's east coast.
• INS Vajrakosh, missile and ammunition base at Karwar
• INHS Patanjali, naval hospital at Karwar
• Karwar Airport

Integrated commands and units

• Armed Forces Special Operations Division
• Defence Cyber Agency
• Integrated Defence Staff
• Integrated Space Cell
• Indian Nuclear Command Authority
• Indian Armed Forces
• Special Forces of India

Other lists

• Strategic Forces Command
• List of Indian Air Force stations
• List of Indian Navy bases
• India's overseas military bases
• Naval Station Norfolk, world's largest naval base.

References

1. "Captain V S Guru Takes Command of INS Kadamba Naval Base in Karwar". 25 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
2. "INS Kadamba". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 8 December 2011. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
3. "INS Kadamba". Indian Navy. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
4. "INS Kadamba Celebrates 19th Anniversary with Community Engagement and Veteran Interactions". 1 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
5. ^ Karwar Naval Base Gears Up For Second Phase of Expansion at a Cost of About $3 Billion
6. ^ Unnithan, Sandeep (20 December 2004). "Power Base". India today. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
7. Bose, Mrityunjay. "Indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant joins Western Fleet". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
8. ^ "India Opens Major Western Naval Base Near Karwar". Defense Industry Daily. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
9. "Seabird on course". Frontline. 20 December 2003. Archived from the original on 8 January 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
10. "INS Kadamba - Naval Base at Karward". India Defence. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
11. "Navy To Build State-Of-The-Art Combat Training Centre in Karwar | Exclusive". News18. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
12. "INS Kadamba commissioned". Rediff. 31 May 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
13. "Karwar naval project takes off from May 31". The Hindu. 22 May 2005. Archived from the original on 23 May 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
14. India Opens Major Western Naval Base Near Karwar
15. "INS Kadamba commissioned". The Hindu. 1 June 2005. Archived from the original on 3 June 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
16. "Naval Ship Repair Yard (Karwar)". Indian Navy. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
17. "Green nod for radar station at Narcondam in Andamans". The Economic Times. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
18. ^ Strategic Karwar naval base set for major expansion
19. ^ "Karwar to get India's largest Naval base". The New Indian Express. 10 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 December 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
20. "Environment minister Prakash Javadekar clears Karwar Naval Base project". timesofindia-economictimes. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
21. "Seabird phase II work will start by 2016: Naval officer". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
22. "Seabird project expansion to commence next year". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
23. "Project Seabird II will generate more employment: Admiral - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
24. "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to inaugurate infrastructure projects at Indian Navy's Karwar Base". The Economic Times. 4 March 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
25. ^ The Hindu Bureau, ed. (9 April 2024). "Navy Chief inaugurates new facilities at Karwar naval base". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
26. "Seabird phase II work will start by 2016: Naval officer". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
27. ^ Peri, Dinakar (8 March 2024). "Backed by BrahMos, Navy's Minicoy base to keep watch over Arabian Sea". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
28. ^ "INAUGURATION OF NAVAL PIER AND RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATIONS BY ADMIRAL R HARI KUMAR, CHIEF OF THE NAVAL STAFF AT NAVAL BASE KARWAR AS PART OF PROJECT SEABIRD PHASE IIA". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
29. "Project Seabird". Indian Navy. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
30. "INS Vikramaditya reaches Karwar". Deccan Herald. 8 January 2014. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
31. "INS Vikrant docks at Karwar base, Navy calls it 'landmark'". The Week. Retrieved 12 April 2024.

External links

• India Opens Major Western Naval Base Near Karwar, Defense Industry Daily
• A base for a blue-water navy, Ravi Sharma, Frontline, Volume 22 - Issue 11, 21 May - 3 June 2005.
• Project Seabird: An Example of India's Maritime Prowess, Vijay Sakhuja, Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, #1580, 13 December 2004.

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