Presidents Fleet Review | A Ceremoneous Presentation in 2006
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Presidents Fleet Review 2006

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Naval Fleet Review is a long-standing tradition followed by all major navies in the world. It is an occasion when every operational ship is spruced up, displaying its crest and ships company in a spirit of loyalty and allegiance to its sovereign and the state. In India, the President, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, reviews the Fleet once during his tenure.

Review of the Indian Naval Fleet by the President of India is held at Vizag on 12 Feb 2006. This was the historic occasion for the Indian Navy and Eastern Naval Command in particular as the Fleet Review by the President has been held for the first time in the Eastern Coast. About 55 Naval ships and 45 aircraft have participated in the Review.
History of Indian Navy  
The British East India Company came to India in 1608. At the Battle of Swally in 1612 they encountered and defeated the Portuguese. This encounter emphasised the need for a naval force to protect commerce. This resulted in formation of what was then called the Honourable East India Company's Marine. It was responsible for the protection of the East India Company's trade in the Gulf of Cambay and the river mouths of the Tapti and Narmada. The officers and the men of this force went on to play an important role in surveying the Arabian, Persian and Indian coastlines.

Although Bombay had been ceded to the British in 1662, they physically took possession of the island on 8 February 1665, only to pass it on to the East India Company on 27 September 1668. As a consequence, the Honourable East India Company's Marine also became responsible for the protection of trade off Bombay.

By 1686, with British commerce having shifted predominantly to Bombay, the name of this force was changed to Bombay Marine. This force rendered unique service, fighting not only the Portuguese, Dutch and French, but also interlopers and pirates of various nationalities. The Bombay Marine was involved in combat against the Marathas and the Sidis and participated in the Burma War in 1824. In 1830, the Bombay Marine was renamed Her Majesty's Indian Navy.

In recognition of the services rendered during various campaigns, its title was changed to Royal Indian Marine in 1892, by which time it consisted of over 50 vessels.

In 1934 the Royal Indian Marine was reorganised into the Royal Indian Navy (RIN). At the start of the Second World War it was very small and had eight warships, though this increased during the war.

India gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, though senior officers were initially drawn from the Royal Navy. The "Royal" title was initially kept as George VI remained head of state and vessels were known as His Majesty's Indian Ships (HMIS). When India became a republic within the Commonwealth on 26 January 1950, it became known simply as the Indian Navy, and its vessels as Indian Navy Ships (INS).

Major Conflicts
The first involvement of the Navy in any conflict came during the Liberation of Goa in 1961 with the success of Operation Vijay.

The Navy has been involved in 2 wars with Pakistan. While the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 largely involved patrolling of the coast, India's navy played a significant role in the bombing of Karachi harbour in the 1971 war. The name given to the attack was Operation Trident which was launched on December 4. Owing to its success, it has been celebrated as Navy Day ever since. The attack was followed by Operation Python before the crux of the war shifted to the east.

INS Rajput was instrumental in sinking Pakistan's premier submarine PNS Ghazi which posed a significant threat in the Bay of Bengal, while INS Nirghat and Nipat sunk a destroyer each and INS Veer accounting for a minesweeper. The naval aircraft Sea Hawks and Alize' were also instrumental in sinking many gunboats and merchant navy vessels. There was one major casualty in the frigate INS Khukri (sunk by PNS Hangor) with another vessel INS Kirpan damaged in the western sector, but on the eastern front the opposing Pakistan Navy took a severe beating. The blockade of East Pakistan port with major naval presence proved to be a vital link in the war. Ultimately it was a series of decisive operations in which the Indian Navy proved its superiority by routing its counterpart.
It was also instrumental in overthrowing the coup attempt by Tamil mercenariness in Maldives by pouring troops there in 1988. The campaign led by the Indian navy was known as Operation Cactus.

Navy Personnel
Each of the three Naval Commands has a Flag Officer Commanding in Chief. The commander of the Navy is the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).
Naval Ensign

All commissioned Indian Naval Ships, Submarines and Shore Establishments fly the Indian Naval Ensign. Indian Naval Ships, Submarines and Shore Establishments are adorned with a Indian Naval Ensign. The design of the Ensign was made keeping in mind simplicity, commonality of the Ensign with the two other Services and the use of white and Navy blue colours which are traditional to the Navy. The Naval Ensign displays the National Flag at the left, top corner and a Navy Anchor with the National Crest above it in Navy Blue. In addition, the Naval Ensign is also flown at the shore Headquarters of a ship or senior officer, at detach Naval Establishments. Naval Ensign can also be flown at Naval Recruiting Office with the permission of Naval Headquarters. Besides, Inter-service establishments like National Defence College, New Delhi, National Defence Academy, Khadakvasala, Defence Service Staff College, Wellington and College of Defence Management, Secunderabad are also authorised to fly the Naval Ensign. 
Presidents flag

Ihe President's Colour was first presented to the Indian Navy in 1951. It was a 36 x 48 inch (approx. 91 x 122 cm) flag based on the then-naval ensign, white with a St. George's cross and the Indian national flag in the canton. On the center of the cross was the state emblem--the Ashoka lions capital (in gold) and in lower fly the elephant emblem (embroidered in gold on the centre) from the president's personal standard, as in other Indian President's colours.   The elephant in the President’s flag signified strength. The President's Colour was secured to a staff on the top of which was mounted the State's crest.
The Colour, symbolising the Navy's loyalty to the Head of the State, replaced the King's Colour which was laid up after India became a Republic.
 

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