Transition to Eminence : The Indian Navy 1976-1990
Contents: Preface. I. Towards Eminence: 1. External Naval presence in the Indian Ocean. 2. Diego Garcia, Addoo Atoll and Gan. 3. The development of the Navy till 1975. 4. The growth of the Navy between 1976-1990. 5. Indian Ocean deep Seabed mining. 6. Training of Foreign Naval Personnel. 7. Visits by Foreign Naval Ships 1976 to 1990. II. Towards Self Reliance the Fleet: 8. Warship design and production. 9. The Leander Frigate Project. 10. Project 16 Godavari class frigates. 11. Project 25 Khukri class corvettes. 12. Indigenous Submarine construction the SSK Project. 13. Warship modernisations and half-life refits. 14. The Naval Air Arm. 15. The Submarine Arm. 16. The Russian acquisitions 1976 to 1990. 17. Maintenance, repair and refit facilities. 18. 1979-80 Naval Expert Committee Report on Maintenance. 19. Logistics. 20. Third Naval Base at Karwar - Project Seabird. 21. The indigenous panoramic sonar -- APSOH. III. Operations 1976-1990: 22. Indian Naval Operations 1976-1990. 23. Assistance rendered by the Navy in peace time 1976-1990. 24. Goodwill visits to foreign ports 1976-90. 25. The Navy's participation in the expeditions to Antarctica. 26. Naval hydrography and marine cartography. 27. Naval oceanology and meteorology. 28. The marine commandos. 29. The foundering of INS Andaman. 30. Defence of offshore assets. IV. Personnel 1976-1990: 31. Personnel. 32. Manning of ships and conservation of expertise. 33. Training. 34. Merger of supply and secretariat branch with executive branch in 1978 and creation of the logistics Cadre in 1989. 35. The Cadre reviews. 36. The fourth pay commission. 37. Gallantry Awards 1976-1990. 38. The new naval academy at Ezhimala. 39. Welfare. V. Challenges of Change: 40. The erosion of leadership values. 41. Defence procurement. 42. Checks and balances in the NHQ - defence ministry relationship. 43. Changes in NHQ organisation. 44. Changes in command and control structure. VI. General Historical Reference Data: 45. The coast guard. 46. Commissionings and decommissionings. 47. Commissioning commanding officers of major inductions. 48. Naval ceremonial. 49. Naval philately. 50. The Navy and the Army's Military Engineering Service. 51. The Navy and the sea cadets. 52. Sailing and yachting. Reference Notes. Select bibliography. Index.
"This volume of the Navy's history covers the period 1976 to 1990. It examines the Navy's success in keeping abreast of advances in technology in step with progressive self reliance.
In a decade and a half of innovation, the Navy equipped its indigenously built frigates, corvettes and other vessels with combinations of the latest available weapons and equipment from the Soviet Union, from Europe and from indigenous sources. A tiny 'ship design cell' that in 1965 was designing yard craft was by 1990 designing an aircraft carrier, submarines and missile destroyers.
The new acquisitions from the Soviet Union ranged from missile destroyers, conventional submarines and long range reconnaissance aircraft to minesweepers.
The acquisitions from Britain included the aircraft carrier Viraat, V/STOL Sea Harrier carrier borne fighter aircraft and seeking helicopters in anti submarine and commando versions. A fleet tanker, landing ships and conventional submarines were acquired from Europe, the submarines as a precursor for commencing their construction in India.
All these hi-tech inductions needed to be operated and manned by better educated and better trained personnel. New maintenance, repair and refit facilities had to be created. The increase in the volume of spares and the diversity of sources compelled modernisation of the logistics system. This volume analyses how these problems were tackled.
Between 1987 and 1990, Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka provided valuable experience of supporting troops from seaward and of low intensity conflict in confined waters. This operation is discussed in the context of the strategic sensitivity of India's Southern Seaboard." (jacket)
