INS Ajay Decommissioned: Indian Navy decommissioned INS Ajay (P34) after 32 of illustrious and distinguished services to the nation.

Key Highlights:

• The decommissioning ceremony’s guest of honour was Vice Admiral AG Thapliyal, AVSM Bar (Retd), who served as the ship’s first commanding officer.
• The chief guest was Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command.
• The decommissioning ceremony was conducted in the traditional manner at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
• The National Flag, Naval Ensign, and the ship’s Decommissioning Pennant were lowered for the last time at sunset to mark the conclusion of the vessel’s services to India.

About INS Ajay:

• INS Ajay was an Abhay class anti-submarine warfare corvette of Western Naval Command.
• INS Ajay was commissioned on January 24, 1990, at Poti, Georgia in the erstwhile USSR.
• It was part of the 23rd Patrol Vessel Squadron under the operational control of Flag Officer Commanding, Maharashtra Naval Area.
• The ship joined various naval operations including Op Talwar during Kargil War in 1999 and Operation Parakram in 2001.

About Indian Navy:

• The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces.
• The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy.
• The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy.
• Indian Navy was founded on 26 January 1950. The current Chief of Navy Staff (CNS) is Admiral R. Hari Kumar.

There are 3 commands under the Navy which are:

1. The Western Naval Command (Headquarters at Mumbai).
2. The Eastern Naval Command (Headquarters at Visakhapatnam)
3. The Southern Naval Command (Headquarters at Kochi)

The Indian Navy is the fifth largest in the world, employing 67,109 personnel.

• The main objective of the Indian Navy is to protect the country’s maritime borders and help in the expansion of its forces.
• Indian Navy promotes bilateral between nations through joint exercises, humanitarian missions, and goodwill visits.

Indian Navy day is celebrated on the 4th of December every year.