Decommissioning of INS Cheetah, Guldar, and Kumbhir
Context:
On January 12, 2024, the Indian Navy bid farewell to its venerable assets, INS Cheetah, Guldar, and Kumbhir, as they were decommissioned after an illustrious four decades of dedicated service to the nation.
Relevance:
GS-03 (Security)
Event Highlights:
- The decommissioning ceremony unfolded at Port Blair, featuring a traditional ritual where the National Flag, Naval Ensign, and Decommissioning Pennants of the three ships were gracefully lowered for the last time during the sunset.
Historical Background:
- Constructed at the Gdynia Shipyard in Poland as part of the Polnocny class Landing Ships, Cheetah, Guldar, and Kumbhir were commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1984, 1985, and 1986, respectively.
- The commissioning ceremonies were graced by Shri S K Arora (Cheetah and Guldar) and Shri A K Das (Kumbhir), then Ambassadors of India to Poland.
Service Journey:
- Initially stationed at Kochi, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam, the ships were later re-based at the Andaman and Nicobar Command, where they continued their dedicated service until decommissioning. These stalwart vessels collectively covered approximately 17 lakh nautical miles over their nearly 40 years in active naval service, spending over 12,300 days at sea.
Operational Achievements:
- As integral components of the Andaman and Nicobar Command’s amphibian capabilities, the ships executed over 1300 beaching operations, facilitating the landing of army troops ashore.
- Their remarkable contributions extended to maritime security missions and noteworthy engagements in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.
- Notably, they played crucial roles in Operation Aman during IPKF operations, Operation Tasha to curb smuggling and illegal immigration, and contributed significantly to relief efforts following the 1997 cyclone off Sri Lanka and the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.
