05 September 1612: First squadron of British fighting ships arrives in Surat. Formation of the Indian Marine, also known as the Honourable East India Company's Marine. Indian Marine defeats Portuguese in sea battle.

1614: Indian Marine emerges victorious in second sea battle against the Portuguese.

1635: Four pinnaces built at Surat, Gujrat. First record of ship building activity.

27 March 1668: Bombay transferred to East India Company at a fee-favour rent of £10 per annum.

1686: Indian Marine Headquarters shifted to Bombay. Service christened Bombay Marine.

1700: Maratha Admiral Kanhoji Angre comes to power, and establishes formidable fleet.

1717 - 1724: Dutch and British fleets fail to capture Gheria (Vijaydurg), the stronghold of Admiral Angre, despite repeated attacks.

1735: Dockyard established at Bombay by Lowjee Wadia.

1758 - 1760: Bombay Marine, under Admiral Pocock defeats the French fleet, leaving the British undisputed masters of the sea around India.

1817: HMS Trincomalee built at Bombay DY. Today it is the world's oldest wooden sail ship still afloat in Portsmouth as TS Foudroyant.

1830: Bombay Marine designated Indian Navy. Over the next fifteen years, the Company's ships converted from sail to steam.

1856: The Persian War. Naval part of expedition conducted by Indian Navy.

1858: On transfer to Crown, Indian Navy re-designated Her Majesty's Indian Navy.

30 April 1863: Reduced to non-combatant status and re-organized into Bombay and Bengal Marine. Marine Survey Department started and manned by naval personnel.

1877: Service restored to combatant status and named Her Majesty's Indian Marine.

1892: In recognition of its contributions, Service renamed Royal Indian Marine (RIM).

1910: An officer of the RIM, Lt. H.R. Bowers accompanies Captain Scott to the South Pole.

1914 - 1918: World War I. RIM represented in every Indian expeditionary force throughout the war.

06 January 1928: The first Indian to be commissioned in the Royal Indian Marines (RIM) - Engineer Sub. Lt. D.N. Mukerji.

1934: Service renamed Royal Indian Navy. Naval HQ established at Bombay under FOC RIN (Flag Officer Commanding Royal Indian Navy).

1939-45: World War II. RIN ships active in all theatres. HMIS Bengal sinks a Japanese raider.

1946: Large scale demobilization. Naval mutiny.

15 August 1947: India attains Independence. Landing of troops at Junagadh.

1948: The RIN acquires the HMIS Delhi, formerly HMS Achilles, a cruiser. First major goodwill cruise, to East Africa, Seychelles and Mauritius.

26 January 1950: Proclamation of the Republic. Service becomes Indian Navy (IN) and loses its coveted status of being the senior most service to the Indian Army.

June 1950: Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru sails to Indonesia on INS Delhi.

27 May 1951: Colours presented to the Indian Navy by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.

11 May 1953: First Naval Air Station, INS Garuda, inaugurated at Cochin. No.550 Squadron (consisting of Sealand and Firefly aircraft) commissioned.

10 October 1953: The first review of the Indian Fleet by President Dr. Rajendra Prasad. 25 warships, 7 yard crafts and one merchant ship participated.

02 October 1956: First Indian Naval officer elevated to Flag Rank.

28 August 1957: The IN acquires INS Mysore, formerly HMS Nigeria, a WW2 British Fiji Class cruiser.

1957: Parliament passes Navy Act in December 1957.

22 April 1958: Vice Admiral R.D. Katari becomes first Indian Chief of Naval Staff.

1960: No.300 White Tigers Squadron (consisting of Sea Hawk aircraft) commissioned.

16 February 1961: The IN acquires its first aircraft carrier - INS Vikrant R11 (formerly HMS Hercules).

March 1961: No.310 Cobras Squadron (consisting of Alize aircraft) commissioned.

December 1961: Operation Vijay - Liberation of Goa. The Indian Navy plays an active part.

1965: The Indian Navy ensign is planted on highest peak in the world, as Lt. Cdr. M.S. Kohli leads first successful Indian expedition to Mount Everest.

08 December 1967: The Indian Navy's silent service (submarine arm) is born with the arrival of INS Kalvari - a Foxtrot Class submarine.

15 March 1969: No.321 Angels Squadron (consisting of Alouette helicopters) commissioned.

28 December 1969: President V.V. Giri reviews the Fleet. 31 warships and 5 merchant ships participated. The submarine arm takes part in the review.

1971: The Indian Navy enters the missile era with arrival of the first Osa-I Class missile boats from Russia.

04 December 1971: The Indian Navy covers itself with glory during Indo-Pak war. In commemoration, December 4th is celebrated as 'Navy Day' every year, since that was when IN Osa-I Class missile boats successfully attacked Pakistan's naval port in Karachi.

23 June 1972: First modern warship to be built in India, INS Nilgiri F33, commissioned.

1976: No.312 Albatross Squadron (consisting of Super Constellation aircraft) commissioned.

1977: INS Udaygiri F35 participates in Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee Coronation Review.

01 October 1977: No.315 Winged Stallions Squadron (consisting of IL-38 aircraft) commissioned.

1978: INS Delhi is decommissioned after 30 years in Indian Naval service.

30 September 1980: INS Rajput D51 is commissioned. She is the first guided missile destroyer in the IN.

1981: The Indian Navy ensign flies in Antarctica.

1981: No.333 Eagles Squadron (consisting of Ka-25 helicopters) commissioned.

1982: INS Mysore is decommissioned after 25 years in Indian Naval service.

12 February 1984: President Giani Zail Singh reviews the Fleet. Rajput Class destroyers, Godavari Class frigates and Sea Harrier aircraft take part in the review.

26 November 1984: Southern Naval Command presented Colours by President, Giani Zail Singh.

1986: INS Godavari F20 represents India at the International Naval Review in New York.

05 April 1987: Eastern Naval Command receives Colours from President Giani Zail Singh.

12 May 1987: The IN acquires its second aircraft carrier - INS Viraat R22 (formerly HMS Hermes).

1987: Indian Navy participates in IPKF Operations in Sri Lanka.

05 February 1988: A nuclear powered submarine, INS Chakra, obtained on lease for three years for training purposes from Russia, arrives in Vizag.

1988: At request of the Maldivian Government, the Indian Navy contains an incident of terrorism in Indian Ocean. Indian Naval vessels and aircraft locate & apprehend rebel vessel.

15 February 1989: President R. Venkataraman reviews the Fleet. 86 Indian Naval warships including aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Viraat, a nuclear submarine, INS Chakra, were in the review lines. A fly past was also conducted by 39 aircraft.

31 January 1997: INS Vikrant, India's first aircraft carrier is decommissioned after 36 years and 11 months in Indian Naval service.

15 November 1997: Pride of the Indian Navy, INS Delhi D61, is commissioned. INS Delhi becomes India's 75th indigenous vessel and is the first in the line of three Delhi Class destroyers.

02 June 1999 - The second of the Delhi Class destroyers, INS Mysore D60, is commissioned. INS Mysore becomes India's 81st indigenous vessel.

04 July 2000 - INS Mysore represents India at the International Naval Review in New York. INS Mysore was among the foreign naval vessels reviewed by U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton.

22 January 2001 - The third of the Delhi Class destroyers, INS Mumbai D62, is commissioned.

15-19 February 2001 - President K.R. Narayanan reviews the naval flotilla at the International Fleet Review in Mumbai. Called 'Bridges of Friendship' over 45 Indian Naval warships, and another 25 foreign naval warships, participated. INS Viraat, the Delhi and Rajput Class destroyers, the Godavari and Bramhaputra Class frigates, the Shishumar and Sindhugosh Class submarines were among the 45 Indian Naval warships which took part in the event. A fly past was also conducted by 60 aircraft from the Indian Navy's Air Arm.

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