The Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

 is one of its three major formations. It utilizes Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...

 as its HQ, and has bases there and at Kolkata

Kolkata

Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...

.

Under the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (FOC-in-C East) is the Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Fleet (FOCEF), Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) (COMCOS (E)), Admiral Superintendent Dockyard for Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...

, shore establishments, and five Naval Officers-in-Charge (NOICs).
INS Jalashwa

INS Jalashwa

INS Jalashwa is an amphibious transport dock currently in service with the Indian Navy. Formerly the , she was procured from the United States by India for USD 48 million. She was commissioned on 22 June 2007....

 is the Flagship of Eastern Fleet and provides amphibious capabilities to Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal

Bay of Bengal

The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...

. Eastern Fleet is equipped with submarine pens and maintenance dockyards. The Amphibious Task Group of Eastern Naval Fleet has INS Jalashwa (LPD), Rajput Class Destroyer, Talwar Class Frigate, along with Sindhughosh Class Submarine. The Naval Aviation is provided by Sea King Helicopters.

The FOC-in-C (East) is the submarine operating authority, under whom Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) [COMCOS (E)] operate. The 11th (Sindhugosh Class) and 8th (Foxtrot Class) Submarine Squadrons operate under COMCOS (E). INS Virbahu, a submarine base commissioned on 19 May 1971, is the alma matar of the Indian Navy submariners.

Until 1997, INS Vikrant was the Flagship of Eastern Fleet. However, after de-commissioning of INS Vikrant in 1997, Eastern Fleet has been without an Aircraft Carrier but by year 2012-2013 Eastern Fleet will receive either the new INS Vikrant, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier under construction, or INS Vikramaditya

INS Vikramaditya

INS Vikramaditya is the new name for the former Soviet aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which has been procured by India, and is estimated to enter service in the Indian Navy after 2012....

which is now under dock trials. With dock trials starting in early 2011, final delivery to India is now almost certain in the later half of 2012.