INS Godavari (F20)
Encyclopedia
INS Godavari (F20) is the lead ship of her class
of guided-missile frigates of the Indian Navy
. Built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai
, she was commissioned on 10 December 1983.
against Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
by Sri Lanka
n mercenaries, India launched Operation Cactus
to restore the democratically elected government. After Indian paratroopers restored the presidency, the mercenaries captured Maldivian hostages on board a freighter
and fled towards Sri Lanka. INS Godavari and successfully intercepted the freighter, rescued the hostages and arrested the mercenaries off the Sri Lankan coast.
, extended the UN mandate for UNOSOM II
in Somalia
to March 1995, the United States and other NATO members of the mission abandoned the peacekeeping effort and withdrew from Somalia
over a year earlier. As the mission approached its scheduled end, the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate. With no other international support forthcoming, INS Godavari along with and were deployed to Mogadishu
in December 1994 to support the withdrawal of the Indian Army
's 66 Brigade, including the 2nd Battalion, Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry
(2 JAKLI).Pakistan Naval Ship 'Babur' brushed with INS Godavari in June 2011 while escorting Egyptian ship MV Suez. This incident trigerred a diplomatic war between India and Pakistan.
Godavari Class Frigate
The Godavari class frigates are guided-missile frigates of the Indian Navy. The Godavari class was the first significant indigenous warship design and development initiative of the Indian Navy...
of guided-missile frigates 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...
. Built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, she was commissioned on 10 December 1983.
Operation Cactus
In 1988, following an attempted coup d'étatCoup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
against Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom
Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir on November 11, 1978. He eventually became the longest-ruling head of government in Asia...
by Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n mercenaries, India launched Operation Cactus
Operation Cactus
The 1988 Maldives coup d'état, whose rescue efforts were code-named Operation Sandhya by the Indian armed forces, was the attempt by a group of Maldivians led by Abdullah Luthufi and assisted by about 80 armed mercenaries of a Tamil secessionist organisation from Sri Lanka, the People's Liberation...
to restore the democratically elected government. After Indian paratroopers restored the presidency, the mercenaries captured Maldivian hostages on board a freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
and fled towards Sri Lanka. INS Godavari and successfully intercepted the freighter, rescued the hostages and arrested the mercenaries off the Sri Lankan coast.
UNOSOM II
While the UN Security Council Resolution 954United Nations Security Council Resolution 954
United Nations Security Council Resolution 954, adopted unanimously on November 4, 1994, after recalling Resolution 733 and all relevant resolutions on the situation in Somalia and a recent Security Council mission to the country, the Council noted the lack of progress in the peace process and...
, extended the UN mandate for UNOSOM II
UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II was the second phase of the United Nations intervention in Somalia, from March 1993 until March 1995....
in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
to March 1995, the United States and other NATO members of the mission abandoned the peacekeeping effort and withdrew from Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
over a year earlier. As the mission approached its scheduled end, the situation on the ground continued to deteriorate. With no other international support forthcoming, INS Godavari along with and were deployed to Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
in December 1994 to support the withdrawal of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
's 66 Brigade, including the 2nd Battalion, Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry
Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Avantipur with a small winter setup near Jammu. It's regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed rifles...
(2 JAKLI).Pakistan Naval Ship 'Babur' brushed with INS Godavari in June 2011 while escorting Egyptian ship MV Suez. This incident trigerred a diplomatic war between India and Pakistan.