The Western Naval Command is a formation of the Indian Navy.[1] It has its HQ in Mumbai, Maharashtra and is commanded by the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, currently Vice Admiral D. K. Joshi. The WNC is the sword arm of the Indian Navy and naval operations conducted on the western seaboard would be central to the outcome of any conflict at sea against Pakistan.
The fleet at the WNC is based under Flag Officer Maharashtra Area (FOMA) and provides naval defence in the sensitive north Arabian Sea adjacent to Pakistan, India's traditional enemy. The WNC is equipped with submarine pens, a carrier dock and main maintenance dockyards. The first phase of Project Seabird, completed in 2005 involved the construction of a large new naval base, INS Kadamba, at Karwar in Karnataka, for exclusive naval use.
The Western Fleet[2] is the two-star level operational formation of the Western Naval Command. It utilizes Mumbai and Karwar as its home ports, with its HQ in Mumbai. INS Viraat is the Flagship of the Western Fleet.
The Carrier Battle Group of the Western Fleet has INS Viraat (Aircraft Carrier), Delhi Class Destroyer, Talwar Class Frigate, along with Sindhughosh Class Submarine. The Naval Aviation is provided by Sea Harrier Strike Aircraft along with early warning Kamov Helicopters.
Full fledged shipbuilding facilities on the western seaboard include the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai, the Goa Shipyard Limited and the Cochin Shipyard Ltd in Kerala, which is India's largest repair dry dock.