INS Jalashwa

INS Jalashwa, the Sanskrit name for Hippopotamus, is an amphibian assault ship in service of the Indian Navy. The warship can embark, transport, and land elements of an amphibious force to support warfare missions.

It is the second-largest ship in the Indian Navy and has undertaken several special operations, surveillance, search & rescue, medical support, and humanitarian relief.

INS Jalashwa is the only naval ship acquired from the United States and the first Landing Platform Dock (LPD) acquired by the Indian Navy. It is based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, under the Eastern Naval Command (ENV).

The motto of the ship is "The Fearless Pioneers."

INS Jalashwa History

• INS Jalashwa was originally commissioned in the United States Navy as USS Trenton, an Austin class landing platform dock. The Lockheed Shipbuilding & Construction Company laid her down in Seattle, Washington, on 08 August 1966.
• The aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 made the Indian Navy feel the necessity of an amphibious landing ship. Subsequently, in 2006, the Indian Government announced the purchase of the USS Trenton. The vessel was purchased for US$ 48.44 million.
• The ship was transferred to the Indian Navy on 17 January 2007 and was commissioned as INS Jalashwa on 22 June 2007. The commission was made by Shri Ronan Sen, the then Indian ambassador to the United States.

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INS Jalashwa Features

• The speciality of INS Jalashwa is the good deck which can house up to four LCM-8 riverboats. The boats can be launched by flooding the good deck and lowering the hinged gate aft of the ship.
• The ship also has a flight deck from which four medium helicopters can operate simultaneously.
• If circumstances warrant, the deck can also operate vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft.
• INS Jalashwa is capable of embarking over 1,000 troops. To ensure the well-being of embarked personnel, she is fully equipped with extensive medical facilities. This includes four operation theatres, a 12-bed ward, a laboratory, and a dental care centre.

INS Jalashwa Characteristics

Below are some characteristics of INS Jalashwa -

INS Jalashwa Significant Operations

• INS Jalashwa was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea under Operation Safe Homecoming on 26 February 2011. The mission was to evacuate Indian citizens fleeing from the Libyan Civil War.
• As part of Mission Sagar-IV, the ship delivered 1,000 Metric Tonnes of rice to the island nations of Comoros on 14 March 2021. Mission Sagar was India's maritime initiative to provide Covid-19-related aid to countries in the Indian Ocean.
• INS Jalashwa was also part of the Indian Navy's Operation Samudra Setu-II, which helped supply the nation with oxygen and other medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

INS Jalashwa is the second largest ship in the Indian Navy and it has undertaken several special operations, surveillance, search & rescue, medical support, and humanitarian relief.

FAQs on INS Jalashwa

Q.1. What is INS Jalashwa?

INS Jalashwa, the Sanskrit name for Hippopotamus, is an amphibian assault ship in service of the Indian Navy.

Q.2. What is the motto of the INS Jalashwa naval ship?

The motto of INS Jalashwa is "The Fearless Pioneers."

Q.3. When was the INS Jalashwa officially commissioned into the Indian Navy?

INS Jalashwa was commissioned to the Indian Navy on 22 June 2007 by Shri Ronan Sen, the then Indian ambassador to the United States.

Q.4. Where was the INS Jalashwa first commissioned?

INS Jalashwa was originally commissioned in the United States Navy as USS Trenton, an Austin class landing platform dock. She is the only naval ship acquired from the United States and the first Landing Platform Dock (LPD) acquired by the Indian Navy.

Q.5. What are the recent operations of INS Jalashwa?

Mission Sagar-IV and Operation Samudra Setu-II are some of the recent operations of INS Jalashwa.