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Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area

Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK)
Flag of the FOK (Rear Admiral's flag)
Incumbent Rear Admiral K. M. Ramakrishnan, VSM since 1 April 2023
Indian Navy
Abbreviation	FOK
Reports to	Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command
Seat	Karwar
First holder	Commodore K. P. Ramachandran (as COMINKAR)

Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK) is a senior appointment in the Indian Navy. One of the five Area Commanders of the Indian Navy, the FOK is a two star admiral holding the rank of Rear Admiral. The FOK is responsible for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in Karnataka, including the Naval Base Karwar. The Current FOK is Rear Admiral K. M. Ramakrishnan, VSM, who assumed office on 1 April 2023.

History[edit]

In 1999, following Pokhran-II, then Defence Minister George Fernandes approved Project Seabird to pursue the construction of the new naval base at Karwar in the state of Karnataka. The first phase of construction of the base was completed in 2005 and the base was commissioned on 31 May 2005.^[1]

Headquarters Karnataka Naval Area (HQKNA) thus came into being on 31 May 2005. Commodore K. P. Ramachandran, VSM was appointed the first Commodore-in-Charge Karwar (COMINKAR). The COMINKAR also discharged the duties of Naval Officer-in-Charge Karnataka (NOIC (KTK)) and Commanding Officer INS Kadamba. After three incumbents serving as COMINKAR, the billet was upgraded to two-star rank and rechristened Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area (FOK) in 2011. Rear Admiral Atul Kumar Jain was the first FOK who took over on 3 October 2011.^[2]

Organisation[edit]

The FOK is assisted by the NOIC (KTK), a one-star appointment. The NOIC (KTK) also serves as the Chief Staff Officer at Headquarters Karnataka Naval Area (HQKNA). The FOK is responsible to the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command for the operations and administration of all units and establishments in Karnataka. This includes all ships and submarines based at the Karwar Naval Base as well.^[3][4] The establishments under the FOK include:^[5]

• The Naval Base Karwar INS Kadamba
• The naval hospital INHS Patanjali
• The missile and ammunition base INS Vajrakosh
• Naval Ship Repair Yard (NSRY) Karwar
• Sagar Prahari Bal, Karwar

List of Commanders[edit]

See also[edit]

• INS Kadamba

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

• Doraibabu, M; Godbole, Amrut (2023), A Decade of Transformation: The Indian Navy 2011-2021, Harper Collins Publishers India, ISBN 9789394407909