INS Kadamba INS Kadamba is an Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka . The first phase of construction of the base , code - named " Project Seabird " , was completed in 2005 and the base was commissioned on 31 May 2005 . Development of Phase II commenced in 2011 . INS Kadamba is currently the third largest Indian naval base , and is expected to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after completion of expansion Phase IIB . History . During the Indo - Pakistan War of 1971 , the Indian Navy faced security challenges for its Western Fleet in Mumbai Harbour due to congestion in the shipping lanes from commercial shipping traffic , fishing boats and tourists . At the end of the war , various options were considered on addressing these concerns . Alternative locations for a base on the west coast were evaluated , including Thiruvananthapuram , Kannur and Thoothukudi . In the early 1980s , then Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Oscar Stanley Dawson conceived of a dedicated naval base sandwiched between the craggy hills of the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea near Karwar in Karnataka state . Located south of the naval bases in Mumbai and Goa and north of Kochi , the location had significant advantages as being very close to the world ' s busiest shipping route between the Persian Gulf and east Asia and out of range of most strike aircraft from neighboring countries . It also offered a natural deep - water harbour and significant land area for expansion , allowing larger aircraft carriers to berth . However , due to a variety of reasons , including the 1991 economic crisis , development was delayed . Project Seabird . In 1999 , following Pokhran - II , then Defence Minister George Fernandes approved " Project Seabird " to pursue the construction of the new naval base at Karwar . Larsen & Toubro was the lead contractor for the marine works on the harbour , in partnership with Hochtief , Ballast Nadem Dredging of the Netherlands , Radisson of Australia and Nedeco of The Netherland . Over 5 km of breakwater were constructed using over 44 lakh cubic meters of rock to protect the harbour . The Binaga Bay was dredged and its rock outcrops blasted to allow even large aircraft carriers to turn inside the bay . Anjadip Island is one of the two islands to which the breakwaters are linked for reinforcement . A second channel will be added to the base to allow warships to enter and exit the port simultaneously . Expansion . Phase I . Spread over an area of and of coastline on the Arabian Sea , Phase I of " INS Kadamba " was commissioned on 31 May 2005 . Phase I opened the base in 2007 , with space for up to 11 front - line warships and 10 smaller FIC - type boats . Key facilities include the 10 , 000 tonne , 175 m x 28 m ship lift and ship transfer system for dry docking at the Naval ship Repair Yard . The base has a Naval Ship Repair Yard and a 141 - bed naval hospital " INHS Patanjali " . Commodore K . P . Ramachandran was the first Commanding Officer . Phase II . Development of Phase II of INS Kadamba commenced in 2011 . It will double the existing facilities at the base . Phase II will reportedly involve expansion of the berthing facilities to accommodate 40 more front - line warships , tugs and barges , raise manpower to 300 officers and around 2 , 500 sailors , and build a naval air station with a 6 , 000 - foot runway . The aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will also be based at this base , after its planned delivery to the Indian Navy in 2013 . The total cost of this project is estimated to be US $ 3 Billion . Phase II - A . Phase II - A is scheduled to last until 2018 - 2019 , under which the base will get a naval air base , armament depot , dockyard complex and missile silos ; plus additional jetties , berthing and anchorage facilities . this will enable the navy to berth 32 major warships and submarines , and various other ships including 10 of the 80 fast - interceptor craft ( FICs ) to be acquired for the coastal security force Sagar Prahari Bal . The Phase - IIA expansion approval has being sent to the Cabinet Committee on Security for the final nod , after getting approval from the Defence Minister A K Antony . Phase II - B . After the completion of this project , the INS Kadamba will be able to base 50 front - line warships , and will be the biggest naval base east of the Suez canal .