Navy inducts INAS 335 'Ospreys': Helicopter to boost maritime capabilities - why it matters

INAS 335, the ‘Ospreys’, the second IndianIndianIndian Naval Air Squadron to operate MH-60R helicopters, was commissioned at INS Hansa, Goa, on December 17, 2025. The ceremony was presided over by Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), marking another major milestone in the modernisation of Indian naval aviation.

The commissioning follows the induction of the first MH-60R helicopter squadron at Kochi, Kerala, in March 2024. With the induction of the versatile, multi-role MH-60R helicopter on the western seaboard as the first operational squadron, the Navy has significantly enhanced its rotary wing combat and surveillance capabilities.

Addressing the gathering, Admiral Tripathi said the commissioning assumes special significance as 2025 marks 75 years since the Government of India approved the formation of the Fleet Air Arm, a historic decision that gave wings to naval aviation and transformed the Navy into a potent, multi-dimensional force. He highlighted that the maritime environment today is increasingly complex and contested, shaped by shifting geopolitics, rapid technological advances and an expanding spectrum of threats, ranging from grey zone activities to supply chain disruptions at sea.