Indian Naval Academy
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The Indian Naval Academy, abbreviated as INA, Ezhimala is the defence service training establishment for officer cadre of the Indian Naval Service and the Indian Coast Guard. 

Inauguration 
The Indian Naval Academy was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 8, 2009. In his inaugural address, PM Manmohan Singh reminded the audience that Naval Power is not just about war fighting but also about diplomacy, commerce and energy security among other things. In the light of recent events at Mumbai, the Prime Minster exhorted the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to ensure co ordinated action against threats from the sea. Dr Manmohan Singh also reminded the audience about competitive forces operating in the region and exhorted the Navy to be the preeminent maritime power of this region. He also spoke about the requirement of re adjusting military preparedness and promised Navy the best of hardware to fulfill its increasing role.

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The Indian Naval Academy would function under the Southern Naval Command based at Kochi headed by Vice Admiral Sunil K Damle. The Project Management Authority which was entrusted with the planning and execution of the Naval Academy is headed by Commodore TK Ashokan. The complex civil works under difficult conditions were executed under the able guidance of Brigadier Sunil V Gopande and his team from the Indian Army’s Corps of Engineers.

The Academy covers an area of 2452 acres along the North Malabar coastline including the Kavvayi backwaters where watermanship training would be conducted. The academy would have state of the art classrooms, laboratories and workshops, a well stocked library and a modern auditorium. Physical fitness training facilities include indoor swimming and diving pools, athletics track and stadium, a variety of play fields and courts, a firing range and a waterman ship training centre. A comprehensive IT network interconnecting various facilities is also being set up.

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Whilst Naval Orientation Courses are being conducted at Ezhimala since 2005, full fledged training will commence from June 2009.The Academy would be conducting a four year B Tech programme for all newly inducted trainees. Courses would be offered in Electronics and Communications and Mechanical Engineering. The syllabus and the curriculum has been drafted keeping in mind the current technical advancements and the skill sets that will be required in handling the future acquisitions of the Indian Navy. Naval Orientation Courses of 20 weeks duration for other direct entry scheme (after graduation) in various branches will also be conducted here. The total envisaged strength of the Academy in June 2009 would be approximately 450 trainees which would progressively increase to about 1100 trainees by 2013. This would include officer trainees from the Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign countries.

The Naval Academy will be manned by a mix of uniformed and civilian personnel for conduct of training and other administrative support functions. There would be 161 officers, 47 professors/ lecturers, 502 sailors and 557 civilians. Along with the families of staff, the campus would have a population of about 4000. A well designed township would provide living spaces for these personnel.

Location 

The Indian Naval Academy is located in Ezhimala, Kannur district, Kerala. It is situated between Ezhimala hill and the Kavvayi backwaters. It has a 7 kilometre beach front on the Laccadive Sea. 

While INA conducts basic training for all officers inducted into the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, it is Asia’s largest and the world’s third-largest  naval academy 

Background 

The Naval Academy (NAVAC) was established in May 1969. However, training of Orientation courses commenced in August 2005. It was formally inaugurated on January 8, 2009 and the name changed to Indian Naval Academy. It shares the 2,452 acre (9.92 km2) site with the naval base depot, INS Zamorin, and the naval hospital, INHS Navjivani.

Accessibility

Whie INA is well connected by rail and road, the nearest railway station is at Payyanur, a town located 12 km away from the Naval Base. It should be mentioned that Payyanur is situated along NH 17, between Mangalore and Kannur.