Indian Navy Begins Court-Martial of Two Officers Over INS Brahmaputra Capsize in Mumbai
Nearly two years after INS Brahmaputra was left on its side following a fire during repairs at the Mumbai Naval Dockyard, the Indian Navy has begun court-martial proceedings against two officers linked to the accident. The proceedings opened in Mumbai on 12 October 2026, with the ship’s commanding officer and the officer of the day facing charges of negligence in the performance of their duties. The commanding officer, a captain, also faces a charge of hazarding a naval vessel.
The case stems from the evening of 21 July 2024, when INS Brahmaputra was undergoing refit at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai and a fire broke out on board. The blaze was brought under control by the morning of 22 July by the ship’s crew, dockyard firefighters and assistance from nearby vessels. However, the large quantity of water used to fight the fire affected the warship’s stability. The 3,850-tonne frigate developed a severe list to port and ultimately toppled onto its side alongside the berth.
Most of the personnel on board evacuated through the gangway, while some jumped into the water and swam to safety. One sailor, Leading Seaman Sitendra Singh, who had been involved in the repair work, went missing during the incident. His body was recovered on 24 July after extensive diving operations. The Navy later extended condolences to his family.
INS Brahmaputra is the lead ship of the Indian Navy’s indigenous class of guided-missile frigates. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, it was commissioned in April 2000. The warship is about 125 metres long, 16 metres in beam, and normally carries around 370 personnel, including 40 officers.
An inquiry board headed by a Rear Admiral-rank officer investigated the incident. Following the accident, then Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi also set up a special task force under a rear admiral to review shipboard safety, security and operating procedures across naval commands, establishments and units. The task force’s recommendations were circulated and implemented to strengthen safeguards during repairs and maintenance.
Salvage work to right the frigate continued for months after the accident. By late 2024, the ship had been brought back upright and moved to dry dock. Repairs have since been completed, and the vessel is now undergoing trials. Officials have said it has not yet been formally returned to operational service and is expected to become seaworthy sometime in 2027.
If the officers are convicted, the punishment could range from reprimand and loss of seniority to imprisonment for up to two years. A Navy spokesperson has said that establishing the cause, fixing responsibility and putting safeguards in place are essential to prevent a repeat of such an incident. The specific acts or omissions alleged against the officers have not been publicly disclosed, but the court-martial is expected to examine their responsibility for the chain of events that led to the fire, the loss of stability and the fatality.
The 2024 accident also revived memories of a similar mishap involving INS Betwa, another frigate that capsized at the same Mumbai dockyard in 2016 after slipping from dock blocks. In the aftermath of the Brahmaputra incident, the Navy has stressed the need for close supervision during refits of complex warships, particularly because firefighting water can quickly change a vessel’s stability if not carefully controlled.
