India creating her own navy according to the Dutch newspaper Het dagblad dated 16 January 1948

British Leander-class light cruisers

German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee

An item reported that the first steps to create large and mighty navy for India as was needed according to lord Louis Mounbatten regarded the new international position of India. This was to start with the planned arrival of the Cauvery (1)on Wednesday evening at Plymouth. The Cauvery which left Bombay, India on 23 December 1947 had Indian officers and sailors on board who were to be trained to crew the cruiser HMS Achilles (2), well known of the battle against the German heavy cruiser Admiral Graf Spee.(3) She was over a half year to be handed over India.

Notes

1. Part of the Black Swann-class sloops, preceded by Egret-class. Building ordered under the 1940 Programme for the Royal Indian Navy. Laid down by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd. On 28 October 1942, launched on 15 June 1943, commissioned on 26 August 1943, renamed Kaveri after India became independent and finally decommissioned in 1977 and broken up.

2. Building ordered on 16 February 1931, launched at Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, England on 11 June 1931. Launched on 1 September 1932, commissioned on 10 October 1933, loaned to New Zealand in 1936, participated in the Battle of the River Plata against the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee on 13 December 1939, served in the Royal New Zealand Navy as HMNZS Achilles 1941- 17 September 1946, then again part of the Royal British Navy 1946-1948, sold to India in 1948 becoming the HIMS Delhi, commissioned on 5 July 1948, decommissioned on 30 June 1978 and finally broken up in 1978. Light cruiser of the Leander-class, inspired by the York-class heavy cruisers, preceded by Emerald-class, succeeded by Arethusa-class.

3. Of the Deutschland-class armoured ships well known as pocket battleships later classified as heavy cruisers. Laid down by Reichsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 1 October 1932, launched on 30 June 1934, commissioned on 6 January 1936, after the Battle of the River Plata with British/New Zealand cruisers on 13 December, scuttled by her own crew in the harbour of Montevideo, Uruguay on 17 December 1939.