Willingdon Island

Willingdon Island was reclaimed from Kochi Lake to aid the construction of the Port of Kochi in 1936. A small naval unit was set up at the location just two days prior to the outbreak of World War II. During the war, the rudimentary airstrip near the port was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1941. On 22 June 1943, the facilities were transferred to the Royal Navy. With the ongoing war, the base quickly expanded to become the headquarters of the Royal Navy in southern India.

In 1946, after the end of the war, the base was deserted and transferred to the Royal Indian Navy, which maintained a small establishment of about 20 officers and 130 enlisted men. The name of the establishment was changed from HMS Chinkara to HMIS Venduruthy after the name of the original Venduruthy island. On 26 January 1950, when India became a Republic, the name was changed to INS Venduruthy.

Following the partition of India, the navy lost three major training establishments which were located in the Dominion of Pakistan. INS Venduruthy was chosen as the location to replace these.