The Indian Navy is a well-balanced and cohesive three-dimensional force, capable of operating above, on and under the surface of the oceans, efficiently safeguarding our national interests. The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. The Indian Navy traces its origins back to the East India Company's Marine which was founded in 1612 to protect British merchant shipping in the region. In 1793, the East India Company established its rule over eastern part of the Indian subcontinent i.e. Bengal, but it was not until 1830 that the colonial navy was titled as His Majesty's Indian Navy. When India became a republic in 1950, the Royal Indian Navy as it had been named since 1934 was renamed to Indian Navy. The primary objective of the navy is to safeguard the nation's maritime borders, and in conjunction with other Armed Forces of the union, act to deter or defeat any threats or aggression against the territory, people or maritime interests of India, both in war and peace. Through joint exercises, goodwill visits and humanitarian missions, including disaster relief, Indian Navy promotes bilateral relations between nations. As of July 2017, Indian Navy has 67,228 personnel in service and has a fleet of 137 warships and 235 aircraft.[4][5][6] As of March 2018, the operational fleet consists of one aircraft carrier, one amphibious transport dock, eight landing ship tanks, eleven destroyers, thirteen frigates, one nuclear-powered attack submarine, one ballistic missile submarine, fourteen conventionally-powered attack submarines, twenty-two corvettes, one mine countermeasure vessel, four fleet tankers and various other auxiliary vessels. The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) exercises operational and administrative control of the Indian Navy from the Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy).