Balakot air strikes: When key naval assets were put on alert

Balakot air strikes: When key naval assets were put on alert

1. During the India-Pakistan tensions following the Pulwama terror attack, the Indian Navy had deployed INS Vikramaditya and nuclear submarines in the north Arabian Sea as a strategic deterrent against Pakistan.
2. The warships were deployed from the Theatre Level Operation Readiness Exercise(TROPEX 19) which was going on.This exercise was followed by the largest coastal defence exercise Sea Vigil,with the participation of all 13 coastal States and UTs along with all maritime stakeholders.
3. INS Vikramaditya is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which entered into service with the Indian Navy in 2013.Originally built as Baku and commissioned in 1987,the carrier served with the Soviet Navy and later with the Russian Navy before being decommissioned in 1996.
4. A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater.A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor.Indian currently operates two nuclear-powered submarines – the indigenously-built INS Arihant and INS Chakra.
5. TROPEX is an inter-service military exercise involving the participation of the Indian Army,Air Force,Navy and the Coast Guard.The exercise generally commences at the beginning of each year and lasts a month.
6. It is generally carried out in three phases:(a)independent workup phase, (b)joint workup phase and (c)tactical phase.The exercise is designed to test the combat readiness of the units.It also seeks to strengthen interoperability and joint operations in a complex environment.
7. Exercise Sea vigil is Indian Navy’s large-scale coastal defence exercise to test the robustness of the entire coastal security apparatus.The aim of the exercise is to provide a realistic assessment of our strengths and weakness that will further help in strengthening of maritime security and in turn national security.