News: Recently, the Indian Navy celebrates Navy Day to commemorate the Indian Navy’s attack on Karachi Harbor during Operation Trident in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
About Operation Trident

- Operation Trident was a naval operation launched by the Indian Navy during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971.
- The operation was launched on December 4, 1971, as part of the India-Pakistan War.
- The war began when Pakistan Air Force launched pre-emptive strikes on Indian airfields on December 3, 1971. India responded by declaring war in the early hours of December 4.
- Objective: The primary goal was to inflict significant damage on Pakistani vessels in the Karachi harbour.
- Execution: INS Kiltan, Katchall, Nipat, Nighat, and Veer participated in the operation. Indian Navy used Soviet Osa missile boats equipped with SS-N-2 Styx missiles for the attack.
- Impact of the Operation: The Indian Navy sank three vessels near Karachi, including: PNS Khaibar (222 Pakistani sailors killed), PNS Muhafiz (33 Pakistani sailors killed), MV Venus Challenger, a merchant ship.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) also played a role by strafing Karachi’s Kemari oil tanks, contributing to the operation’s success.
- Innovative Tactics: The attack marked the first use of missiles in the region for naval warfare. Radio silence and ingenious communication methods were employed to avoid detection.
- Indian Navy used coastal defence vessels in an offensive role. Russian language was used for radio communications to deceive Pakistani signals intelligence.
About India’s naval operations in neighboring countries
| Operation | Year | Name of country |
| Operation Python | 1971 | Pakistan |
| Operation Talwar | 1999 | Naval support during Kargil |
| Operation Castor | 2004 | Maldives |
| Operation Sagar | 2020 | Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius |
| Operation Sagar Bandhu | 2025 | Sri Lanka |




