The biggest bonfire in the Arabian Sea

Indian Navy Day celebrations on December 4 in jubilant remembrance of Operation Trident are aimed at fostering greater outreach, renewing maritime consciousness amongst our citizens and highlighting the Navy’s contributions towards national security.

"Operation Trident" — the Indian Navy’s audacious attack on Karachi harbour during the 1971 War was the codename given to this swift and successful operation on the Pakistani port of Karachi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. The operation was a significant milestone in naval warfare and played a crucial role in the eventual victory of India in the war, leading to the creation of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).

Before December 1971, for the past few months, Indian Armed Forces were training the Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army) of East Pakistan to enable and empower them to fight their own battle. On December 3, after Pakistan attacked Indian airfields along the border, India had no option but to respond with overwhelming force, responding to the Nation’s call with valour, commitment and courage. The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 had officially begun.

The Indian Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in Delhi directed the Eastern and Western Naval Commanders in Chief, Vice Admiral N Krishnan PVSM DSC and Vice Admiral S N Kohli PVSM, respectively, to undertake bold, dashing and spirited forays to annihilate enemy units and harbour installations.

On the Western Seaboard, the units chosen for this task were the newly acquired Russian OSA class missile boats of the 25 Missile Vessel Squadron, dubbed the “Killer” squadron, which were armed with Styx missiles capable of striking targets at long ranges with precision. The use of these missile boats marked the first combat deployment of anti-ship missiles in the region and was a game-changer in naval warfare.

For the Navy, it was a coming of age, a baptism by fire. The onerous task was clearly defined in the inspirational words of the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral S M Nanda PVSM AVSM: “Pakistan has committed an unprovoked aggression against us. My objective is to search and destroy Pakistani warships and along with our sister services inflict the maximum damage on enemy war machines. No sacrifice should be too much for us. Let us write a new chapter in the history of our services.”

In 1971, the Port of Karachi housed the headquarters of the Pakistan Navy and almost its entire fleet was based in Karachi Harbour. Since Karachi was also the hub of Pakistan's maritime trade, a blockade would be disastrous for Pakistan's economy. The security of Karachi Harbour was predominant to the Pakistani High Command and it was heavily defended against any air or naval strikes. The port's airspace was secured by the strike aircraft based at airfields in the area.

Karachi port was to be attacked and set ablaze.

The operation was meticulously planned and executed by the Indian Navy, leveraging the element of surprise and innovative tactics to achieve its objectives. A strike group under Western Naval Command was formed for this mission. This strike group was to be based around the three newly acquired Russian OSA — class missile boats already deployed off the coast of Okha not too far away from Karachi.

On December 4, 1971, the task group for the operation consisted of INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer from the 25 Missile Vessel “Killer” Squadron, escorted by two anti-submarine Arnala class corvettes, INS Kiltan and INS Katchall and a fleet tanker, INS Poshak. The group was led by the Commanding Officer of the 25 Squadron, Commander BB Yadav, on board INS Nipat.

As per the operational plan, the task group reached about 450 km south of Karachi and stayed in the area during the day, outside the range of Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The plan was to attack Karachi at night because most PAF aircraft did not possess night-bombing capability. In the evening on December 4, INS Kiltan and the three missile boats approached Karachi, evading Pakistani reconnaissance aircraft and surface patrol vessels. At 2230 hours the task group converged about 130 km south of Karachi and detected Pakistani targets, analysed as warships, about 70 km to the north-west and north-east.

The crew of the boats had a major advantage in speaking to each other in Russian which they mastered while undergoing the required training in Russia from where they had just returned.

INS Nirghat then steered towards and engaged the north-westerly target, and after making sure of the enemy destroyer, fired the first SS-N-2B Styx missile at PNS Khaibar, which was on patrol. The missile struck Khaibar on the starboard side and exploded. INS Nirghat had drawn first blood for the Indian Navy in the war! The ship immediately lost propulsion, plunged into darkness and the No. 1 boiler room exploded, engulfing the ship in thick black smoke. With the target still afloat some time, INS Nirghat fired a second missile. Khaibar went down with 220 crew members.

At 2300 hours, INS Nipat engaged two targets to the north-east, approaching Karachi. Verifying the targets, Nipat launched a Styx missile each at the MV Venus Challenger and its destroyer escort PNS Shah Jahan.

MV Venus Challenger was carrying ammunition for Pakistan from the US forces in Saigon. The ammunition on the Venus Challenger immediately exploded as the missile struck, sinking it about 42 kilometres south of Karachi. The other missile hit PNS Shah Jahan which was badly damaged. Next, the minesweeper PNS Muhafiz was targeted by a Styx missile from INS Veer. The missile hit Muhafiz on the port side instantaneously disintegrating the vessel before it could send a transmission to the PNHQ.

INS Nipat continuing towards Karachi, locked on to the Kemari oil storage tanks of the port from about 30 km south of the harbour. It fired two missiles at the fuel tanks, which were set ablaze and completely destroyed with the inferno taking nearly three weeks to douse. The blaze could be seen miles away.

Interestingly, while the Indian ships were retreating, the prevailing confusion led to the Pakistan Air Force scoring a self-goal by hitting its own frigate ship, PNS Zulfiqar (that it assumed to be an enemy boat)!

On December 7, 1971, the “Killer” Squadron sailed into Bombay to a heroes’ welcome — in 90 minutes, it had fired six missiles, sunk three front-line enemy vessels and destroyed the oil storage facility at the Karachi harbour, without a single Indian casualty.

Not content to rest on the laurels coming their way after the resounding success of Operation Trident, the Indian Navy repeated the feat just four days later in Operation Python — sinking another three ships of the Pakistani Navy and setting the oil stores on fire for the second time.

Operation Trident was a resounding success for the Indian Navy. The surprise attack caught the Pakistani forces off guard, causing extensive damage and disruption to their naval capabilities. The destruction of Pakistani ships and the blockade of Karachi severely hampered Pakistan's ability to sustain its military operations and exacerbated the logistical challenges faced by the Pakistani military. It is considered one of the most successful and daring operations in modern naval history after World War II.

The officers and crew of the missile boats demonstrated exceptional bravery, skill, and professionalism. Their ability to operate in challenging conditions, maintain stealth, and execute precision missile strikes on the Karachi port was critical to the operation's success. The accurate and timely intelligence inputs to plan and execute the mission effectively provided by the concerned personnel played a crucial role in the operation's success.

A number of these heroes were awarded gallantry awards, including Captain (later Vice Admiral) G M Hiranandani, PVSM AVSM NM the Fleet Operations Officer, who was awarded the Nau Sena Medal for operational planning. Cdr Babru Bhan Yadav, the strike group commander was awarded Maha Vir Chakra for boldly leading his men into action. Likewise, Lieutenant Commander Bahadur Nariman Kavina who was the commanding officer of INS Nipat, Lieutenant Commander (later Commodore) Inderjit Sharma the Commanding Officer of INS Nirghat — who joined the Navy as a sailor in 1954 and by virtue of his hard work and determination became a commissioned officer in September 1960, and Lieutenant Commander Om Prakash Mehta commanding officer of INS Veer, and Master Chief M. N. Sangal (INS Nirghat) were awarded Vir Chakra.

The success of Operation Trident had far-reaching implications for naval warfare and India's regional standing. It showcased India's ability to project power across the seas and served as a deterrent to potential adversaries. Operation Trident stands as a landmark achievement in the history of the Indian Navy, symbolising its ability to execute complex and decisive naval operations. Its success in crippling Pakistan's naval capabilities and disrupting their maritime operations contributed to India's eventual victory in the conflict and underscored the Indian Navy's strategic significance in the region.

The writer is an acclaimed Armed Forces commentator and a veteran Doordarshan newscaster. Views expressed are personal