Operation Trident (1971)
| Operation Trident | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Bangladesh Liberation War | |||||||
| File:Operation trident.jpg | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| India | Pakistan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 3 Missile boats, 2 Anti-submarine patrol vessels | |||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None | Heavy- several ships sunk or destroyed; fuel reserves and over 720 sailors and men. Destroyed Pakistan's naval capability for the remainder of the war | ||||||
Operation Trident and its follow up Operation Python were naval attacks launched on Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Casualties of the Pakistan Navy included PNS Khyber, a destroyer, and PNS Muhafiz, a minesweeper, which were sunk. Another Pakistani destroyer, PNS Shajehan, was badly damaged. No vessels were lost on the Indian side. The operation was the first battle since independence for the two nations which saw naval ships being sunk.
Following months of civil unrest in neighboring East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) India decided to intervene on their behalf and entered the war on December 3 after Pakistan carried out pre emptive air strikes against India.
Hitting Karachi
Karachi housed the headquarters of the Pakistani Navy and almost the entire fleet was based at Karachi Harbour. Karachi was also the hub of Pakistan's maritime trade, meaning that a blockade would be disastrous for Pakistan’s economy. The defence of Karachi harbour was therefore paramount to the Pakistani High Command and it was heavily defended against any airstrikes or naval strike. Karachi received some of the best defence Pakistan had to offer as well as cover from strike aircraft based at two airfields in the area. On December 4th the Indian Navy launched a fast naval strike on the port. The task group for the operation consisted of 3 OSA class Missile boats, escorted by two Anti-submarine patrol vessels. Nearing the Karachi port, they detected Pakistani presence and launched missiles, hitting PNS Muhafiz and PNS Khyber, which both sank. PNS Shajahan was also severely damaged. The missile boats then hit the fuel storage tanks at Karachi harbour, setting them ablaze.
The success of this operation prompted another attack on Pakistan coast named Operation Python on the night of December 8 1971. In rough seas a small strike group, consisting of missile boat Vinash and two multipurpose frigates, approached Karachi. In the ensuing battle, the Indian ships sank the Panamian vessel Gulf Star, while the Pakistan Navy's Dacca and the British ship SS Harmattan were badly damaged. The Pakistani fuel reserves for the sector were destroyed. The flames could be seen from 60 miles away. The Pakistan Navy's main ships were destroyed or forced to remain in port. The operations also set the oil storage tanks of Karachi on fire.[1] Shipping traffic to and from Karachi - Pakistan's only major port at that time - ceased. Pakistan attempted to counter the Indian missile boat threat by carrying out bombing raids over Okha harbour – the forward base of the missile boats. The strikes were ineffective as the Indian missile boats had been moved elsewhere anticipating such a move. The Operation was so successful and kept the Pakistan Navy on alert, which raised a false alarm of another missile attack on December 6. PAF planes flew to attack the supposed Indian ship and damaged the vessel before it was identified as one of their own ships. PNS Zulfiqar suffered casualties and damage as a result of this friendly fire.
The result was a crippling economic blow to Pakistan and was one of the factors that prompted Pakistan's surrender to India in a little over 10 days.
Operation Trident was the first time ship launched missiles were used in the region, and saw the first sinking of naval vessels in the region since independence for the two nations. As a result of this operation India celebrates Navy Day on December 4.
See also
Sources
- Global Security
- S.M.Nanda (2004). The Man Who Bombed Karachi. HarperCollins India. ISBN.
- How west was won ...on the waterfront
- Operations in the Arabian Sea - Pakistan Military Consortium
External links
Template:Military of India2 Template:Pakistan Military Topics