Operation Python

Operation Python
Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Date8/9 December 1971
LocationArabian Sea, 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) off Karachi port, Pakistan
Result Strategic Indian naval victory and partial naval blockade on Pakistan.
Belligerents
 India  Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Units involved
 Indian Navy  Pakistan Navy
Strength
A group of ships stationed off the coast of Karachi
Casualties and losses
None

Operation Python, a follow-up to Operation Trident, was a code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. After the first attack during Operation Trident on Karachi port, Pakistan stepped up aerial surveillance of its coast and the presence of large Indian Navy ships gave the impression that another attack was being planned. Pakistan warships attempted to outsmart the Indian Navy by mingling with merchant shipping. To counter these moves, Operation Python was launched on the night on 8/9 December 1971. A strike group consisting of one missile boat and two frigates attacked the group of ship off the coast of Karachi. While India suffered no losses, Pakistani fleet tanker PNS Dacca was badly damaged beyond repair, and the Kemari Oil Storage facility was lost. Two other foreign ships stationed in Karachi were also sunk during the attack.

Background

In 1971, Karachi port housed the headquarters of the Pakistani Navy and almost the entire Pakistan Navy 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 air or naval strikes. Karachi received the best defence Pakistan had to offer, including cover from strike aircraft based at two airfields in the area.[1]

With rising tensions war at the end of 1971, and after Pakistan declared national emergency on 23 November, three Vidyut class missile boats were deployed in the vicinity of Okha to carry out patrols. As the Pakistani fleet would also be operating in the close waters, a boundary line was set, which the boats would not cross. Later this deployment proved to be useful to gain experience in waters off the area. On 3 December, after Pakistan attacked the Indian airfields in Western sector, the war officially started.[2]

Operation

Prelude

The Indian Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in Delhi along with the Western Naval Command planned up to attack to the port of Karachi, which is strategically advantageous to Pakistan. A strike group under the control of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, was intended to be formed. Since the three Vidyut class missile boats were already deployed off the coast of Okha, near Karachi, had limited operational and radar range. To overcome this difficulty, it is decided to assign support vessels to the group. On 4 December, the Karachi Strike Group, consisting of three Vidyut class missile boats—INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer—each armed with four SS-N-2B Styx surface-to-surface missiles with a range of 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi), two Arnala class anti-submarine corvettes—INS Kiltan and INS Katchall, and a fleet tanker—INS Poshak, was formed under the command of Commander Babru Bhan Yadav, the Commanding Officer of the 25th Missile Boat Squadron.[3][4]

On the night of 4/5 December, the navy initially launched Operation Trident with the Karachi Strike Group off the coast of Karachi. This operation resulted in the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region and inflicted heavy damages on the Pakistani side. While India suffered no looses, Pakistan lost one minesweeper, one destroyer, a cargo vessel carrying ammunition, and fuel storage tanks in Karachi. Another destroyer was also badly damaged and eventually scrapped.[3] Pakistan Air Force retaliated to these attacks by bombing Okha harbour scoring direct hits on fuelling facilities for missile boats, ammunition dump and the missile boats jetty.[5] The Indians were ready for this and had already moved the missile boats to other locations to prevent any losses. The destruction of the special fuel tank, however, prevented any further incursions until Operation Python was executed three days later.[6]

Though Indian Navy achieved significant success it Operation Trident, the main target—the oil storage facilities in Karachi—were still operational as only one missile of the two fired hit them. This failure is assessed as the result of confusion created between the Commanding Officers of the three missile boats. Also the Indians mistook the tracer fire by the coastal artillery of Karachi for the Pakistani aircraft, and retreated back in hurry before they could properly target the tanks.[7]

Attack

On the night of 8/9 December 1971, at 10.00 pm in Pakistan Standard Time (PKT), in rough seas, a small strike group consisting of missile boat INS Vinash and two multipurpose frigates, INS Talwar and INS Trishul, approached Manora, Karachi. During their sail, a patrol vessel was sunk. Indian Navy's Official Historian Vice Admiral Hiranandani in his book Transition to Triumph mentions that, while the group approached Karachi electronic surveillance revealed that the radar in Karachi stopped rotating, directing straight at the group. By this, it was confirmed that the group was detected.[7]

Around 11.00 pm (PKT), the group detected a batch of ships at a distance of 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi). Immediately, Vinash fired all the four SS-N-2B Styx missiles. The first missile hit the fuel tanks at the Kemari Oil Farm, causing heavy explosion. Another missile hit and sank a Panamian fuel tanker the SS Gulf Star. The third and fourth missiles hit the Pakistani Navy fleet tanker PNS Dacca and the British ship SS Harmattan. Dacca was damaged beyond repair while the Merchant Vessel SS Harmattan sank. As the only missile boat was out of ammunition, the group immediately withdrew back to the nearest Indian ports.[7]

Between Operations Trident and Python, and the Indian Air Force attacks on Karachi's fuel and ammunition depots, more than fifty percent of the total fuel requirement of the Karachi zone was reported to have been destroyed. The result was a crippling economic blow to Pakistan. The damage was estimated at worth $3 billion, with most of the oil reserves[8] and ammunition, warehouses and workshops had been destroyed and PAF was also hit.[9]

Aftermath

Again with no casualties observed on the Indian side, both these missile attacks led the Pakistan Navy to take severe measures to prevent any further damage. The rescue efforts were immediately coordinated by Rear-Admiral Patrick Julian Simpson (later 3-star Vice-Admiral) who kept morale high among the officers. For this, he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat.[6] The Pakistani High Command ordered the ships to reduce their ammunition dumps so as to reduce the explosion damage, if hit. Also the ship were ordered not to manoeuvre out at sea, especially during the night, unless ordered so. These two measures severely demoralized the Pakistani crew. With the destruction caused by the Indian Navy, soon the neutral merchant vessels started to seek safe passage from the Indian authorities before they headed for Karachi. Gradually, no new neutral ships headed for Karachi. By this, a de facto naval blockade was created by the Indian Navy.[7]

Notes

Footnotes
  1. 1 2 Not a Pakistani vessel, a foreign merchant vessel stationed at Karachi.
Citations
  1. ↑ "In 1971, The Indian Navy Attempted One Of The World's Most Daring War Strategies On Karachi". Scoop Whoop. 9 July 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Commander Neil Gadihoke. "40 Years Since Operation Trident". Indian Defence Review. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 Commander Neil Gadihoke. "40 Years Since Operation Trident". SP's Naval Forces. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. ↑ "How the was won ...". Tribune India. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  5. ↑ Captain S. M. A. Hussaini. "Illustrations: Trauma and Reconstruction 1971-1980". PAF Falcons. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Indo-Pakistani War of 1971". Global Security. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Simha, Rakesh Krishnan (7 January 2013). "Striking at sea: How the Styx strategy paid off". Russia & India Report. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  8. ↑ "Spectrum". The Tribune. 11 January 2004. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  9. ↑ Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi - Trident at the Wayback Machine (archived 19 November 2014)

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