Operation Trident (1971)

Operation Trident
Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Date4–5 December 1971
LocationArabian Sea, 14–17 nautical miles (26–31 km; 16–20 mi) south of 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
Ships deployed off the coast of Karachi
Casualties and losses
None
  • Minesweeper PNS Muhafiz sunk
  • Destroyer PNS Khaibar sunk
  • Cargo vessel MV Venus Challenger, sunk
  • Destroyer PNS Shah Jahan badly damaged, scrapped as result
  • Karachi harbour fuel storage tanks destroyed

Operation Trident and its follow-up Operation Python, were the Indian naval offensive operations launched on Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Operation Trident resulted in the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region. The operation was conducted on the night of 4/5 December inflicting heavy damages on the Pakistani side. While India suffered no losses, 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. India celebrates its Navy Day annually on 4 December to mark this operation.

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 Veer 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]

Attack

As planned, on 4 December, the task group reached 250 nautical miles (460 km; 290 mi) south off the coast of Karachi, and retained their position during the day, outside the range of Pakistan Air Force. As the Pakistani aircraft did not possess night-bombing capabilities, the attack was planned between the dusk and dawn.[4] At 10.30 pm in Pakistan Standard Time (PKT), the tasked group moved 180 nmi (330 km; 210 mi) from its position, towards the south of Karachi. Soon the Pakistani targets, analyzed as warships, were detected 70 nmi (130 km; 81 mi) to the northwest and northeast of Karachi.[3]

INS Nirghat drove forward in the northwest direction, fired its first SS-N-2B Styx missile at PNS Khaibar (former HMS Cadiz), a Battle-class destroyer of Pakistan. Khaibar, assuming it as a missile from the Indian aircraft, engaged its anti-aircraft systems. The missile hit the ship on right side, exploding below the galley in the electrician's mess deck at 10.45 pm (PKT). This led to the explosion in first boiler room, subsequently the ship lost its propulsion, and was flooded with smoke. An emergency signal that read: "Enemy aircraft attacked in position 020 FF 20. No. 1 boiler hit. Ship stopped", was sent to the Pakistan Naval Headquarters (PNHQ). Due to the chaos created by the explosion, the signal misinterpreted incorrect coordinated of the ship's position, that delayed the rescuing teams in reaching the place. Observing the ship still on water, Nirghat fired its second missile that hit Khaibar in the second boiler room on the starboard. eventually sinking the ship.[3] Eventually the ship sank killing 222 sailors.[5]

At 11.00 pm (PKT), INS Nipat after verifying two targets in the north-west of Karachi, fired two Styx missiles, one each at cargo vessel MV Venus Challenger and its escort PNS Shah Jahan (former HMS Charity), a C-class destroyer. Venus Challenger carrying ammunition for the Pakistani forces immediately exploded as the missile hit, and eventually sinking it 23 nmi (43 km; 26 mi) south of Karachi. The other missile targeted for Shah Jahan damaged the ship very badly. At 11.20 pm (PKT), PNS Muhafiz, an Adjutant-class minesweeper, was targeted by INS Veer. The missile was fired and Muhafiz was struck on the left side, abaft the bridge.[3] The ship sunk immediately killing 33 sailors,[5] before it could send a signal to the PNHQ.[3]

Meanwhile, INS Nipat continued towards Karachi, and targeted the Kemari oil storage tanks, placing itself 14 nmi (26 km; 16 mi) south of the Karachi harbour. Of the two missiles fired, one misfired, and the other hit the oil tanks. The tanks got burnt and destroyed completely, causing heavy loss to the Pakistan Navy. The the task force with back to the nearest Indian ports.[3]

Soon the PNHQ deployed rescue teams on patrol vessels to recover the survivors of Khaibar. As Muhafiz sunk before it could send a transmission, the Pakistanis knew the fate of ship from its few survivors, who were recovered when the patrol vessel steered towards the ship's burning flotsam.[3]

Aftermath

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.[6] 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, executed three days later.[7]

As a result of the operation, all the Pakistan Armed Forces were put on high alert. The deployments raised a number of false alarms in the ensuing days about the presence of Indian Navy vessels off Karachi. One such false alarm was raised by a Pakistan Navy Fokker Friendship reconnaissance aircraft on 6 December 1971 which reported a Pakistan Navy frigate as a missile boat by Indian Navy. The PNHQ requested a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) air strike on the supposed Indian ship. At 06.45 am (PKT), fighter jets were scrambled which strafed the vessel before it was identified as Pakistan Navy's own frigate PNS Zulfiqar, which suffered casualties and damage as a result of this friendly fire.[8]

After the Second World War, Operation Trident was noted for introducing the first ship-launched missiles in South Asia into combat.[7] With no casualties on the Indian side, this operation was considered to be as one of the most successful operation in the modern naval history after World War II. To mark this victory, Indian Navy celebrates the Navy Day annually, on December 4.[1]

Awards

A number of Indian Navy personnel were honoured with gallantry awards for the operation. Then Fleet Operations Officer Captain (later Vice Admiral) Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani, was awarded the Nau Sena Medal for the detailed operational planning, Maha Vir Chakra was awarded to Commander Babru Bhan Yadav, for planning and leading the task force, and Vir Chakra to Lieutenant Commander Bahadur Nariman Kavina, Commanding Officer of INS Nipat, Lieutenant Commander Inderjit Sharma, Commanding Officer of INS Nirghat, Lieutenant Commander Om Prakash Mehta, NM, Commanding Officer of INS Veer and Master Chief M. N. Sangal of INS Nirghat.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "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 3 4 5 6 7 Commander Neil Gadihoke. "40 Years Since Operation Trident". SP's Naval Forces. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 Kuldip Singh Bajwa. "How west was won". Tribune India.
  5. 1 2 Sushant Singh (4 December 2015). "December 4, 1971: When Navy got credit for IAF's strikes on Karachi oil tanks". The Indian Express.
  6. ↑ Captain S. M. A. Hussaini. "Illustrations: Trauma and Reconstruction 1971-1980". PAF Falcons. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Indo-Pakistani War of 1971". Global Security. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Sqn Ldr Shuaib Alam Khan. "The Fighter Gap 2". Defence Journal (Pakistan). Retrieved 21 November 2016.

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