In the year 1971 the Pakistani army perpetrated widespread
violation of human rights in East Pakistan with the support of some political
and religious peoples. It is said that nearly three million people died of
selective genocide. Millions of others were left homeless and almost 10 million
crossed the border to seek refuge in India. Indira Gandhi the then prime
minister of India extended full humanitarian support to them by opening refugee
camps along the border. As a result of which India was left holding the
enormous burden of mass influx. Repeated appeal to the international community
to end the Holocaust fell on deaf ears. So the Indian government decided to
help liberate East Pakistan which was already being named as Bangladesh by its
people. Just then
Pakistan started being provocative. The Pakistani air force
in East Pakistan took to attacking suspected refugee camps located inside
Indian territory in West Bengal. To this. India retaliated with full force and
was successful in repealing the attack. Frustrated by this Pakistan decided to
attack India on the western border and the thus Pakistani combat aircraft suddenly struck nine
Indian airfields. This was the breaking point and a full fledged war broke out
between India and Pakistan. India retaliated to the unprovoked aggression with
full force.
By midnight the same day India and Pakistan were locked in a
two front war. While the army and the Air Force carried out attacks along the
border the Indian Navy was planning a master stroke. India realized that East
Pakistan was surrounded by India in a land lock and its war supplies was being
transported by the Pakistani navy from the Karachi harbor.
So if India could somehow block these supplies East Pakistan
could easily be brought down to its knees. The Navy was given the strategic
task of denying both East and the West Pakistan access to war supplies. The aim was to make a naval blockade of both parts of
Pakistan and to set ablaze the Karachi harbor. This historic port of Karachi
harbored Pakistani naval headquarters the entire naval fleet and the oil storage tanks. And thus operation Trident was launched. It was one of the
most audacious and daring attacks in the history of naval warfare.
As planned on December 4th 1971 the Indian naval strike
group reached 250 nautical miles south off the coast of Karachi and maintained
its position during the day. Outside the surveillance range of Pakistan. As
Pakistan did not possess night bombing capabilities it was planned that the
attack would take place in the night. At 10:30 pm Indian missiles aimed at
Pakistani battleships oil storage tanks and Karachi harbor were fired.
Indian missiles started brutally destroying its targets one after another. This
sudden attack took Pakistan by surprise and they didn't knew how to react. As a
result of which around 500 Pakistani sailors died and four Pakistani
battleships were sunk. But unfortunately one of the Indian missile misfired and
the oil storage tanks were only partially destroyed. Nevertheless the
Indian strike group returned without a scratch or casualties which made
Operation Trident one of the most successful operation in modern naval history.
To commemorate this victory the Indian Navy proudly celebrates this day as Navy
Day on December 4th every year.
Shocked at this Pakistan scrambled whatever was left at the
Karachi harbor and decided to launch a retaliatory attack on India. Little did
they knew Indians had already anticipated this move and were interned planning
a counter attack and thus just three days later when Pakistani battleships came
too close for comfort.
Indian Navy launched another surprise attack on the
Pakistani fleet in the name of Operation python. Pakistan was not prepared for
this and thus was once again were brutally defeated. But the Indian navy was
not done yet. They used this opportunity to strike the oil storage tanks
once again.
This time everything went according to plan and oil
storage tanks were finally completely destroyed. This time also the Indian
strike group returned without a scratch or casualties.
Operation Trident and python were remarkable and
exceptionally successful in the sense that Indian navy suffered no losses at
its side and caused heavy casualties on the enemy side. The operation was
considered to be one of the most successful in modern naval history. These
attacks isolated East Pakistan and crippled the economy of West Pakistan and
thus played a decisive role in the victory of India in the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
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