Rajnath Singh warns Pakistan over Sir Creek; here is a look back at the 1971 war, Operation Trident, and Karachi port naval strikes. Photo: X.
Sir Creek India Pakistan: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday issued a stern warning to Pakistan over its recent military build-up near the Sir Creek region, declaring that any misadventure would provoke a response capable of “changing both history and geography.” Speaking at a public event during ‘Shashtra Pujan’, Singh accused Pakistan of deliberately inflaming the long-standing border dispute in the strategic Sir Creek area.
“Even after 78 years of independence, a dispute over the border in the Sir Creek area is being stirred up. India has made several attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue, but there is a flaw in Pakistan’s intentions; its intentions are unclear. The way in which the Pakistan army has recently expanded its military infrastructure in areas adjacent to Sir Creek reveals its intentions,” Singh said.
The defence minister highlighted Pakistan’s expansion of military infrastructure in regions adjoining Sir Creek, a sensitive zone along the Gujarat coastline. The area, a 96-km marshy strip in the Rann of Kutch, has been a long-standing point of contention between the two countries.
India has historically maintained dialogue channels to resolve the dispute, but Rajnath highlighted the growing concerns over Pakistan’s recent moves.
During the build-up to the 1971 war, Chief of Army Staff General Sam Manekshaw had informed Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of December 4 as the likely date India would go to war. The next day, Pakistan bombed nine Indian airfields, marking the outbreak of hostilities.
India’s Navy played a crucial role in the liberation of East Pakistan, operating across Eastern and Western theatres and enforcing a naval blockade to sever links between East and West Pakistan.
Preparation for the war had been ongoing for months. Following Pakistan’s air raids, orders were issued to the Western Naval Command (WNC) for Operation Trident. Vice Admiral SN Kohli, Flag Officer C-in-C of WNC, was tasked with dispatching the Naval fleet stationed at Mumbai and Okha to target Karachi port.
The strike group, famously known as the ‘Killer Squadron’, consisted of two Petya-class ships – Katchal and Kiltan – and three missile boats – INS Nirghat, INS Nipat, and INS Veer. One missile boat remained at Dwarka port to provide cover. Each missile boat was armed with four Russian Styx surface-to-surface missiles.
Commander Babru Bhan Yadav, the squadron’s commanding officer, was ordered to attack Karachi port. Originally planned for December 3, the operation was postponed to December 4 due to Pakistan’s evening air raids.
When the strike group reached 112 km south of Karachi, targets were identified northwest (70 km) and northeast (68 km). The squadron prepared to launch Styx missiles, each with a range of 75 km.
INS Nirghat fired two Styx missiles, destroying PNS Khaibar.
INS Nipat fired two missiles, sinking MV Venus Challenger, reportedly carrying arms for the Pakistani army.
INS Veer destroyed PNS Muhafiz, a coastal minesweeper.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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