OPERATION TRIDENT

Operation Trident and its follow-up Operatio Python were naval operations launched on Pakistans
port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. Operation Trident resulted in
the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region, and only the second worldwide (the first
being the sinking of the Eilat ) as well as the first sinking of naval vessels during hostilities in the
region since World war II.
Karachi 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 Pakistans economy.
Operation Trident was planned under the leadership of Admiral Sardarilal Mathradas Nanda.
On 4 December 1971, the Indian Navy launched a fast naval strike on the Pakistan Naval
Headquarters (PNHQ) of Karachi. The plan was to attack Karachi at night because most PAF aircraft
did not possess night-time bombing capability. Three Pakistani warships PNS Khaibar, PNS Shah
Jahan and minesweeper PNS Muhafiz were hit by Indian Missiles and made to sink.
The Pakistani air force retaliated to these attacks by bombing Okha harbour, directly hitting on fuelling
facilities for missile boats, an ammunition dump and the missile boats jetty. The Indians were ready
for this and had already moved the missile boats to other locations to prevent any losses
Operation Trident was considered an enormous success for the Indian Navy with no casualties or
damage to the Indian task group, which returned safely back to Indian ports. The success of this
operation prompted another successful attack on Karachi on 8 December 1971, known as Operation
Python.

OPERATION PYTHON
On the night of 8 December 1971, in rough seas, a small strike group consisting of missile boat INS
Vinash and two multipurpose frigates, INS Talwar and INS Trishul approached Karachi. Vinash fired
four missiles causing immense destruction in Pakistan.
Operation Python was another successful operation by the Indian Navy. The Pakistani fuel reserves
for the sector were destroyed and the flames could be seen even from miles away. India had
established complete control over the oil route from the Persian Gulf to Pakistani ports. Shipping
traffic to and from Karachi, Pakistan's only major port at that time, ceased. The Pakistani Navy's main
ships were either destroyed or forced to remain in port. A partial naval blockade was imposed by the
Indian Navy on the port of Karachi.
The Indian Navy celebrates its Navy Day on 4 December, to mark the operational victory. A number
of Indian Navy personnel were honoured with gallantry awards for the operation. Then Fleet
Operations Officer and later Vice Admiral Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani was awarded the Nausena
Medal for the detailed operational planning.