Operation Trident (Indo-Pakistani War)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Operation Trident
partof=Bangladesh Liberation War


caption=
date=December 3, 1971
place=Arabian Sea, near Karachi port, Pakistan
casus=
territory=
result=Tactical Indian naval success
combatant1=India
combatant2=Pakistan
commander1=
commander2=
strength1= 3 Missile boats, 2 Anti-submarine patrol vessels
strength2=
casualties1=None
casualties2=Heavy- several ships sunk or destroyed; fuel reserves and over 720 sailors and men. Destroyed Pakistan's naval capability for the remainder of the war
notes=

Operation Trident and its follow up Operation Python were naval attacks launched on Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Casualties of the Pakistan Navy included PNS "Khyber", a destroyer, and PNS "Muhafiz", a minesweeper, which were sunk. Another Pakistani destroyer, PNS "Shajehan", was badly damaged. No vessels were lost on the Indian side. The operation was the first battle since independence for the two nations which saw naval ships being sunk.

Following months of civil unrest in neighboring East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) India decided to intervene on their behalf and entered the war on December 3 after Pakistan carried out pre emptive air strikes against India.

Hitting Karachi

Karachi housed the headquarters of the Pakistani Navy and almost the entire 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 airstrikes or naval strike. Karachi received some of the best defence Pakistan had to offer as well as cover from strike aircraft based at two airfields in the area. On December 4th the Indian Navy launched a fast naval strike on the port. The task group for the operation consisted of 3 OSA class Missile boats, escorted by two Anti-submarine patrol vessels. Nearing the Karachi port, they detected Pakistani presence and launched missiles, hitting PNS "Muhafiz" and PNS "Khyber", which both sank. PNS Shajahan was also severely damaged. The missile boats then hit the fuel storage tanks at Karachi harbour, setting them ablaze. The success of this operation prompted another attack on Pakistan coast named Operation Python on the night of December 8 1971. In rough seas a small strike group, consisting of missile boat "Vinash" and two multipurpose frigates, approached Karachi. In the ensuing battle, the Indian ships sank the Panamian vessel "Gulf Star", while the Pakistan Navy's "Dacca" and the British ship SS "Harmattan" were badly damaged. The Pakistani fuel reserves for the sector were destroyed. The flames could be seen from 60 miles away. The Pakistan Navy's main ships were destroyed or forced to remain in port. The operations also set the oil storage tanks of Karachi on fire. [http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/Review/2002/spring/art4-sp2.htm] Shipping traffic to and from Karachi - Pakistan's only major port at that time - ceased. Pakistan attempted to counter the Indian missile boat threat by carrying out bombing raids over Okha harbour – the forward base of the missile boats. The strikes were ineffective as the Indian missile boats had been moved elsewhere anticipating such a move. The Operation was so successful and kept the Pakistan Navy on alert, which raised a false alarm of another missile attack on December 6. PAF planes flew to attack the supposed Indian ship and damaged the vessel before it was identified as one of their own ships. PNS Zulfiqar suffered casualties and damage as a result of this friendly fire.

The result was a crippling economic blow to Pakistan and was one of the factors that prompted Pakistan's surrender to India in a little over 10 days.

Operation Trident was the first time ship launched missiles were used in the region, and saw the first sinking of naval vessels in the region since independence for the two nations. As a result of this operation India celebrates Navy Day on December 4.

ee also

Sources

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/indo-pak_1971.htm Global Security]
*cite book | author=S.M.Nanda | title=The Man Who Bombed Karachi | publisher=HarperCollins India | year=2004 | id=ISBN
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040111/spectrum/book1.htm How west was won ...on the waterfront]
* [http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/navy/1971navalwar/arabiansea.htm Operations in the Arabian Sea] - Pakistan Military Consortium

External links

* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/1971/Dec05/ The attack as seen from a "virtual newspaper" from the time]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzNCePxoxp4&mode=related&search= Youtube video of Op Trident & Python]