Indian Navy opens front against Pakistan after 1971, hits Karachi port, several blasts heard

Amid rapidly escalating hostilities, India has reportedly launched a major naval strike targeting Karachi Port in southern Pakistan. Multiple explosions were heard near the port city, sparking panic and drawing comparisons to the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, the last time the Indian Navy mounted such an offensive against Pakistan.

According to early reports, the Indian Navy conducted precision missile strikes on key Pakistani naval installations, causing significant damage to coastal infrastructure. This marks the first naval engagement of its kind in over five decades.

The Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, based in Mumbai, is said to be on full alert and fully deployed along the western seaboard, prepared to respond to any retaliatory actions. Defence sources have indicated that the fleet is ready for sustained operations, should the conflict widen.

The current strikes draw strong parallels with Operation Trident, a historic naval operation carried out on December 4, 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan War. In that daring mission, Indian missile boats, INS Nipat, INS Nirghat, and INS Veer, escorted by anti-submarine corvettes, launched a surprise night attack on Karachi’s naval base.

The 1971 operation led to the sinking of two Pakistani destroyers, PNS Khyber and PNS Muhafiz, and a massive fire at the Karachi oil depot, which burned for days. Notably, India suffered no casualties in that operation, marking it as a significant naval victory.

The situation remains fluid, with neither India nor Pakistan issuing official statements confirming the extent of the damage or next steps. However, the deployment of the Indian Navy and reports of simultaneous strikes in other Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Sialkot, and Peshawar, suggest a broadening military offensive.

As tensions intensify, regional stability hangs in the balance, and the international community is watching closely for signs of escalation or diplomatic intervention.