Operation Trident and its follow-up Operation Python were naval offensive operations launched on Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. 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.[4] As a result of this operation, India celebrates Navy Day annually on 4 December.
Background
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 air or naval strikes. 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.
Pakistan Naval preparations
On November 16th, Pakistan Navy had launched their Submarine operations to gather intelligence on Indian advances.[6] On December 1st, an intel passed by PNS Hangor, Pakistan Naval Intelligence (NI) had learned the possible missile attack. PNS Badr and PNS Shah Jahan were stationed at PNS Ahsan, and PNS Tippu Sultan, PNS Khaiber, PNS Jahangir were stationed in Karachi Naval Dockyard to counter the threat.[6] This formation took place at 1800hrs, and at 2200 hrs the Pakistan Naval combatant ships were put on high-alert. An PAF's reconnaissance aircraft confirmed the presence of Indian Armada approaching near to Karachi Port on the evening of 3 December.[6]
At 0333 hrs on 4 December, the Naval Intelligence reported that the naval armada is moved south-westerly and only 30 miles away from Karachi Port, although it was reported on a north-westerly course in the initial message.[6] Naval Intelligence had received such reports based on their Submarine operations. The Pakistan Naval combatant fleet was moved to south-westerly based on the intel. PNS Hangor had monitored the movement of Indian Armada led by INS Mysore, but INS Mysore led Indian fleet did not launch the first attack.Tippu Sultan and Khaibar, after movingto south-west,signaled Jahangir to join her flotilla and resumed their outer patrol. With the changed situation, however, the warships were expected new orders, but having received none decided to join the flotilla based on north-west position.[6]
Operation Trident
On 4 December, the Indian Navy launched a fast naval strike on the Pakistani Naval Headquarters of Karachi[7]. The Indian fleet was to lie 250 miles (400 km) from Karachi during the day, outside the range of Pakistani aircraft, and attack at night because most of these aircraft did not possess night-time bombing capability.[8] During the same time, PNS Muhafiz received the sonar contacts on her radar, and ordered Khaibar to investigate the sonar contact, but due to electrical failure, Khaibar never received the message. Meanwhile, Tippu Sultan and Jahangir observed the Indian fleet getting closer to Karachi with its maximum speed. Both Tippu Sultan and Jahangir had repeatedly send messages to Khaibar, but she failed to received the message.
At 2230 hrs, the task group converged about 70 nautical miles (130 km) south of Karachi, detected Pakistani targets analyzed as warships 45 miles to the northwest and 42 miles to the northeast. At 2245 hrs, Khaiber was struck with a missile that resulted immediate dead of electrical engineer officers working to fix the communication board.The ship immediately lost propulsion and power and was plunged into darkness.
INS Nirghat engaged the northwesterly target and after verification, fired the first SS-N-2B Styx missile at the destroyer, PNS Khaibar which was on patrol. Khaibar mistook the missile to be an aircraft and engaged it with its Bofors anti-aircraft guns. The missile struck Khaibar on the starboard side and exploded below the aft galley in the Electrician's mess deck at about 2245 hrs PST. The ship immediately lost propulsion, plunged into darkness and the No.1 Boiler room exploded, engulfing the ship in thick black smoke. Khaibar sent out an emergency transmission which read "Enemy aircraft attacked in position 020 FF 20. No 1 Boiler hit. Ship stopped." With the target still afloat, at about 2249 hrs, INS Nirghat fired a second missile, which was seen approaching and again engaged with anti-aircraft guns of PNS Khaibar. The missile struck the No.2 Boiler room on the starboard side, sinking PNS Khaibar.[9]
At 2300 hours, INS Nipat engaged two targets to the northeast approaching Karachi. Verifying the targets, Nipat launched 1 Styx missile each at the MV Venus Challenger carrying ammunition for Pakistan from the United States forces in Saigon, and her destroyer escort PNS Shah Jahan (DD-962). The ammunition on the Venus Challenger immediately exploded as the missile struck sinking her about 26 miles south of Karachi, while PNS Shah Jahan was irreparably damaged.
At 2320 hours, the minesweeperPNS Muhafiz, was targeted by a Styx missile from INS Veer. The missile hit Muhafiz on the port side abaft the bridge, instantaneously disintegrating the vessel.
INS Nipat continuing towards Karachi, locked on to the oil storage tanks of the port from 14 miles south of the harbor. It fired two missiles at the tanks. One of the missiles misfired, while the other hit the tanks, destroying some of them.[4][5] The task force then withdrew back towards Bombay.
Aftermath
The Pakistani Navy, now on high alert as a result of the operation, raised a false alarm on 6 December 1971 perceiving another missile attack from an Indian missle boat. Planes from the Pakistani Air Force scrambled to attack the supposed Indian ship and bombed the vessel before it was identified as one of their own ships. The Pakistani Navy ship PNS Zulfiqar suffered casualties and damage as a result of this friendly fire.[5][7]
Operation Trident was an enormous success with no damage to any ships in the Indian task group,[4] which returned safely back to Indian ports[5][clarification needed]. The success of this operation prompted another successful attack on Karachi on 8 December 1971, known as Operation Python.[7]
Indian Navy
Pakistani Navy
