Operation Python

In 1971, the Port of Karachi housed the headquarters of the Pakistan Navy and almost the entire Pakistan Naval fleet was based at Karachi Harbour. It was also the hub of Pakistan's maritime trade.{{Sfn|Karim|1996|p=69}} Pakistan Air Force's shore-based aircraft were tasked with providing uninterrupted cover to Karachi port, against any possible air strikes. It also gained significance as it was the only major seaport in West Pakistan.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=118}}{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=125}}

Towards the end of 1971, there were rising tensions between India and Pakistan, and after Pakistan declared a national emergency on 23 November, the Indian Navy deployed three {{sclass|Vidyut|missile boat}}s in the vicinity of Okha, near Karachi, to carry out patrols. As the Pakistani fleet would also be operating in the same waters, the Indian Navy set a demarcation line which ships in their fleet would not cross. Later this deployment proved to be useful to gain experience in the region's waters. On 3 December, after Pakistan attacked Indian airfields along the border, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 officially began.{{cite web|author1=Hiranandani|first=Gulab Mohanlal|author-link=Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani|date=9 September 2020|title=1971 War: The First Missile Attack on Karachi|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/interviews/1971-war-the-first-missile-attack-on-karachi/0/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217084537/http://www.indiandefencereview.com/interviews/1971-war-the-first-missile-attack-on-karachi/0/|archive-date=17 February 2017|access-date=20 March 2019|website=Indian Defence Review|type=interview}}

The Indian Naval Headquarters (NHQ) in Delhi along with the Western Naval Command planned to attack the strategically important Port of Karachi.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=124}} A strike group under Western Naval Command, was formed. This strike group was to be formed around the three Vidyut-class missile boats already deployed off the coast of Okha. However these had limited operational and radar range and to overcome this difficulty, it was decided to assign support vessels to the group. On 4 December, what was now designated as the Karachi Strike Group was formed and consisted of the three Vidyut-class missile boats: {{INS|Nipat|K86|6}}, {{INS|Nirghat|K89|6}} and {{INS|Vir|K82|6}}, each armed with four P-15 Termit (SS-N-2B Styx) surface-to-surface missiles with a range of {{convert|40|nmi}}, two {{sclass|Arnala|corvette|0}} anti-submarine corvettes: {{INS|Kiltan|P79|6}} and {{INS|Katchall|P81|6}}, and a fleet tanker, INS Poshak.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=184–185}} The group was under the command of Commander Babru Bhan Yadav,{{Sfn|Jaques|2007|p=511}}{{cite web |title=Commander BB YADAV |url=http://gallantryawards.gov.in/Awardee/bb-yadav |website=Gallantry Awards |publisher=Ministry of Defence, Government of India |access-date=20 March 2019}} the Commanding Officer of the 25th Missile Boat Squadron. (25-KS){{cite web |author1=Cmde Ranjit B. Rai |title=Indian Navy's War Hero passes away Cmde Babru Yadav led the Missile Boat Attack on Karachi in 1971 |url=https://www.indiastrategic.in/topstories548.htm |website=India Strategic |access-date=20 March 2019 |date=April 2010 |archive-date=12 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012222939/http://www.indiastrategic.in/topstories548.htm |url-status=dead }}

On the night of 4/5 December, the Indian Navy launched Operation Trident with the Karachi Strike Group off the coast of Karachi. This operation saw the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region and inflicted heavy damage on the Pakistanis. While India suffered no losses, Pakistan lost one minesweeper, one destroyer, a cargo vessel carrying ammunition, and fuel storage tanks in Karachi.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/indo-pak_1971.htm|title=Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|website=Global Security|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126094736/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/indo-pak_1971.htm|archive-date=26 November 2016|url-status=live|access-date=21 November 2016}} Another destroyer was also badly damaged and had, eventually, to be scrapped. The Pakistan Air Force retaliated against these attacks by bombing Okha Harbour, scoring direct hits on fueling facilities for missile boats, an ammunition dump, and the missile boats' jetty. The Indian Navy had anticipated this attack and had already moved the missile boats to other locations to prevent any losses.

Though the Indian Navy had strategic victory with Operation Trident, its main target, the oil storage facilities in Karachi were still operational as only one of the two missiles fired had hit them. This failure was later assessed as the result of confusion created between the commanding officers of the three missile boats. Furthermore, the Indians mistook tracer fire from the coastal artillery of Karachi as originating from Pakistani aircraft and retreated hurriedly before they could properly target the tanks. After the first attack during Operation Trident on the Port of Karachi, Pakistan stepped up aerial surveillance of its coast as the presence of large Indian Navy ships gave the impression that another attack was being planned. Pakistani warships attempted to outsmart the Indian Navy by mingling with merchant shipping. To counter these moves, Operation Python was launched.

On the night of 8/9 December 1971, at 10:00 pm Pakistan Standard Time (PKT), in rough seas, a small strike group consisting of the missile boat {{INS|Vinash|K85|6}}, equipped with four Styx missiles, and two multipurpose frigates, {{INS|Talwar|F140|6}} and {{INS|Trishul|F143|6}}, approached Manora, a peninsula south of the Port of Karachi. During their voyage, a Pakistani patrol vessel was encountered and sunk. The Indian Navy's official historian, Vice Admiral Hiranandani in his book Transition to Triumph, mentioned that while the group approached Karachi, Trishul's electronic surveillance revealed that the radar there had stopped rotating and was directed straight at the group, confirming that it had been detected.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=199}}

Around 11.00 pm (PKT), the group detected a batch of ships at a distance of {{convert|12|nmi|abbr=on}}. Vinash immediately fired all four of its missiles, the first of which struck the fuel tanks at the Kemari Oil Farm causing a heavy explosion. Another missile hit and sank the Panamanian fuel tanker SS Gulf Star. The third and fourth missiles hit the Pakistani Navy fleet tanker PNS Dacca and the British merchant ship SS Harmattan. Dacca was damaged beyond repair, while Harmattan sank. As Vinash had now expended all of its missiles, the group immediately withdrew to the nearest Indian port.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|pp=201–202}}

Between Operations Trident and Python, and the Indian Air Force attacks on Karachi's fuel and ammunition depots, more than fifty percent of the total fuel requirement of the Karachi zone was reported to have been destroyed. The result was a crippling economic blow to Pakistan. The damage was estimated to be worth $3 billion, with most of the oil reserves and ammunition warehouses and workshops destroyed. The Pakistan Air Force was also affected by the loss of fuel.{{cite web|author1=Harry|title=Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/History/1971War/44-Attacks-On-Karachi.html?showall=1|website=Bharat Rakshak|access-date=20 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120020555/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/History/1971War/44-Attacks-On-Karachi.html?showall=1|archive-date=20 November 2014|date=7 July 2004}}

With no casualties observed on the Indian side, both missile attacks (Trident and Python) led the Pakistan Navy to take extreme measures to prevent any further damage. The rescue efforts were immediately coordinated by Rear Admiral Patrick Simpson who kept morale high among the Pakistani Navy officers. For this, he was awarded the Sitara-e-Jurat. Lieutenant Commander Vijay Jerath, the commanding officer of Vinash, was awarded the Vir Chakra for this operation.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=398}} The Pakistani High Command ordered ships to reduce their ammunition dumps so as to reduce the explosion damage if hit. The ships were also ordered not to maneuver out at sea, especially during the night, unless ordered to do so. These two measures severely demoralized Pakistani naval crews. With the destruction caused by the Indian Navy, neutral merchant vessels soon started to seek safe passage from the Indian authorities before heading to Karachi. Gradually, neutral ships ceased sailing for Karachi. In effect, a de facto naval blockade was created by the Indian Navy.{{Sfn|Hiranandani|2000|p=204}} Civilian casualties from the attack included at least seven killed and six wounded on the British merchant ship Harmattan.{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom |title=Harmattan" (British Seamen) |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1971/dec/10/harmattan-british-seamen |house=House of Commons |date=10 December 1971 |column_start=1683 |column_end=1686 |speaker= |position=}}

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• {{citation|last1=Hiranandani|first1=Gulab Mohanlal|year=2000|author-link=Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani|title=Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy, 1965–1975|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-1-897829-72-1}}
• {{citation|last1=Jaques|first1=Tony|year=2007|title=Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: F-O|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-33538-9}}
• {{citation|last1=Karim|first1=Afsir|year=1996|author-link=Afsir Karim|title=Indo-Pak Relations: Viewpoints, 1989-1996|publisher=Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-1-897829-23-3}}

{{refend}}

{{Indo-Pakistani War of 1971}}

{{Military of Pakistan}}

{{Good article}}

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Category:Military operations of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971

Category:Naval battles of Indo-Pakistani wars

Category:20th century in Karachi

Category:Military history of Karachi

Category:Port of Karachi

Category:Naval bombing operations and battles

Category:Explosions in 1971

Category:Naval aviation operations and battles

Category:Ship bombings

Category:Industrial fires and explosions in Pakistan

Category:Explosions in Karachi