Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi said on Tuesday that the Indian Navy’s “aggressive posturing” forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports during Operation Sindoor.
Addressing the Navy Day news conference, Swaminathan, who heads the Western Naval Command said “Our frontline ships were poised for combat off the Makran coast, under the umbrella of Vikrant Carrier Battle Group,” he said, calling the deployment a decisive factor. The Navy’s forward posture, backed by a series of successful weapon firings in April, “forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to its own coast”.
The aggressive posture “forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports or near the Makran coast,” Tripathi was quoted by ANI as saying.
Operation Sindoor saw unprecedented mobilisation of over 30 ships and submarines in a very short period, said Swaminathan.
He added that Operation Sindoor “remains in progress” and has not formally ended.
Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor was driven in part by the threat of offensive action from the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral K. Swaminathan said on Tuesday.
“The threat of offensive action by the Indian Navy could be considered one of the important factors in Pakistan requesting for a ceasefire,” Swaminathan said.
Operation Sindoor, carried out on the night of May 7, targeted terror infrastructure deep inside Pakistani territory in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. The action resulted in the killing of more than 100 terrorists, according to officials.
Tripathi also outlined the Navy’s expanding procurement and operational tempo, confirming that the first four Rafale jets for the Navy are expected by 2029.
He said Project 75 India which involves buying six advanced submarines is in its final stages, with a formal contract likely soon.
Since the last Navy Day, Tripathi said, the force has logged more than 11,000 ship days and 50,000 flying hours.
One Indian ship has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy duties since 2008, with 138 ships rotating through the mission and escorting more than 3,700 merchant vessels of various nationalities.