New Delhi, Nov. 18: The India-Pakistan brinkmanship so far marked by mortar shelling on the Line of Control today entered the Arabian Sea with Pakistan claiming that it had found and "chased away" an Indian submarine from its waters.
"It is a blatant lie. Our boats are not in Pakistan's territorial waters," said the Indian Navy spokesperson, Captain D.K. Sharma.
In a media statement, the Pakistan Navy claimed the Indian submarine tried to enter its waters on November 14.
A country's territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles (about 22.2km) from its coastline. The India-Pakistan international maritime boundary line is not clearly defined because of a dispute in Sir Creek, Gujarat.
The Pakistan Navy has released footage that had been playing on Pakistani news channels. The footage is in black and white and was probably taken through a night vision-enabled camera. The grainy pictures show what looks like the mast of a submarine with three sensors above the surface as the boat cuts through the water.
One Pakistani news channel quoting Pakistan Navy sources claimed on its website ( samaa.tv) that it was an Indian nuclear-powered submarine.
The Indian Navy is known to operate one nuclear-powered submarine, the INS Chakra, leased from Russia. The status of India's home-built Arihant SSBN has not been made public. Last known, it was in sea trials till August this year.
Being detected and tracked is a submariner's nightmare. The very purpose of a navy to acquire submarines is to enhance its capability to operate stealthily.
"The Indian Navy, in order to fulfil its nefarious designs, was deploying submarines. The Pakistan Navy, alert and using its extreme skill, prevented Indian submarines from entering Pakistani waters," the Pakistan Navy spokesperson said in a statement, reported Pakistan's Dunyanews TV.
The Pakistan Navy's claim follows a claim made by Pakistan army chief, General Raheel Sharief, earlier this week that at least 11 Indian soldiers had been killed in firing across the LoC. On Monday, Pakistan admitted that seven of its soldiers were killed in firing by Indian troops.
General Sharief is scheduled to retire by the end of this month.
