That sea battle 54 years ago, when the Navy laid a net and Pakistan got divided

Operation Ghazi: The year was 1971. Tension between India and Pakistan was at its peak. The rebellion of the Bengali people had intensified in East Pakistan (today’s Bangladesh). Lakhs of refugees were reaching the borders of India. Pakistan army had started repression. India supported Bangladesh in its liberation war. On December 3, Pakistan launched an air attack on India. After this a fierce war broke out. Armies were fighting on land, but a dangerous game was going on in the sea too. Here the Indian Navy got a chance to show its strength. The hero of this story was INS Vikrant – India’s glorious aircraft carrier and the villain was Pakistan’s deadly submarine PNS Ghazi.

PNS Ghazi was no ordinary submarine. This was an old but dangerous submarine taken on lease from America. Pakistan had renamed USS Diablo as Ghazi. This was the only long-range attack submarine that Pakistan had. Its purpose was to sink INS Vikrant. If Vikrant had sunk, India’s eastern naval fleet would have been weakened. Pakistani commanders thought that the Ghazi would quietly enter the Bay of Bengal, torpedo the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant anchored at Visakhapatnam port. Ghazi’s commander Zafar Muhammad Khan along with his 93-member team took command of this dangerous mission. Ghazi started the journey on 2 December. This was the biggest hope of Pakistan Navy.

10 big impacts of Operation Ghazi

1. The Pakistani Navy was shocked by the sinking of Ghazi. Their only strong submarine was gone.
2. India’s sea opened completely on the eastern front. INS Vikrant set out on the mission without any hindrance.
3. Bombed the ports of East Pakistan. Pakistani ships sunk in Chittagong and other places.
4. Indian Navy conducted Operation Trident. Under this, a missile attack was carried out on Karachi port on the western front.
5. Many ships of Pakistan were burnt to ashes. Pakistani ships got stuck everywhere due to the destruction of the oil tanker. The navy now became more aggressive.
6. Indian Navy emerged as the most powerful navy not only in Asia but also in the world.
7. The focus on submarine construction increased. Emphasis was also laid on increasing naval power.
8. After INS Vikrant, India also developed INS Vikramaditya.
9. More attention was being given to maritime borders and maritime operations than before. From developing missiles to purchasing marine fighter jets, the pace started increasing.
10. The biggest thing was that like land security, maritime security also started being given importance. This is the reason why today the Indian Navy is one of the most powerful navies in the world.

What was the war plan of the Indian Navy?

But the Indian Navy was already alert. To keep INS Vikrant safe, INS Rajput (a destroyer) was given the responsibility of patrolling. Commander Inderjit Singh of INS Rajput kept his team on alert. War was declared on the night of 3 December. PNS Ghazi reached near Visakhapatnam. She quietly remained hidden under the water, waiting for Vikrant to come out, but INS Vikrant had already left for Andaman. Ghazi’s intelligence proved to be outdated. As soon as morning came, Rajput heard unusual sounds. SONAR detected the submarine. INS Rajput immediately threw depth charges (underwater explosive bombs). The first explosion occurred. Ghazi was shaken. Then the second bomb created an explosion whose echo spread across the sea. Ghazi’s reactor exploded and caught fire. The entire submarine sank into the depths of the sea. That moment of December 4, 1971 became history. 93 Pakistani marines (including 10 officers) were lost forever.

Operation Ghazi: During the 1971 war, Pakistan had sent the Ghazi submarine to destroy India’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which was destroyed in the sea by the Navy personnel. (File photo/PTI)

How did the course of the war change?

Pakistan called it an accident. Said that Ghazi exploded on its own mine. But the evidence says something else. The US Navy later viewed the wreckage – signs of the explosion were clear. Indian divers found a skeleton-like structure at a depth of 300 feet. This was India’s victory. Ghazi attack changed the course of the war. The destruction of Ghazi proved to be the last nail in the coffin of Pakistan in the 1971 war. Pakistan fell apart and the country got divided into two parts. In its memory, Navy Day is celebrated every year on 4 December.

Pakistan surrenders on 16th December

Pakistan could not bear the attack of Indian Navy, Air Force and Army. On 16 December, Pakistan surrendered and Bangladesh was born. This victory gave new confidence to the Indian Navy. The world recognized India’s maritime power. Even today Navy Day is celebrated on 4th December. In memory of the destruction of Ghazi. This incident proves that even great danger can be defeated with vigilance and bravery. Indian Navy is the sixth strongest navy in the world today. Ghazi attack had laid its foundation.