Indian Navy Day: Remembering Indo-Pak war of 1971

India observes December 4 as Navy Day to highlight and recollect the achievements earned by the Naval force in the country. On 47th Navy Day, India commemorates the two major attack, Operation Trident and Operation Python made by Indian Naval force on Karachi harbour during the time of Indo-Pak war in 1971. Additionally, all the martyrs of the war are recollected while celebrating it.

Role of India in the Bangladesh Liberation War

The political tensions between East and West Pakistan had originated from the time of Indo-Pak partition. The socio-economic and cultural distinction between East Pakistan and West Pakistan was an inner struggle which attributed to Indo-Pak war. Majority of Bengalis and West Pakistanies never could go together due to cultural difference.

Late Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi along with the Indian regime was ready to fortify the people of East Pakistan to liberate it from the control of Pakistan. For this, war was the only solution at that moment. But it was the Pakistan who initiated the war with the aerial strike on Indian air stations which coerced India determinately to go in war against Pakistan. India fought both in the eastern and western fronts, resulting in the Eastern command of the Pakistan army conclusively surrendered to the Indian force. With 13 days of lasting war finally ended with the liberation of Bangladesh, being the shortest war in history.

Operation Trident

The attack made by the Indian army on Pakistan's port city of Karachi during the Indo-Pak war in 1971 is called Operation Trident. In this attack, first-time anti-missile were used which caused significant damage to the Pakistan naval force. Soon after Trident, within 3 days of time, another operation called python was executed by the Indian army.

Operation Python

Operation Python on 8 December 1971 was the second attack made by the Indian navy on Pakistan's port of Karachi. After the first attack, Pakistan commenced for aerial surveillance in the port by assuming that India was preparing for the second attack. Consequently, Pak naval force used merchant ships to assail Indian navy. In the ambush, India suffered no damage but Pakistani fleet tanker Dacca was ravaged along with Kemari Oil storage facility.

The Indo-Pak Naval war of 1971 also made way for the Liberation of Bangladesh from the control of Pakistan. In this war, the Indian Air Force and Indian Army additionally came to the avail of the Indian navy to win over Pakistan.

Indian Navy now

President of India being the commander-in-chief, the Indian navy is the marine part of the Indian armed forces. Well-known Maratha emperor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj considered to be the 'Father of Indian Navy'. The Indian navy protects and takes control of all the sea borders of India. It also enhances its service whenever humanitarian mission and calamity relief require.

It has the strength of 58,350 personnel, an aircraft carrier, a big transport dock, 15 frigates, 8 guided missile destroyers, 7 mine countermeasure vessels, 24 corvettes, 13 conventional submarines, 1 nuclear attack submarine and 30 patrol vessels.

Films on Indian Navy

'The Ghazi attack' is an Indian war film directed by Sankalp Reddy. The movie is predicated on the sinking of PNS Ghazi during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. Taapsee Pannu, Kay Kay Menon, Rana Daggubati and Atul Kulkarni played major roles in this film. The film bagged 65th National Film Awards 2018 and Best Feature Film in Telugu.

The story is all about a naval officer and his team of the Indian submarine, who got stuck in submerged for 18 hours. It also depicts the historical event that INS Karanj which ravaged the Pakistani PNS Ghazi when it entered Indian waters to eradicate INS Vikrant on the shore of R. K. Beach, Visakhapatnam.

Raazi is another Indian film directed by Meghna Gulzar predicated on the novel ' Calling Sehmat' by Harinder Sikka. The story is about an Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who marries a military official from a Pakistani family, to tap secret information to India during the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

Starring Alia Bhatt and features Rajit Kapur, Vicky Kaushal, Shishir Sharma, and Jaideep Ahlawat in fortifying roles.