Operation Sindoor: Persistent naval presence locked Pak fleet near ports, says Navy Chief

New Delhi, Dec 2: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Monday said that the Indian Navy’s persistent presence in the northern Arabian Sea during Operation Sindoor compelled Pakistan’s naval assets to remain positioned close to their bases, significantly limiting their operational mobility for several days.
Addressing the media in New Delhi, Admiral Tripathi said, “The Navy’s forward deployment, which included the positioning of a carrier battle group, created a deterrent effect that prevented Pakistan from venturing into the open seas.”
He emphasised that the operation continues to remain active and therefore operational specifics cannot be disclosed publicly. “It is an ongoing mission and operational details are naturally classified,” he stated. “However, it is known that our immediate response and the posture we maintained ensured that the Pakistan Navy remained confined to its ports, air bases and the Makran coastline.”
According to him, the deployment was part of measures undertaken to address emerging maritime requirements, and the Navy stood prepared to respond to any contingency. “The Navy did what was required, and was ready to do whatever further was asked of it,” he said.
Admiral Tripathi added that the strategic outcome of the operation was not limited to naval containment alone.
He said that the events during those initial days had noticeable consequences on Pakistan’s commercial maritime activity. Shipping lines reportedly began diverting traffic away from Pakistani terminals, while insurance premiums for vessels heading to the region saw a steep rise.
“Global shipping firms showed reluctance in sending merchant vessels to Pakistani ports due to the risk environment at sea,” he said. “With insurance charges climbing sharply, the number of ships willing to call at those ports reduced.”
He underlined that this disruption carried economic implications for Pakistan during the peak activity period of the operation.
The Navy Chief also noted that maritime domain awareness had been enhanced since then to prevent any security gaps.
Admiral Tripathi said the Navy continues to sustain a high operational tempo in the region and is closely tracking all maritime movement. “Every development at sea is being monitored and we are ensuring that maritime security is maintained without interruption,” he said. (KNO)