Post Pahalgam attack, Navy intensifies operations in Arabian Sea, conducts exercise in EEZ

A regular naval drill being conducted. (Representative Image)

The Indian Navy has intensified its operations in the Arabian Sea, conducting extensive exercises within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to bolster maritime security as regional tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad escalates following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, reported ANI.

Warships are on high alert, with multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft firings executed recently to demonstrate combat readiness and deter potential threats in the region, reported the news agency citing defence sources.

Taking to the social media platform X, the spokesperson of the Indian Navy stated that the firings were done to revalidate and showcase the operational readiness of platforms, systems, and crew for long-range precision offensive strikes. “Indian Navy Ships undertook successful multiple anti-ship firings to revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long-range precision offensive strike. Indian Navy stands Combat Ready, Credible and Future Ready in safeguarding the nation’s maritime interests Anytime Anywhere Anyhow,” the post added.

The exercise was aimed at demonstrating the Navy’s combat readiness and its capability to safeguard India’s maritime interests. The warships were deployed in the Arabian Sea.

The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed vessels in forward areas near the international maritime boundary off the Gujarat coast, working in close coordination with the Navy to enhance surveillance.

Earlier on Sunday, the Indian Navy warships carried out multiple successful anti-ship missile firings, as per a statement by the Indian Navy. In an earlier drill, the Indian Navy’s warship INS Surat carried out a successful test firing of the Medium range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) air defence missile system in the Arabian Sea.

The test has taken place before the scheduled surface-to-surface missile testing by the Pakistan Navy in the Arabian Sea. The MR-SAM is highly effective against surface-to-surface missiles and other aerial targets.