Navy's covert Op X during Bangla War dealt biggest damage in naval history: Rtd Vice Admiral Abhay Karve
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Nagpur:
Indian Navy
's vice admiral (retd) Abhay Karve on Saturday shared experiences of Operation X, a covert naval mission during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, at an event organised by Prahar Samaj Jagruti Sanstha to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Under the operation, Mukti Bahini divers, armed only with magnetic mines and flippers, swam beneath enemy ships to plant explosives. "The mission was extremely successful. Not even World War II or the Vietnam War witnessed such massive naval destruction," he said.
Karve, who last served as the flag officer commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, said the Indian Navy trained members of the Bangladeshi rebel faction Mukti Bahini, including 400 personnel as "assault swimmers."
"Captain M.N.R. Samant, a non-diver himself, led the training at Plassey and revealed the strategic importance of East Pakistan's massive riverine geography. At that time, Bangladesh barely had any roads, and boats were the primary mode of transport," Karve said.
Reflecting on the state of the Navy post-partition, Karve said India was left with only six warships, all remnants of World War II. Today, he noted, the Indian Navy commands one of the most modern fleets in the region.
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"From early indigenous ships like INS Ajay and INS Nilgiri to current initiatives, the Navy has led the way in indigenization under the 'Make in India' program," he said.
Karve highlighted the Navy's decisive role in several military operations, including the Goa Liberation in 1961, spearheaded by ships like INS Mysore, Betwa, Beas, and Trishul. Lieutenant Arun Auditto led the capture of Anjadiv Island, defeating Portuguese forces and securing the surrender of the vessel Albuquerque—Portugal's only line of communication with Goa.
"The 1971 Indo-Pak war remains the most comprehensive display of India's naval capabilities," Karve emphasized. "Within days, India blockaded Pakistani ports and launched precision attacks using missile boats. Operation Trident on December 4—now celebrated as Navy Day—destroyed Karachi's oil reserves and key infrastructure. Operation Python followed, with a single ship attack crippling more Pakistani assets.
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He added that the Navy's use of surface-to-surface missiles and towed missile boats for fuel efficiency stunned even its Soviet allies. "On the eastern front, INS Vikrant led operations in the Bay of Bengal despite technical setbacks. The sinking of PNS Ghazi, Pakistan's leased submarine, was achieved through strategic deception and became a turning point," he said.
While victories were significant, sacrifices were equally profound. INS Khukri, deployed near Diu, was lost to a submarine attack, killing 195 sailors, including Captain M.N. Mulla. The tragedy prompted the Indian Navy to adopt advanced anti-submarine technology and strengthen its R&D focus, he added.
Vice Admiral Karve was felicitated by the organization's secretary, Flight Lieutenant Shivalee Deshpande.
Inputs by N Soumya & Nimishka Saluja
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