India was 'minutes away' from striking Pakistan from sea during Operation Sindoor: Navy Chief

Admiral Tripathi said that the Navy maintained a highly aggressive posture throughout Operation Sindoor and was “minutes away” from striking Pakistan.

Updated on: Apr 2, 2026, 13:31:08 IST

Edited by Poorva Joshi

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

India was ready to strike Pakistan from sea during Operation Sindoor, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has reportedly said, months after the military action from India that took place in May 2025.

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi during the Naval Investiture Ceremony, in Mumbai. (Defence PRO)

During an address at the Naval Investiture Ceremony, the Navy chief heaped praise on Operation Sindoor and said it reflected the resolve of the Indian Navy. He said that the Navy maintained a highly aggressive posture throughout the period, and added: “It is not a hidden fact anymore that we were just minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea, when they requested the stoppage of kinetic actions,” news agency ANI reported.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, a fortnight after 26 civilians were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. India launched the military action to avenge the killings and to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Over 100 terrorists were killed in the operation, followed by a few days of military conflict between India and Pakistan after which a cessation of hostilities was announced on May 10.

Admiral Tripathi also said that the Navy's actions during Operation Sindoor strengthened national confidence and showcased its capabilities to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a historic overnight embarkation on the Western Seaboard.

"Through swift and resolute actions during the Op Sindoor, the Indian Navy reinforced the nation's confidence and trust in its capabilities. Besides Op Sindoor and the relentless operational tempo through the year, we were also very proud to showcase the breadth and depth of our operational capabilities to the Hon'ble Prime Minister during a historic 17-hour overnight embarkation with the Indian Navy on the Western Seaboard," he said, according to the ANI report.

Earlier, Admiral Tripathi had said that the Navy's posture during Operation Sindoor forced the Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports or near the Makran coast. He had also said that the operation continues and has not yet ended.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Poorva Joshi
Poorva Joshi is a Senior Content Producer with nearly five years of experience in journalism. She covers Indian politics and geopolitics, with a focus on diplomatic relations, trade negotiations, and economic policy between countries. She has previously worked at India Today, CNN-News18 and India TV. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major national and international developments, including the Air India plane crash, the Pahalgam terror attack, India–US trade tensions, tensions in the Middle East, high-profile crime stories in India, multiple state Assembly elections, and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She spearheaded the Bihar Assembly elections live blog, which drew over one million users to the Hindustan Times website. Her reporting on India–US tariff and trade tensions has consistently driven strong readership and engagement for the platform. In addition to reporting, she has spent a significant part of her career leading newsroom shifts, ideating stories, editing and fine-tuning copies, and seeing coverage through from planning to publication, alongside writing original articles. At HT, she received the Insta Award for being the top contributor to the HT News Team in November.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.