Indian warships carry out long-range offensive strikes
While India has made it clear that muscular response to the latest attack is in the offing, the naval drills were planned before the Pahalgam attack, HT learns
Multiple Indian warships on Sunday demonstrated their long-range precision strike capabilities during drills in the Arabian Sea, with the muscle-flexing coming at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan have risen following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
“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,” the navy said in a brief statement.
It also released photos and videos of the warships firing the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, signalling its combat readiness in a fluid security environment.
While India has made it clear that a muscular response to the latest attack --- the worst on civilians in the restive region in nearly two decades --- is in the offing, the naval drills were planned before the Pahalgam attack, HT learns.
The navy stands “combat ready, credible and future ready” to safeguard the nation’s maritime interests anytime and anywhere, the statement added.
The drills took place on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the perpetrators and conspirators of the attack will be served the harshest response, a stern warning to Pakistan.
India announced several retaliatory measures against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack and is considering military options to target the neighbouring country for its support to terror.
Tension is rising along the Line of Control (LoC) too.
The Pakistan Army opened fire at several Indian posts along the LoC for the third straight day on Sunday, with the sustained aggressive moves further escalating hostilities along the volatile border and raising questions about whether the February 2021 ceasefire agreement will hold.
Pakistan has unveiled tit-for-tat reactions to measures announced by India but neither side has thus far indicated its intent to abandon the ceasefire.
The April 22 terror strike at Baisaran near Pahalgam signals an imminent change in counterterror dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir as the security forces are now likely to find themselves overstretched, with their role possibly no longer confined to stopping terrorist infiltrators coming from Pakistan and other duties in the hinterland but also working out a strategy to deal with attacks on vulnerable tourist destinations in the Union territory.
The Baisaran terror strike is a deliberate escalation as it was a non-stated rule that tourists will not be targeted, strategic affairs expert Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd) earlier said.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh has already articulated India’s resolve to soon strike back at not only those who carried out the horrific attack but also their handlers --- a warning to the neighbouring country of a crushing response.
