Indian Navy conducts successful anti-ship firings, demonstrates prowess in carrying out long-range precision strikes

As per officials, the Navy was already out on a missile-firing deployment. “The latest anti-ships firings displayed its role switch capability from peacetime to combat, while still being out at sea without entering base ports,” an official said.

The warships included Kolkata-class destroyers, and Nilgiri-class and Krivak-class frigates. The Navy’s tankers, and its latest aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and maritime patrol aircraft P-8Is also remain deployed in the Arabian Sea.

On Thursday, the Navy’s indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Surat successfully test-fired the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile in the Arabian Sea.

“The Indian Navy’s latest indigenous guided missile destroyer INS Surat successfully carried out a precision cooperative engagement of a sea-skimming target, marking another milestone in strengthening our defence capabilities,” the Navy had said in a statement.

Pakistan had issued a notification for the firings in the Arabian Sea.

The developments come amid increased tensions between India and Islamabad following a terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, in which 26 civilians—most of them tourists—were killed by terrorists.

As India has vowed retaliation, the last few days have seen multiple operations carried out by security forces across Kashmir. Earlier this week, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited Kashmir to review the security situation. There have been repeated ceasefire violations from Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), the Army said, adding that the Indian side has retaliated effectively. There were no casualties reported.