'Warships on high alert': Navy intensifies ops in Arabian Sea after Pahalgam attack

Amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Navy has significantly increased its presence in the Arabian Sea. Naval warships are on high alert, conducting anti-ship and anti-aircraft firing exercises within India's EEZ to demonstrate combat readiness. The Indian Coast Guard is also coordinating with the Navy to enhance surveillance near the Gujarat coast.

File Photo NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy has significantly escalated its military presence in the Arabian Sea, conducting comprehensive drills within India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) amid heightened tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack . According to defence sources speaking to ANI, naval warships have been placed on high alert, with recent demonstrations of combat capabilities including multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft firing exercises. "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," defence sources told news agency ANI.

"The Indian Coast Guard has also deployed vessels in forward areas near the international maritime boundary off the Gujarat coast. It is working in close coordination with the Navy to enhance surveillance," the sources added. Earlier, on Sunday, Indian Navy warships held multiple successful anti-ship missile firings, as per a statement by the naval force.

"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 and anyhow," its social media post stated. 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. Earlier, the navy's INS Surat warship successfully test fired the medium-range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) air defence missile system in the Arabian Sea. The test was conducted 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. These drills come in the wake of the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were shot dead by Pakistan-backed terrorists on April 22..