Why India celebrates Navy Day on December 4?

Team Udayavani, Dec 5, 2020, 11:58 AM IST

Every year, India celebrates December 4 as Navy Day to commemorate Operation Trident. Nearly five decades ago the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani vessels including PNS Khaibar as part of the Operation Trident in the Indo-Pak war, killing hundreds of Pakistani Navy personnel.

The Navy plans to celebrate 2021 as ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ as part of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the victory in the 1971 War.

The Indian Navy conducted the operation on the intervening night of December 4 and 5, inflicting heavy damage on Pakistani vessels and facilities.

According to HT, Operation Trident was an offensive operation launched by the Indian Navy on Pakistan’s port city of Karachi during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.

The attack was successful as it sank a minesweeper, a destroyer and an ammunition supply ship. The Indian Navy planned the attack at night as Pakistan did not have aircraft that could carry out bombings at night.

The task group comprised three Vidyut-class missile boats — INS Nipat, INS Nirghat and INS Veer from, two anti-submarine Arnala class corvettes – INS Kiltan and INS Katchall, and a fleet tanker – INS Poshak. The group was led by the Commanding Officer of the 25th Missile Boat Squadron, Commander Babru Bhan Yadav.