New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi disclosed on Wednesday that the Indian Navy was within minutes of launching a maritime strike against Pakistan during last year’s Operation Sindoor. Speaking at a naval investiture ceremony, the Admiral stated that Islamabad requested a halt to kinetic actions just as Indian units were prepared to strike from the sea. The revelation underscores the extreme brinkmanship that followed the Pahalgam terror attack, which triggered the massive naval mobilization.
Operation Sindoor was launched in 2025 as a high-readiness response to regional aggression, characterized by a “highly aggressive posture” across the North Arabian Sea. Admiral Tripathi awarded Yudh Seva Medals to two top officers for their distinguished leadership during the operation, noting that the Navy’s swift deployment reinforced national confidence in its combat capabilities. “It is not a hidden fact anymore that we were just minutes away from striking… when they requested stoppage of kinetic actions,” he told the gathering, confirming the intensity of the standoff.
Turning to the current global maritime crisis, the Navy Chief highlighted the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict involving the US, Israel, and Iran. He reported that since the outbreak of hostilities, more than 20 merchant vessels have been attacked in West Asia. The crisis has led to a near-collapse of trade through the Strait of Hormuz, where daily traffic has plummeted from a pre-conflict average of 130 transits to just six or seven.
The Admiral noted that approximately 1,900 vessels currently remain stranded due to the hostilities, posing a severe threat to global supply chains. As the Indian Navy maintains its vigilance in the region, the Chief emphasized that the lessons learned from Operation Sindoor—readiness, resolve, and swift action—remain central to India’s maritime strategy in an increasingly volatile world. The ceremony served as both a recognition of past bravery and a sober assessment of the modern challenges facing international waters.
