Operation Dwarka
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Operation Dwarka also known as Operation Somnath was the popular name given to Pakistan Navy's attack on the Indian coastal town of Dwarka on 7 September 1965. This was the first use of a Navy in the Indo-Pakistan Wars. Despite Pakistani claims of being successful, the operation did not achieve its stated aims.
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[edit] Overview
As the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 broke out between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, armies and air forces of both nations were involved in bitter fighting. Pakistan was under attack in Punjab region and were locked in battles in Kashmir. To relieve pressure on the northern front, Pakistan decided to use her navy in the war by launching a quick strike on Indian coast. The primary objective of the attack was to draw out ships out of Bombay for attack purposes and to destroy the radar station and other naval installations at Dwarka. The attack also hoped to divert the Indian Air Force from the north.
[edit] The attack
On the night of September 7 Pakistan Navy launched its assault on Western Indian shores. Dwarka was chosen for its proximity, (200 km from Karachi Port) relatively less guarded port and historical relevance. The plan called for a fleet of 7 naval vessels of Pakistan to bomb the tiny town of Dwarka. It was aimed at luring the major ships anchored in Bombay to attack the Pakistan ships. The intention was that the submarine PNS Ghazi lurking in the Arabian Sea would then take out the Indian ships. Accordingly a fleet of seven ships comprising PNS Babur, PNS Khaibar, PNS Badr, PNS Jahangir, PNS Alamgir, PNS Shahjahan and PNS Tipu Sultan set sail for Dwarka and bombed the tiny town. But despite the shellings, none of the primary objectives were achieved. The radar installations remained intact, there were no loss of lives in the town and more importantly the Indian Navy's ships did not take the bait. Soon the Pakistan ships sped away, later claiming a psychological victory.
Indian Navy's official version states that at around 2355 hours, the Pakistani vessels fired over the main temple of Dwarka for more than 20 minutes. The ships fired around 50 shells which included some 5.25 inch rounds fired by the Pak cruiser Babur. It adds that most of the shells fell between the temple and the railway station, which lay 3 km from the lighthouse. No building was seriously damaged, with only the Railway Guest House suffering some minor damages. Some of the unexploded shells were also recovered intact.
Pakistan claimed that the operation was a significant one, even celebrating September 8 as "Victory Day" by Pakistan Navy. However, authors like Lorne John Kavic and Lowell Dittmer have noted that both Indian and Pakistani navies played no significant roles and that the "insignificant bombardment"[1] of the town was a "limited engagement, with no strategic value."[2]
[edit] Trivia
- Interestingly, the shells used by Pakistan navy bore the mark "INDIAN ORDINANCE"; these were dated from the 1940s - period before the Partition of India and creation of Pakistan.[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- ^ India's Quest for Security: defence policies, 1947-1965 By Lorne John Kavic, 1967, University of California Press, pp 190
- ^ The Shelling of Dwarka by Ramesh Madan (Ex-Sgt, IAF)
