Operation Python

Operation Python was a major Indian Navy offensive conducted during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It was carried out on the night of 8 December 1971 against Pakistani naval and port facilities at Karachi. The operation followed the success of Operation Trident, which had struck Karachi three days earlier. A small Indian naval strike group approached the Karachi area and launched a missile attack against Pakistani shipping and fuel-storage infrastructure. Indian Navy missile boats, supported by escort vessels, attacked targets in and around Karachi harbour using Soviet-made Styx anti-ship missiles. The attack caused significant damage to Pakistani naval and commercial assets and contributed to the destruction of fuel-storage facilities at Karachi. The operation further weakened Pakistan's ability to use Karachi as a major naval and logistical base during the war. Operation Python was conducted as part of India's naval campaign in the Arabian Sea during the 1971 war. Together with Operation Trident, it demonstrated the effectiveness of India's missile-boat operations and helped establish Indian naval dominance along Pakistan's western coast. The operation was completed successfully, with Indian forces returning without the loss of a major naval vessel.