Indian Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi has revealed that the service was “just minutes away” from launching a sea‑based strike on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, before Karachi requested a halt in all kinetic actions. The disclosure, made at a naval investiture ceremony in Mumbai, underscores how close the two nuclear‑armed neighbours came to a wider maritime‑led escalation last year.
What Admiral Tripathi said
Admiral Tripathi stated: “It is now not a hidden fact that we were just minutes away from striking Pakistan from the sea when they requested stoppage of kinetic actions.” He described the Navy’s posture during Operation Sindoor as “highly aggressive,” with carrier‑group and submarine deployments forcing Pakistan’s fleet to stay confined near its coasts and ports, while Indian platforms were poised for strikes on key targets, including Karachi‑area assets.
Context of Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was India’s large‑scale military response mounted in May 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, following tit‑for‑tat strikes across the Line of Control and deep‑strike operations inside Pakistan‑occupied territories. The Indian Navy’s role included blocking adversary sea routes, degrading Pakistan’s maritime posture, and enforcing a maritime cordon—steps that reportedly unnerved Pakistani planners and contributed to their decision to seek a pause in hostilities.
