Indian Navy was ready to strike Karachi during Operation Sindoor, confirms Vice Admiral AN Pramod

Vice Admiral AN Pramod on Sunday, May 11 confirmed that the Indian Navy was fully prepared and strategically positioned to strike critical targets, including Karachi, during Operation Sindoor — the large-scale retaliatory mission launched against terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Speaking at a joint press briefing alongside senior officials from the Army and Air Force, Vice Admiral Pramod highlighted that naval forces were forward-deployed in the Arabian Sea in a “decisive posture,” maintaining full operational readiness to launch targeted strikes both at sea and on land, at a time of India’s choosing.

"At the time of Operation Sindoor, our forces were actively forward-deployed in the Arabian Sea with full capacity and readiness to engage designated targets, including Karachi, ensuring a strategic advantage," the Vice Admiral stated.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, was India's strong response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which 26 civilians were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. While the Army and the Air Force conducted precision strikes from land and air, successfully dismantling multiple terror infrastructure sites, the Navy maintained a vigilant maritime presence.

The senior naval officer further disclosed that the forward deployment of Indian naval assets compelled Pakistan to adopt a defensive stance, restricting its naval units largely to harbors or coastal zones. "We maintained continuous surveillance over Pakistani naval movements, ensuring complete maritime domain awareness throughout the operation," he added.

Vice Admiral Pramod emphasized that India's retaliatory actions have been "measured, proportionate, non-escalatory, and responsible" from the outset, reaffirming India's commitment to combating terrorism without provoking unnecessary escalation.