INS ''Vinash'' (K85) (''Destruction'') was a of the 25th ''Killer'' Missile Boat Squadron of the

Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...

Operation Python

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, ''Vinash'' was a part of the

Operation Python Operation Python, a follow-up to Operation Trident, was the code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. After the first attack during Operation Tr ...

strike force along with and . The strike force approached

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

on 8 December 1971 in rough seas. ''Vinash'' fired 4 SS-N-2B Styx missiles at various targets. The first missile struck the fuel tanks at Keamari Oil Farm. Another missile hit and sunk Panamian fuel tanker SS ''Gulf Star''. The third and fourth missiles hit the Pakistan Navy fleet tanker and the British merchant ship SS ''Harmattan'', which were badly damaged. Operation Python and its preceding Operation Trident were successful. The Pakistani fuel reserves for the Karachi sector were destroyed and flames could be seen from 60 miles away. India established complete control over the oil route from the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

to Pakistani ports. Shipping traffic to and from Karachi, Pakistan's only major port at that time, ceased. Lt. Cdr. Vijai Jerath, commanding officer of INS ''Vinash'' was awarded the

Vir Chakra The Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋ iː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa, ) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of gallantry on the battlefield, on land or in the air or at sea. It is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards and ...

for the operation.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vinash (K85) Vidyut-class missile boats Fast attack craft of the Indian Navy Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 Ships of the Indo-Pakistani wars