Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi

NEW DELHI: Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday said that India’s third indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine will be commissioned soon. Speaking ahead of Navy Day, he also explained how the Navy’s strong action during counterterror Operation Sindoor forced Pakistan’s naval forces to stay close to their coastline.Admiral Tripathi said, “The aggressive posturing and immediate action during Operation Sindoor… forced Pakistan Navy to remain close to their ports or near the Makran coast.” He added that the operation is still ongoing.He also described how busy the Navy has been over the past year, completing 11,000 ship days and 50,000 flying hours since the last Navy Day. One Indian ship has been continuously deployed in the Gulf of Aden since 2008 for anti-piracy duties, and 138 ships have taken part so far, escorting more than 3,700 merchant vessels from different countries.Admiral Tripathi said the Navy has received international recognition, noting that one naval ship was praised by the International Maritime Organisation for rescuing nine crew members from an Omani vessel last year. He added, “I also got a thank-you letter from the chief of the Oman Navy.”Vice Admiral K Swaminathan, head of the Western Naval Command, also highlighted the impact of Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam. The operation destroyed nine major terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and damaged key airbases.He said Operation Sindoor saw an unprecedented mobilisation of more than 30 ships and submarines in a short period. “Our frontline ships were poised for combat off the Makran coast, under the umbrella of Vikrant Carrier Battle Group,” he said.Swaminathan added that the Navy’s strong posture played a major role in Pakistan seeking a ceasefire, saying, “The threat of offensive action by the Indian Navy could be considered one of the important factors in Pakistan requesting for a ceasefire.”