ISLAMABAD: Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi has revealed that his forces stood just minutes away from launching a devastating strike on Pakistan during Operation Sindoor in May 2025.

The senior officer disclosed that the Indian fleet was on the brink of kinetic action when Pakistan requested an immediate halt.

Operation Sindoor began on May 7 as a calibrated response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.

India struck nine terror infrastructure sites linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

While initial assaults involved precision missiles and air operations, the Navy’s role proved decisive in the maritime domain.

Within 96 hours, India mobilised more than 36 ships and submarines, including the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant leading its full Carrier Battle Group.

The armada, equipped with MiG-29K fighters, BrahMos missiles, destroyers, frigates and attack submarines, surged into the Northern Arabian Sea.

Admiral Tripathi described the aggressive posturing as creating overwhelming pressure that confined the Pakistan Navy to its ports and the Makran coast.

The Indian Navy maintained full combat readiness, with frontline warships poised off the Makran coast under the Vikrant’s umbrella.

Admiral Tripathi stated the fleet was minutes from executing assigned sea-based strikes when Pakistan pleaded for cessation of kinetic actions.

The revelation, made during high-level briefings and echoed in December 2025 addresses, underscores how narrowly South Asia avoided full-scale naval war.

Operation Sindoor lasted 88 hours until a ceasefire on May 10, yet the Navy chief insists the mission remains paused but not over.

Military analysts note the deployment marked one of the largest rapid naval mobilisations in recent Indo-Pak history.

Over 30 combat-ready platforms projected power projection capabilities that could have targeted Karachi and other strategic hubs.

The Indian Navy’s actions complemented tri-service strikes, establishing dominance without direct naval gunfire.

Pakistan maintained it exercised maximum restraint, contributing to timely de-escalation amid nuclear shadows.

The episode highlights persistent volatility between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Admiral Tripathi has repeatedly praised the Navy’s constant readiness paradigm that deterred escalation.

Regional media reports from both sides authenticate the high-alert posture and narrow escape from wider conflict.

International observers documented the carrier group’s positioning within striking range of key Pakistani installations.

As tensions linger, the disclosure serves as a stark reminder of the razor-thin margin between peace and catastrophe.

Both capitals continue close monitoring, with India signalling sustained vigilance in western waters.

The May 2025 events have reshaped maritime deterrence strategies across the Arabian Sea.