The Indian Navy has issued a series of strong warnings and conducted high-intensity firing drills off the Gujarat coast, delivering a clear message of deterrence to Pakistan amid heightened regional tensions. The latest NavArea alert, valid until May 3, designates a specific maritime stretch within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as dangerous for navigation due to ongoing live-fire exercises. This area is situated roughly 80 to 85 nautical miles from where the Pakistan Navy is simultaneously holding its own drills in the Arabian Sea.

A senior Indian naval officer underscored the seriousness of these maneuvers, stating, “We have made it clear that if any warship or ship enters that zone, she will do so at its own peril”. The Indian Navy has issued four “green notifications”-public warnings that inform civilian and commercial vessels about planned live-firing exercises, ensuring they avoid the designated danger zones during the drills. These exercises involve multiple anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile firings, including the launch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and are designed to validate the Navy’s combat readiness and precision strike capabilities.

The Indian Coast Guard has also been deployed near the International Maritime Boundary to bolster surveillance and maritime security. This ramp-up in naval activity coincides with Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi’s visit to the Western Naval Command in Mumbai, where he reviewed operational preparedness and readiness for any escalation.

Simultaneously, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has elevated its alert status across the western sector, conducting long-range fighter sorties and activating comprehensive air defence systems, including surface-to-air missiles. Operational Readiness Platforms (ORPs) at key airbases have been reinforced, ensuring that fighter jets are ready for rapid deployment. As an added layer of preparedness, the IAF is also conducting emergency landing drills on Uttar Pradesh’s Ganga Express-way, marking the first time both day and night landings will be tested on such highway-based emergency landing tracks (ELTs). These ELTs, built from reinforced concrete and equipped for rapid deployment of mobile radars, air traffic control, refuelling, and weapon-loading systems, provide critical backup should primary airbases be compromised.

The intensification of Indian military activities comes amid growing concern over the China-Pakistan maritime axis. Pakistan has recently inducted four advanced Type 054A/P multi-role frigates from China and is set to receive eight Yuan-class diesel-electric submarines with air-independent propulsion, significantly enhancing its naval capabilities and posing a new challenge for Indian maritime security in the region. This trilateral dynamic-India’s assertive posture, Pakistan’s naval build-up, and China’s strategic support-has raised the stakes in the Arabian Sea.

On land, tensions remain high along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, especially after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. There have been repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan, with the latest incident involving unprovoked small arms fire across multiple sectors on the night of May 1–2.

The Indian Army responded in a “calibrated and proportionate manner,” and so far, there have been no reported casualties or material damage on the Indian side. The ceasefire agreement, reaffirmed in February 2021, had largely held until these recent escalations, but the military and diplomatic climate has turned increasingly hostile since the Pahalgam attack.

India’s robust naval and air force drills, coupled with heightened alertness along the LoC, signal a determined show of strength and preparedness in response to both Pakistani military manoeuvres and the broader strategic challenge posed by the China-Pakistan axis. The situation in the Arabian Sea and along the LoC remains tense, with both sides demonstrating their resolve amid a rapidly evolving security environment.

TOI Report