India’s National Hydrographic Office, under the Indian Navy, issued a navigation warning on Saturday, urging commercial ships to exercise caution and avoid designated areas in the Arabian Sea due to ongoing naval exercises.
The alert coincides with heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi reportedly briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evening about the maritime situation, though no official confirmation has been released.
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The Indian Navy has intensified operations within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), conducting anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile firings, including BrahMos cruise missile tests, to demonstrate combat readiness.
The drills, occurring 85 nautical miles from Pakistan’s simultaneous naval exercises, follow the attack attributed to Pakistan-linked The Resistance Front. Pakistan’s Navy has also issued warnings for its live-firing drills, heightening regional maritime alertness.
India’s measures post-attack include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border, banning Pakistani imports, and expelling military attaches. Modi, granting the armed forces “complete operational freedom” on April 29, vowed a “crushing blow” to terrorism.
Pakistan, denying involvement, closed its airspace to Indian flights, suspended trade, and labeled the treaty suspension an “act of war,” testing a 450-km Abdali missile on Saturday.
The navigation alert aims to ensure commercial vessel safety amid these high-stakes drills. As both navies flex maritime muscle, global powers urge de-escalation, but India’s resolve to punish the attack’s perpetrators signals a volatile period ahead in the Arabian Sea.
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