Thinkstock photo, only for illustrative purpose
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 18
Indian Navy on Friday dismissed reports that its submarines were chased away by Pakistan warships, as some reports by the neighbour’s media had claimed.
Indian Navy spokesperson Capt DK Sharma said that none of its submarines was in Pakistan’s waters and, therefore, there was no question of being driven out.
A Pakistan Navy spokesman said the Indian submarines were detected near Pakistan’s territorial waters but had been pushed back.
“The Indian Navy, in order to fulfil its nefarious designs, was deploying submarines. The Pakistan Navy, alert and using its extreme skill, prevented Indian submarines from entering Pakistani waters,” the Pakistan Navy spokesman said in a statement. “Pakistan Navy fleet units detected the presence of Indian submarines in the southern parts of Pakistani waters…and restricted their activity.”
Territorial waters are defined as 12 nautical miles (22.2kms) from shore. (With inputs from PTI)
Pak says it ‘drove out’ Indian sub
New Delhi denies claim as tension between neighbours reaches Arabian Sea
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 18
The India-Pakistan tension today shifted from Jammu and Kashmir to Arabian Sea where Islamabad and Beijing have been conducting a naval exercise. Pakistan claimed to have “detected” an Indian submarine, which had “violated the sea limits” and said it was “driven back”, a claim New Delhi vehemently denied. The Indian Navy refused to accept that its submarine had entered the territorial waters of Pakistan-that is 12 nautical miles (some 22 km) from the shore.Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) realised a video and pictures of a diesel-electric powered submarine while “breathing” or “snorting” (showing its periscope and masts above sea level even when the vessel is submerged and charging its batteries). The pictures and video indicate that the shots were from an infra-red camera or sensor, signifying these were captured at night from either a warship or a low-flying drone.This, Pakistan claimed, was an Indian submarine, which had entered Pakistan’s waters. India operates two varieties of the diesel-electric submarine-Russian-origin Kilo class and German-origin HDW. India’s nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra would not need to “snort” as a nuclear vessel need not charge its batteries at sea.ISPR said, “(Indian) submarine was deployed within Pakistani waters to secretly sneak into Pakistani limits; however, it was successfully traced”. Meanwhile, the Pakistan-China navy exercise would enter its ‘marine drill phase’ tomorrow.
Pakistan claims it ‘blocked’ Indian sub, New Delhi denies
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy said on Friday it had “blocked” an Indian submarine from entering the country’s territorial waters, though officials in New Delhi described the claim as “blatant lies”.
AFP FILEThe Pakistani Navy said the submarine was detected “south of the Pakistani coast” on Monday.
“The Pakistan Navy once again proved its vigilance and operational competence by detecting and blocking an Indian submarine from entering in Pakistani waters,” an official statement said.
“The unsuspecting submarine was detected and localised south of Pakistani coast on November 16. Thereafter, despite submarine’s desperate efforts to escape detection, it was continuously tracked by Pakistan Navy fleet units and pushed well clear of our waters,” the statement said. The detection of the Indian submarine reflected the Pakistan Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities, it added. The navy also released footage and photographs of what it was said was the submarine trying to enter Pakistani waters.
In New Delhi, Indian Navy officials described the Pakistani claim as “blatant lies” and said none of its vessels were in that area. Security analyst Admiral (retired) Tasnim Ahmad told the media the submarine had been in Pakistani waters for more than four days. He said the vessel left Pakistani waters after being detected. Earlier this week, the Pakistan Navy announced that the first cargo containers for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were safely escorted in the Arabian Sea towards their destinations in Middle Eastern and African countries.
It said the success of the CPEC and Gwadar port project was linked to a safe and secure maritime environment in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.