Operation Python

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Operation Python
Part of Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Date 8–9 December 1971 Location Arabian Sea, 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) off Karachi Port, Pakistan Result Indian victory, partial de facto naval blockade of Pakistan.
Belligerents
India	Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Rear Admiral. E. C. Kuruvila Commanding Officers of the ships engaged	Rear Admiral Hasan Ahmed Commanding Officers of the ships engaged
Units involved
Indian Navy	Pakistan Navy
Strength
1 missile boat 2 multipurpose frigates	A group of ships stationed off the coast of Karachi
Casualties and losses
None	1 fleet tanker damaged beyond repair Oil storage facility destroyed
2 merchant vessels sunk, several civilians killed and injured

Operation Python, a follow-up to Operation Trident, was the code name of a naval attack launched on West Pakistan's port city of Karachi by the Indian Navy during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. After the first attack during Operation Trident on the Port of Karachi, Pakistan stepped up aerial surveillance of its coast as the presence of large Indian Navy ships gave the impression that another attack was being planned. Pakistani warships attempted to outsmart the Indian Navy by mingling with merchant shipping. To counter these moves, Operation Python was launched on the night of 8/9 December 1971. A strike group consisting of one missile boat and two frigates attacked the group of ships off the coast of Karachi. While India suffered no losses, Pakistani fleet tanker PNS Dacca was damaged beyond repair, and the Kemari Oil Storage facility was lost.^[1] Two other foreign ships stationed in Karachi were also sunk during the attack.