Amid tensions, INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines deployed in Northern Arabian Sea: Navy

The Indian Navy on Sunday said it had deployed its assets, including INS Vikramaditya and nuclear submarines in northern Arabian sea following the deadly Pulwama terror attack on February 14, amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. The assets were redeployed from the TROPEX 19 or Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise which is the largest war games of the Indian navy and commenced on 7th January.

The Navy, in a statement, said: "JeM sponsored terrorist attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama on 14 Feb 19 led to the rapid redeployment of the Indian Navy for Operations in North Arabian Sea."

It added: "The major combat units of the Indian Navy including the Carrier Battle Group with INS Vikramaditya, nuclear submarines and scores of other ships, submarines and aircraft swiftly transited from exercise to operational deployment mode as tensions between India and Pakistan escalated."

It also said: "The overwhelming superiority of the Indian Navy in all three dimensions forced Pakistan Navy to remain deployed close to Makran coast and not venture out in the open sea."

"India had deployed nuclear attack submarine INS Chakra as part of the Aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya Carrier Battle Group in the operational deployment after the Pulwama attack. The INS Chakra was deployed to provide protection to the aircraft carrier," the Indian Navy said.

The statement came amidst heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack by a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14 that claimed 40 the lives of CRPF jawans.

Amid outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting the biggest Jaish training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India on March 1.