The Ghazi Attack

The video begins by setting the stage for the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, explaining the division of Pakistan and the crackdown in East Pakistan, which led to a massive refugee crisis in India. India's efforts to resolve the situation diplomatically failed, prompting Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to consider military action. The Indian military chiefs advised delaying the war until December for better preparation. During this time, India initiated 'Operation X' to disrupt Pakistan's sea supply lines to East Pakistan. Indian-trained Mukti Bahini commandos placed limpet mines on Pakistani ships, causing significant damage and crippling their naval capabilities. This operation, alongside the USA's intelligence on India's involvement, escalated tensions between the two nations.

Pakistan, sensing India's support for Mukti Bahini, began forward deploying its naval units. India's intelligence revealed Pakistan's potential revenge tactics. The video emphasizes the importance of INS Vikrant, India's sole aircraft carrier, which was undergoing repairs and was India's crucial naval asset. Despite initial hesitancy, the Head of the Indian Navy, S. M. Nanda, insisted on deploying INS Vikrant to war. Repairs were expedited, and the Vikrant was moved to the East Coast, causing alarm in Pakistan. To counter this, Pakistan planned to deploy its long-range submarine, PNS Ghazi, to destroy INS Vikrant. PNS Ghazi, a submarine leased from the US, was old and had technical issues; however, Pakistan's leadership pressed on with the mission.

To locate INS Vikrant, a 'Western country' aircraft performed a reconnaissance mission under the guise of an emergency landing at Madras, successfully identifying Vikrant's coordinates. Captain Zafar Muhammad Khan was appointed commanding officer of PNS Ghazi for the mission to sink INS Vikrant or lay mines near Visakhapatnam. Ghazi departed on November 14, 1971, with sealed orders. Indian intelligence, through communication signal tracking and an unusual request for submarine lubricant, identified that PNS Ghazi was moving towards INS Vikrant. Further intelligence, from RAW agents disguised as vegetable smugglers, revealed Pakistan's war preparations, confirming an imminent attack on INS Vikrant.

PNS Ghazi continued its journey, reaching Sri Lanka for refueling before heading towards Madras. Indian intelligence, though unable to pinpoint Ghazi's exact location, used background signal jamming to prolong Ghazi's transmissions, allowing for broader tracking. Fishermen sightings near Madras confirmed Ghazi's presence. To protect INS Vikrant, it was moved to a secret, uninhabited location called Port X-Ray near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Meanwhile, Vice Admiral N. Krishnan devised a plan to lure Ghazi to Visakhapatnam, a heavily fortified Indian naval base. He used subtly encrypted radio communications and fake large-scale supply orders to create the illusion that INS Vikrant was docked there. This deception successfully tricked Pakistan, leading PNS Ghazi to change course for Visakhapatnam.

PNS Ghazi, under radio silence, arrived at Visakhapatnam port on November 27, 1971. Unable to enter the shallow inner harbor, Captain Zafar considered laying mines along the breakwaters. On November 28, while attempting to lay mines, Ghazi made a sharp dive to avoid collision with INS Magar, hitting the seabed and becoming stuck. Its torpedo tubes were dislodged, causing fears of self-triggering. Pakistan lost contact with Ghazi. Believing Ghazi to be lurking in the Bay of Bengal and anticipating Pakistan's formal declaration of war on December 3, India decided to use the decommissioned destroyer, INS Rajput, as a decoy for INS Vikrant. Captain Inder Singh of INS Rajput bravely accepted the mission. On December 2, INS Rajput sailed with its signals amplified, simulating INS Vikrant. Later, debris from Ghazi was found by fishermen, leading N. Krishnan to deduce Ghazi had sunk. On December 3, as INS Vikrant returned to the Bay of Bengal, INS Rajput detected sonar vibrations. Captain Inder Singh ordered two depth charges to be fired, which resulted in a massive explosion. The next morning, metal parts and life jackets with 'USS Diablo' (Ghazi's former name) confirmed the sinking. Investigations showed Ghazi's clock stopped at 12:15 AM, coinciding with Rajput's attack. This confirmed that PNS Ghazi had been destroyed by INS Rajput, even if unintentionally, and helped secure India's victory in the 1971 war, leading to Bangladesh's creation and Pakistan's surrender.