India and Pakistan were engaged in an intense and ugly conflict in May, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. The 88-hour battle resulted in some significant gains for New Delhi, which had launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorists’ locations in Pakistan. All the armed forces were on high alert as India launched its retaliatory strike against terrorism.

Not just the army, the navy and air force too prepared their teams to fight against any mishap or misadventure that the Pakistan military might engage in. Even the Eastern Naval Command fleet was at in a ready-to-strike position at sea during Operation Sindoor, FOC-in-C Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar said.

“Our ships, aircraft and personnel were deployed for Operation Sindoor on the Western Seaboard and maintained an aggressive, ready-to-strike posture at sea,” the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (C-in-C), Eastern Naval Command, said om Friday (August 15) while addressing personnel at the 79th Independence Day parade in Visakhapatnam.

Indian Navy’s role in Op Sindoor?

During the 3-day intense fight with Pakistan, the Indian Navy played a critical role in asserting maritime dominance. Operating as a composite networked force, the Navy deployed its Carrier Battle Group (CBG) equipped with MiG-29K fighter jets and airborne early warning helicopters.

Ensuring surveillance and real-time identification of threats, the CBG maintained a powerful air defence shield that prevented hostile aerial incursions, especially from the Makran coast.

ENC Aatmanirbharta: How invincible is the fleet?

While highlighting the ENC fleet’s role during Operation Sindoor, Vice Admiral Pendharkar also outlined its contributions over the past year. “Our front-line units have carried out successful mission-based deployments far and wide, in all three dimensions. Our ships and submarines have maintained constant vigil in the Command’s Area of Responsibility.”

During the past year, the footprint of ENC fleet’s presence extended from the East Coast of Africa up to the Western Pacific, with regular deployments in the South China Sea, and the Central as well as the Southern Indian Ocean. The personnel interacted with many foreign navies and participated in bilateral as well as multilateral exercises.

He emphasised how Indian Navy has been at the forefront of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. “Today, more than 60 of our warships and submarines are under construction in Indian shipyards, a testament to indigenous design, engineering, and innovation,” he said.

Vice Admiral’s Aatmanirbharta remark can be understood in the light of a few of additions to the ENC which include INS Nirdeshak (December 2024), INS Arnala (June 2025), and INS Nistar (July 2025).