Operation Dwarka
Operation Dwarka, also known as Operation Somnath, was the popular name given to Pakistan Navy's attack on the Indian coastal town of Dwarka on 7 September 1965. This was the first use of a navy in the Indo-Pakistan Wars.
As the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 broke out between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, armies and air forces of both nations were involved in bitter fighting. Pakistan was under attack in Punjab region and were locked in battles in Kashmir. To relieve pressure on the northern front, Pakistan decided to use its navy in the war by launching a quick strike on Indian coast. The primary objective of the attack was to keep
Indian ships blockaded at Bombay and to destroy the
radar station and other
naval installations at Dwarka. The attack also hoped to divert the Indian Air Force from the north.
The attack
On the night of September 7 Pakistan Navy launched its assault on Western Indian shores. Dwarka was chosen for its proximity, (200 km from Karachi Port) less guarded port and historical relevance. The plan called for a fleet of 7 naval vessels of Pakistan to bomb the tiny town of Dwarka. It was aimed at luring the major ships anchored in Bombay to attack the Pakistan ships. The intention was that the submarine PNS Ghazi lurking in the Arabian Sea would then take out the Indian ships. Accordingly a fleet of seven ships comprising PNS Babur, PNS Khaibar, PNS Badr, PNS Jahangir, PNS Alamgir, PNS Shahjahan and PNS Tipu Sultan set sail for Dwarka and bombed the tiny town.
Not all of the primary objectives were achieved. The radar installations were not destroyed with no casualties in the town but the Indian Navy's ships were kept at bay. Also a cement factory of Associated Cement Company was hit and smoke could be seen 20 km away by Pakistani ships.
Indian Navy's official version states that at around 2355 hours, the Pakistani vessels fired over the main temple of Dwarka for more than 20 minutes. The ships fired around 50 shells, which included some 5.25 inch rounds fired by the Pak cruiser Babur. It adds that most of the shells fell between the temple and the railway station, which lay 3 km from the lighthouse.
No building was seriously damaged, with only the Railway Guest House suffering some minor damages. 40[1] of the unexploded shells were also recovered intact.
Pakistan claimed that the operation was a significant one, even celebrating September 8 as "Victory Day" by Pakistan Navy.
Authors like Lorne John Kavic and Lowell Dittmer have noted that both Indian and Pakistani navies played no significant roles and that the "insignificant bombardment"[2] of the town was a "limited engagement, with no strategic value."[3]
Source
Operation_Dwarka
