Indian Navy said Pakistan's claim of spotting an Indian submarine was "propaganda" (File)
The Navy on Tuesday rubbished Pakistan's claim that it stopped an Indian submarine from sneaking into its territorial waters. "Indian Navy remains deployed as necessary to protect national maritime interests. Over the past several days we have witnessed Pakistan indulging in false propaganda and spread of misinformation," the Navy said in a statement, hours after Pakistan released a purported video of what it claimed was an Indian submarine trying to enter its territorial waters.
"The Pakistan Navy used its specialised skills to ward off the submarine, successfully keeping it from entering Pakistani waters," news agency PTI reported quoting a Pakistani Navy spokesperson. "The Indian submarine was not targeted keeping in view Pakistan's policy of peace," the spokesperson said, according to PTI.
The black and white video released by Pakistan that has been rubbished by the Indian Navy as "propaganda" purportedly shows a submerged object, being tracked by what appears to be a thermal camera.
"The Indian Navy does not take cognizance of such propaganda. Our deployments remain undeterred," the Navy tweeted on its official handle.
All the three branches of the armed forces of both nations are on high alert after the Pulwama suicide bombing and subsequent air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot, inside Pakistan, by Indian Air Force jets. Tuesday's false claim by the Pakistani Navy marks the first time the maritime forces of the neighbouring countries are publicly responding in the aftermath of the air battle in which a Pakistani F-16 was shot down and India lost a MiG-21 Bison.
The last time the two navies engaged in a sea battle was during the 1971 war. Indian warships were on high alert during the Kargil war in 1999 but no naval battle took place.
In Operation Trident in 1971, Indian Navy missile boats fired Soviet-origin P-15 "Termit" cruise missiles at Karachi harbour in southern Pakistan, and sank several Pakistani ships as well as hit oil tanks. The attack severely disrupted supply lines of the neighbouring country.
India celebrates Navy Day on December 4 in honour of Operation Trident.