KARACHI: During the 1965 Pakistan-India war, the Pakistan Navy carried out a major naval operation against the coastal town of Dwarka in India, an action remembered as Operation Dwarka. The primary target was an Indian radar installation that was reportedly providing support to Indian naval and air operations.
The operation came in the early days of the war, when Pakistani naval vessels sailed hundreds of kilometres from Karachi towards the Indian coast. Historical accounts say the naval force attacked Dwarka during the night, under the command of then Commodore S. M. Anwar.
Pakistani warships opened fire on the radar station and other important installations in the area. A publication associated with the Pakistan Navy also describes the bombardment of Dwarka by Pakistani surface forces during the 1965 war as a significant episode in the navy’s operational history.
One of the key objectives of the operation was to disrupt the Indian radar capability and put pressure on the Indian Navy. Historical accounts also highlight the role of Pakistan Navy submarine PNS Ghazi, whose presence contributed to Pakistan’s maritime strategy during the conflict.
Operation Dwarka remains one of the most prominent naval episodes associated with the 1965 war. Pakistan continues to remember the operation as an example of the navy’s operational readiness and its role in the country’s wartime defence.
Historical note: Sources differ slightly on the date, with some records placing the attack on September 7, 1965, while Pakistani accounts commonly associate the operation with the night of September 7–8.
