New Delhi: Just weeks after India and Pakistan pulled back from the brink of all-out war, the waters between them have begun to stir with fresh signs of hostility. On board India’s largest warship, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stood tall, flanked by fighter jets and war flags. His message? The Indian Navy did not strike, but it could have. And next time, it might.
Two days later, Pakistan’s Navy too responded with a show of force. A large-scale drill was launched, covering every major port along its coastline. Anti-submarine, anti-ship and counter-insurgency manoeuvres lit up the radar. On both sides, the silence of the sea now carries an unsettling undertone.
The latest war scare began with the April 22 massacre in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Indian missiles slammed into Pakistani military zones soon after. Jets scrambled, borders flared and for four days, both nations stood on the edge. But through it all, their navies stayed quiet, waiting and watching.
Now, that wait may be over.
India quietly pushed its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant closer to Pakistani waters during the conflict. In Karachi, a Turkish ship docked just in time for Pakistan to activate its own naval formation. Officially, neither side fired a shot at sea. But unofficially, both sent a signal that the next round might begin offshore.
History has seen this script before.
In 1965, Pakistan bombarded India’s Dwarka port. In 1971, India blew up Pakistani ships right outside Karachi. Back then, it was about radar stations and fuel tanks. This time, it could be about satellite jammers, long-range drones and nuclear-tipped cruise missiles.
Indian Navy is now a global force. It flies fighters, sails carriers and launches ballistic missiles from underwater. Pakistan’s Navy is smaller, but its subs carry firepower that can level coastal cities.
The difference in strategy is stark. India builds to dominate oceans. Pakistan builds to guard its shores. But both have the capacity to do serious damage, fast.
What has changed now is intent. Singh’s speech suggests India might go naval first next time. Pakistan’s drills hint at preparations to match that move. And in an era of high-speed warfare, sea battles are not fought with cannonballs. They are fought with hypersonic missiles, underwater drones and stealth subs that vanish without a trace.
Analysts watching these movements say that if war comes again, it will not stay on land.
India could strike radar stations in Karachi. Pakistan could send submarines towards Mumbai. With a single misstep, escalation would spiral. Ships would sink and harbours would burn. And with both countries being nuclear powers, the rest of the world would not be able to look away.
The Arabian Sea has seen wars before. But never like this.
