Pakistan warns of possible Indian preemptive strike on key naval bases
The National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA) – the official think tank of the Pakistan Navy – has warned that India, with its rapidly expanding fleet, could initiate any future conflict with Pakistan by launching preemptive strikes on the country’s principal naval bases in Karachi, Ormara, and Pasni.
In brief
The National Institute of Maritime Affairs, a think tank of the Pakistan Navy, warned that India could open a future conflict with a coordinated strike on three Pakistani naval bases: Karachi, Ormara and Pasni. India has more than 67 warships, including two aircraft carriers and 18 submarines, and plans to expand its fleet to 160 units, while Pakistan has eight submarines and no aircraft carrier. The National Institute of Maritime Affairs recommends acquiring at least eight submarines from China and corvettes from Turkey. The analysis was published ahead of a meeting of the two countries' leaders in Tianjin.
According to NIMA’s assessment, the highest-value target would be the Jinnah Naval Base in Ormara, home to Pakistan’s surface fleet and submarines essential for the western maritime defense. The Makran base in Pasni was identified as another likely target due to its strategic location along vital sea lines of communication in the Arabian Sea. Karachi, Pakistan’s main naval hub and submarine port, as well as a base for naval aviation, would also be an inevitable objective of an Indian strike.
Regional security outlet Defence Security Asia noted that simultaneous attacks on these three facilities could paralyze Pakistan’s naval infrastructure, severely limiting its ability to mount a credible counteroffensive.
India currently operates over 67 warships, including two aircraft carriers and 18 submarines, with plans to expand its fleet to 160 vessels within the next decade. By 2030, all Indian warships are expected to be armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
By contrast, Pakistan’s fleet remains much smaller, with no aircraft carriers and only eight submarines. To offset this disparity, Islamabad is pursuing new naval bases along the Makran coast and seeking international procurement opportunities. NIMA has recommended urgent acquisition of at least eight Chinese-built submarines and several Turkish corvettes, alongside measures such as dispersal of naval assets, construction of hardened bunkers capable of withstanding missile strikes, and integration of coastal defense with inland air and missile defense networks.
The report was released just ahead of the India–Pakistan leadership meeting at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China. Persistent tensions were further highlighted in June, when both navies conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea only 100 kilometers apart – barely two months after their most recent armed confrontation.
Source: Gazeta Morska / PAP · Compiled by: Tadeusz Brzozowski
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