History
 Indian Navy
NameINS Vinash
Commissioned20 January 1971
Decommissioned15 January 1990
Honours and
awards		Karachi, 1971
General characteristics
Class and typeVidyut-class missile boat
Displacement245 tons (full load)[1]
Length38.6 meters
Beam7.6 meters
Speed37+ knots
Complement30
Armament
  • 4 × SS-N-2A Styx AShM
  • 2 × AK-230 30mm guns

INS Vinash (K85) (Destruction) was a Vidyut-class missile boat of the 25th Killer Missile Boat Squadron of the Indian Navy.[2][3]

Operation Python

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Vinash was a part of the Operation Python strike force along with INS Talwar and INS Trishul. The strike force approached Karachi on 8 December 1971 in rough seas.

Vinash fired 4 SS-N-2B Styx missiles at various targets. The first missile struck the fuel tanks at Keamari Oil Farm. Another missile hit and sunk Panamian fuel tanker SS Gulf Star. The third and fourth missiles hit the Pakistan Navy fleet tanker PNS Dacca and the British merchant ship SS Harmattan, which were badly damaged.[4]

Operation Python and its preceding Operation Trident were successful. The Pakistani fuel reserves for the Karachi sector were destroyed and flames could be seen from 60 miles away. India established complete control over the oil route from the Persian Gulf to Pakistani ports.[5] Shipping traffic to and from Karachi, Pakistan's only major port at that time, ceased.

Lt. Cdr. Vijai Jerath, commanding officer of INS Vinash was awarded the Vir Chakra for the operation.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Indian Naval Ships-Missile Boat - Chamak Class". Indiannavy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 19 June 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  2. ↑ John Pike (4 December 1971). "K83 Vidyut (Sov Osa-I) / K90 Viyut (Sov Osa-II)". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  3. ↑ "NAVY - Osa I Class". Bharat-Rakshak.com. 28 October 1971. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
  4. ↑ "Indo-Pakistani War of 1971".
  5. ↑ "How west was won…on the waterfront".
  6. ↑ "Chapter-42". Indiannavy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
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