Thread by @indiannavy

#LiberationofGoa

#November 1961 - in a display of its #maritime supremacy in the region Portuguese contingent based at #Anjadip Island fires at #Indian merchant ship Sabarmati. Portuguese garrisons also fire indiscriminately on Indian fishing boats off #Karwar & South #Goa (1/n)

These acts of aggression by the Portuguese forced #GovernmentofIndia to evict them from Indian soil & #IndianNavy executed #OpVijay to achieve this aim.

Two warships #Rajput & #Kirpan are deployed to escort merchant ships & ensure safety of fishermen (2/n)
#NavalArchives

#01Dec 1961

Naval Headquarters #NHQ initiates #OpChutney, a precursor to #OpVijay, to capture Anjadip Island.
#INSBetwa & #INSBeas are deployed on patrol off Goa, #INSMysore & #INSTrishul prepare to carry out an amphibious landing (3/n)

#GoaLiberationDay
#Goaat60

@MHSofIndia

#18Dec 1961
The landing ops is set in motion with 75 sailors led by Lt Arun Auditto & Senior Commissioned Gunner N Kelman embarking #INSTrishul.
The 'Landing Party' was planned to be landed in two waves on a beach, 03 kms South of the main garrison (4/n) .

#IndianNavalHistory

Just as the first batch of landing party was to leave Trishul, a large white flag of surrender was hoisted by the Portuguese garrison on the Northern edge of the island. The first 'wave' landed uneventfully on the beach as planned.

Was it the same with the 2nd wave...? (5/n)

#LiberationofGoa

... Understanding the white flag as mark of surrender, the 2nd group approached #Anjadip island directly & was greeted by Portuguese machine gun fire which riddled their boats with bullet holes leading to death of one sailor, many were injured grievously (6/n)

This perfidy by the Portuguese led to a full-fledged gun & grenade battle between #Indian & Portuguese soldiers for control over Anjadip Island. The first group under Lt Arun Auditto proceeded to capture the garrison on the Northern ridge overlooking the town (7/n)
#NavalArchives

#INSTrishul opened fire on North-Western ridge, the ferocity of this response forced the well-entrenched enemy garrison to surrender. #INSMysore joined the attack & combined fire-power was directed on the Northern part of the island.
Outmatched, the Portuguese surrendered (8/n).

The Indian 🇮🇳 was hoisted on Anjadip Island at 1425 h on #18Dec 1961.
7 sailors made the ultimate sacrifice while 2 officers & 17 sailors were wounded

3 Kirti Chakra (2-Posthumous), 4 Shaurya Chakra (2-Posthumous) & 1 NM (Gallantry)-(9/n)
#BraveSonsofIndia
#WeRemember
@MoDGoIGA

#LiberationofGoa

While the battle at Anjadip was in progress, the #IndianArmy & #AirForce began closing in to liberate Goa.
Offensive action commenced with four #IndianAirForce Canberra bombers strafing the Dabolim airfield on #18Dec 1961 (10/n).

#OnThisDay

@adgpi @IAF_MCC

Indian Army made a three pronged headway into #Goa from the North, East & South.

The seaward approach was controlled by #IndianNavy ships Betwa, Beas & Cauvery.

These ships maintained patrol at the entrance to the ports of #Mormugao and #Panjim (11/n)

#NavalArchives

#LiberationofGoa
#OperationVijay witnessed a furious gun duel between the Portuguese man-of-war, Afonso-de-Albuquerque against #IndianNavy frigates Betwa, Beas & Cauvery. Orders from NHQ were clear - capture the Portuguese warship... (12/n).
#NavalArchives
#NavalOperations

Betwa, Beas & Cauvery in a coordinated manoeuvre encircled & directed Albuquerque to surrender in 3 minutes.
Albuquerque was non-compliant & tried taking cover behind a merchant vessel.
An intense #gunbattle ensued as Betwa & Cauvery commenced firing... (13/n).

Albuquerque hoisted a white flag, turned towards the harbour & went alongside Dona Paula jetty, #Panjim.
Ending the first gun battle of the #IndianNavy (14/n).

#Goaat60
#IndianNavalHistory
#हरकामदेशकेनाम

#LiberationofGoa
At Diu, #OperationVijay was planned as an #IndianArmy ops with #INSDelhi tasked to provide 'distant support' to the #Army units, maintaining patrol 10 miles from the Diu coast
At 0430 h on 18 Dec 1961 first contact with enemy force was established (15/n)
@adgpi

Identifying 2 radar contacts approaching at high spd as Portuguese patrol boats, #INSDelhi fired tracers & asked them to surrender. As the boats tried to escape at full speed, taking a U-turn towards harbour, Delhi's guns blazed sinking one of the patrol boats (16/n).

With first light on #18December 1961, the land battle continued as Army units come under intense gunfire from a well-entrenched enemy, with INS Delhi tasked to provide gunfire support & open a seaward combat front (17/n).
#NavalArchives

Delhi's guns deliver concentrated salvos on Portuguese garrison at the Old Fort, with the first salvo hitting & destroying the lighthouse citadel.
Next 15 minutes saw bombarding of the citadel & the airfield in succession till a white flag was hoisted by the Portuguese (18/n).

The landing party from #INSDelhi was dispatched & the tri-colour 🇮🇳 hoisted at the Old Fort.
#OperationVijay was concluded in less than 40 hrs & Goa rightfully restored to its motherland #India

#IndianArmedForces displayed ingenuity & synergy, true to the operation's name (19/n)