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After China's attack on India's northern frontiers in 1962, the Army's hands were more than full and the Indian Navy had been charged with the garrisoning of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Commencing 1964 onwards, Indonesia's stance was markedly pro-Pakistan. Indonesian leaders started voicing claims to Great Nicobar Island, which was closest to Sumatra and there was an increase in the sightings of unidentified submarines and aircraft in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It was this vulnerability in July/August 1965 that impelled Naval Headquarters to keep the Indian Fleet in the Bay of Bengal for as long as possible so as to deter adventurist Indonesian naval moves.
The Indian Fleet comprising Mysore (flagship), Brahmaputra, Beas, Khukri, Kirpan, Kuthar and Ranjit sailed for the Bay of Bengal in end June 1965. It had been arranged for a British Submarine Astute to be available off Madras in July for anti-submarine training, after which it was planned that ships of the Fleet deploy off Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Calcutta and Visakhapatnam.
Accordingly, Mysore, Brahmaputra and Beas, after completion of the exercise off Madras, were deployed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in August 1965 while the remaining four ships remained deployed off Madras to continue the anti-submarine exercises. In end August 1965, Mysore, Brahmaputra and Beas proceeded to Calcutta.
As is well known, Pakistan had been committing violations of the Indo-Pak border throughout the summer months of 1965 and the frequency of these violations had increased further during the first week of August culminating in a large number of armed infiltrators crossing the ceasefire line in Kashmir on August 5, 1965. In spite of continued efforts made by India to ensure peace, the situation soon aggravated and the Indian Army had to take preventive measures in Kashmir to plug the entry points of these infiltrators. Since Pakistan was likely to extend the war to the Arabian Sea as well, Karachi being its main naval base, the Indian Navy decided to initiate necessary action to prepare the fleet for the probable war.
Thus, it was in the middle of the deployment of the Indian Fleet...