India Moves Warships Closer to Pakistan

May 22, 2002
New Delhi

The Indian Navy on Wednesday said it had moved five warships from the country's eastern seaboard to the Arabian sea, closer to arch-rival Pakistan.

"We have moved five frontline ships of the eastern fleet to be cross-deployed to the western seaboard to augment the force levels," Commander Rahul Gupta, spokesman for the Indian Navy, said.

He would not elaborate on the reasons for the redeployment.

The warships which have moved to join the Western Naval fleet includes the lethal Kashin class missile destroyer, a missile armed multi-purpose frigate and three Missile covettes, sources said.

They said cross coast deployment had been completed and the warships placed under administrative and operational control of the Flag officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command.

The move comes amid signs India and Pakistan are moving to the brink of war, with an already bitter standoff being intensified Wednesday by a statement by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that the time had come for a "decisive fight."

"Our goal should be victory because now the time has come for a decisive fight and in this war we will win ... We have to fight our own war, we are ready for it, we are prepared for it," Vajpayee said, addressing troops on the Kashmiri frontlines.
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