Indian Navy sailors rehearse for Navy Day at Mumbai's Gateway of India, 1 December 2016 (© Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times/Getty Images)

Indian naval ships once moved across the Arabian Sea under cover of night in December 1971 during the Indo-Pak War. Their course led toward Karachi, a crucial port for fuel and supplies. Indian missile boats carried out a carefully planned mission and returned home unharmed, shifting the tide of the conflict and marking a defining moment at sea. It remains one of the most significant chapters in India's maritime story.