Indian Aircraft Carrier Retreats After Pakistan Navy’s Strategy

KARACHI: The anti-access/area-denial strategy of the Pakistan Navy has seemingly deterred the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. India has reportedly pulled back its INS Vikrant, which was previously stationed at the INS Kadamba naval base in Karwar, Karnataka, close to the Pakistan border.

Recent satellite imagery indicates that the Indian aircraft carrier INS Vikrant has unexpectedly returned to the Indian port of Karwar. The INS Vikrant was only at sea for a short period. The Indian Navy stated that the INS Vikrant was deployed in the Arabian Sea due to recent tensions between Pakistan and India.

The Indian government had positioned INS Vikrant near Pakistani territorial waters in the North Arabian Sea on April 23. The Indian Navy reportedly chose to recall the aircraft carrier because of the presence and continuous patrolling of the Pakistan Navy in the region.

According to the most recent satellite intelligence images from April 26, 2025, INS Vikrant is again berthed at Karwar port. Satellite images taken on April 23 showed INS Vikrant moving toward the open waters of the Arabian Sea. The deployment of INS Vikrant generated excitement in Indian media and on social platforms. Aircraft carriers are typically not deployed in the open sea for only a few days. It is believed that if the Pakistan Navy’s “carrier killer” missile systems are active in the sea, withdrawal is the safest course of action.