The 'Killer Squadron' of the Indian Navy, which sank Pakistani warships during the 1971 war, to get a rare honour

At a ceremonial parade on December 8, President Ram Nath Kovind will present the President's Standard to the Indian Navy's 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron, better known as the Killer Squadron.

During the pivotal 1971 battle, the Navy's 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron targeted the Karachi Port and sank Pakistan Navy vessels.

An official release issued on Sunday read, "To mark the occasion, a Special Day Cover along with a commemorative stamp will also be released by the Postal Department."  The Governor, Maharashtra's Chief Minister, and the Chief of the Naval Staff, among other civil and military officials, are slated to attend the ceremony.

The President's Standard is the highest honour awarded on a military unit by the Supreme Commander in acknowledgment of its contribution to the country.

On May 27, 1951, the then-President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, presented the Indian Navy with the President's Colours. The President's Standard is a smaller military structure or unit that receives the same honour as the President's Colours.

With ten Veer Class and three Prabal Class missile boats, the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron was formally created in Mumbai in October 1991. However, the origins of the 'Killers' may be traced back to 1969, when the Indian Navy was bolstered by the induction of OSA I Class missile boats from the former Soviet Union.

These missile boats arrived in India on heavy-lift commercial ships in early 1971 and were commissioned in Kolkata. During the Indo-Pak war of 1971, they were baptised by fire in the same year, and they played a crucial role in the war's result.

The youngest warriors of a nascent Indian Navy drew first blood when they launched a deadly onslaught against the Pakistan Navy during the night of 04-05 December 1971.

The Indian Navy ships Nirghat, Nipat, and Veer fired Styx missiles at Pakistan Navy ships Khyber and Muhafiz, sinking them and disabling them for years.

This operation, codenamed Op Trident, is widely regarded as one of the most successful in contemporary naval history, with no Indian forces suffering losses. On the night of December 8th/9th, the Indian Navy mounted another daring attack when the INS Vinash, together with two frigates, unleashed four Styx missiles, sinking the Pakistan Naval Fleet Tanker Dacca and causing significant damage to the Keamari Oil Storage Facility in Karachi.

There were no recorded damages to the Indian forces. The ships and soldiers of the Squadron gained the appellation of 'Killers' as a result of their valour, and the Indian Navy celebrates Navy Day on December 4th.