Aerial Image Shows Indian Aircraft Carrier Heading for Pakistan
India’s navy posted an aerial image of an aircraft carrier and escorts heading in the direction of Pakistan amid mounting tensions between the two nuclear rivals following the killing of at least 26 tourists in Kashmir.
Newsweek contacted the Indian navy and the office of Pakistan’s prime minister for comment.
Why It Matters
India and Pakistan appear on the brink of another war after the killing of Hindu tourists in in the contested Kashmir region in the north. India has blamed the attack on its largely Muslim neighbor and has suspended a crucial river water sharing arrangement on which Pakistan depends. Both countries control parts of Kashmir and claim all of it.
What To Know
The Indian navy released an aerial photo of an aircraft carrier and at least three escorts on its Instagram page on Thursday. The features in the foreground make clear that the vessels are headed up the coast in a northwesterly direction and in the direction of Pakistan.
The vessels are shown in the Arabian Sea in the area of the historical Sindhudurg Fort south of Mumbai.
“Fleet in Formation – Force in Action,” the caption says. It carries the hashtags #TypicalThursday #NavalWarfare #NavyReadiness.
A military analyst had earlier identified the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in the Arabian Sea and off the coast of Karwar, further to the south.
Imagery taken yesterday shows the Indian Navy Aircraft Carrier - INS Vikrant underway in the Arabian Sea Region off the coast of Karwar pic.twitter.com/ZfrgOub2fx
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) April 24, 2025India’s navy also shared images of a missile being test fired from a guided-missile destroyer, “marking another milestone in strengthening our defence capabilities.”
Pakistan told India on Thursday that suspending the Indus water-sharing treaty amounted to an “act of war” and closed its airspace to Indian airlines. It strongly rejected accusations that it was behind the attack or backing armed groups in Kashmir.
The attack at Pahalgam on Tuesday was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan’s Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. TRF accused Hindus of attempting to settle in Kashmir.
The attack has been widely condemned internationally and the United States has issued a new travel warning form Kashmir.
What People Are Saying
Indian Navy spokesperson on X, commenting on the killing of an army officer among the tourists in Kashmir: “Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, #CNS, and all Personnel of the Indian Navy are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Lt Vinay Narwal who fell to the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam. […] The #IndianNavy also stands in solemn solidarity with all others that lost their lives in this heinous act of violence.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “India will identify, track and punish every terrorist, their handlers and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth.”
Office of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif: “In the absence of any credible investigation and verifiable evidence, attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan are frivolous, devoid of rationality and defeat logic.”
What Happens Next
Tensions between the neighbors are now at their highest in years, and while there is no certainty they will go to war, any further incident could provoke a more serious confrontation. The situation may also depend on what actions, if any, India takes over the river waters.