Pakistan is expanding its military presence near Sir Creek under the “Ababeel — The Divine Strike” programme. Layered coastal defences, including fast boats and hovercraft, have been deployed after Pakistan Navy Special Service Group (SSG-N) commandos occupied newly established marine posts between Bandha Dhora and Harami Dhoro near Sir Creek. These personnel are equipped with various Turkish drone systems and Chinese equipment and technology, the reports added.
The development was confirmed by a video released by the Pakistan Navy on July 1 titled “ABABEEL …. The Divine Strike,” international media claimed. The Marines were seen practising beach landings and target engagements in the company of drones, confirming the news of an amphibious operational deployment by Islamabad in the area.
The Turkish drones with Pakistani commandos in the region are of both kinds — attack and surveillance. "Turkish drones reportedly assigned to surveillance and explosive-payload missions could extend Pakistan’s observation radius beyond fixed posts, enabling continuous monitoring of waterways, patrol patterns, and temporary routes created by shifting tides across the marshland," Malaysia-based Defence Security Asia said in a report.
In response, India's focus is on deploying at least 11 indigenous high-speed amphibious combat boats, as they can operate effectively in the shallow waters of Sir Creek. Mobility, rapid interception, and sustained operations within Harami Nala’s difficult waterways make them the right choice, reports said. In light of modern Chinese tech in enemy hands, the response is unlikely to remain platform-specific, as New Delhi will require layered radar, electro-optical surveillance, and electronic warfare capabilities in the vicinity, the report added.
Where is Sir Creek?
Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat's Rann of Kutch and Pakistan, and is considered a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by both sides.
In October last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said that any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a "decisive response" that could be strong enough to change both "history and geography". Singh drew attention to the fact that even after 78 years of Independence, Pakistan "continues to create disputes" over the Sir Creek sector, despite India's repeated efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue.
On the night of May 8–9, 2025, during the retaliatory phase that followed Operation Sindoor, Pakistan had reportedly launched roughly 400 drones at 36 locations along the western border, from Leh to Sir Creek.
