 Historical Milestones: Major Air Battles And Operations

The 1965 Indo-Pak War

[{"selector":"#anim-33ffcf45-509b-438a-ac6e-3deccf09cf0a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ecd912d2-4463-4d82-864e-c48734ed22e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 857.93733%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34c85d83-db7b-44a6-a34f-43e53998d12e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - IAF played a crucial role in countering Pakistani advances. - Notable battles: Defence of Pathankot and strategic bombing missions.

The 1971 Indo-Pak War

[{"selector":"#anim-b2fc720f-c1c0-4da1-a6e9-af4206c1aa0f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8ddddd2-9d59-4210-a415-9c82019e9df1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 862.39304%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6b91bea-ae40-4c36-9388-57afa5c76d46","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - Operation Trident: Naval and air strikes crippling Karachi's port. - Operation Meghna Heli Bridge: Massive airlift across the Meghna River. Avani Chaturvedi, and Mohana Singh became the first female fighter pilots.

Kargil War 1999

[{"selector":"#anim-a0c0eb52-4ef8-4f26-833d-573f9c19773b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d230e038-25ed-470f-b7f0-aeb0db20991f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 912.39304%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c8adbb07-c5ae-48ea-9d6b-cb27d9b4db20","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - First major use of air power in high-altitude combat. - Mirage 2000 jets used for precision strikes on enemy positions.

[{"selector":"#anim-46989465-d9ef-4033-b8ae-e968fe211086","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1b3bcc21-715f-4590-bd36-6c8b9995a6a8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 490.04634%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-869a722d-0eb3-4634-ad26-f2d28623f26b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Operation Poomalai - 1987: IAF air-dropped food and medicine to Tamil civilians in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. - Demonstrated IAF’s capability in humanitarian missions.

Operation Cactus

[{"selector":"#anim-268edbb2-6f2d-4401-8ca4-e834c2f1a378","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5227237-a34b-4551-b581-cb930e8458f9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 840.08021%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-666a817a-30a6-4b07-acd4-e4a2047317f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - 1988: IAF airlifted Indian troops to thwart a coup in the Maldives. - Showcased rapid deployment and operational readiness.

Operation Vijay 1961

[{"selector":"#anim-a7c7a0ba-3201-4c9f-b58a-283a14144626","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ce9b7b7-071f-412e-af74-3e8790089e64","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 807.93733%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e104a9f-db28-4c24-ada6-9382618a1c0a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - IAF provided air support for ground troops. - Key in the successful annexation of Portuguese-held Goa, Daman, and Diu.

Operation Rahat

[{"selector":"#anim-35a0acdf-277f-4cb7-b9f0-1806b45d0a0c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0d1c125-b0ca-4983-a5d1-cfdab18985d3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 822.22308%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":700,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-50c58aa3-f57f-4a8d-a1ba-12e221773835","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1000,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] - 2013: IAF conducted massive air rescue operations during Uttarakhand floods. - Saved thousands of lives, showcasing IAF’s humanitarian efforts.