- By Supratik Das
- Mon, 26 May 2025 01:29 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday celebrated the anniversary of Operation Safed Sagar, its historic air campaign against Pakistan-based terror infrastructure during the 1999 Kargil War, even as the country continues to bask in the recent success of Operation Sindoor. The IAF has termed Operation Safed Sagar as a landmark event in the history of military aviation, as the largest deployment of air power over Kashmir after the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The operation began in conjunction with Operation Vijay, which was intended to liberate Indian territory taken over by Pakistani troops and militants across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil district.
In a social media post on X, the IAF stated, “Operation Safed Sagar, the Indian Air Force’s codename for its air operations during the Kargil War in 1999, was launched in support of ground forces under Operation Vijay. It aimed to flush out Pakistani regulars and intruders who had occupied Indian positions along the LoC in the Kargil sector.” The operation marked the first time the IAF was tasked with high-altitude precision strikes in rugged mountainous terrain, challenging the conventional role of air power in limited conflict zones. Aircraft such as Mirage 2000s, MiG-21s, MiG-27s, MiG-29s, Jaguars, Mi-17s, and Chetaks played a critical role in targeting enemy supply lines and fortified positions.
Operation Safed Sagar started on 25 May 1999, once the Cabinet Committee on Security authorised the beginning of restrained air operations short of entering the LoC. During the first phase, the IAF lost two planes, one MiG-21 and one MiG-27, and one pilot was taken prisoner by Pakistani troops. The IAF quickly modified its tactics, demonstrating operational adaptability and resilience. Mi-17 helicopters were modified for offensive purposes and were crucial to neutralising enemy bunkers at high altitudes. There was close coordination between the Army and the Air Force, which changed the tide of battle in favor of India.
Legacy Of The Kargil War
The Kargil War, which lasted nearly three months from May to July 1999, saw Indian troops recapture strategic peaks occupied by Pakistani forces under Operation Badr, an attempt to sever the Srinagar-Leh highway and isolate Ladakh. India's Operation Vijay resulted in the total eviction of Pakistani forces by July 26, 1999, which was subsequently commemorated as Kargil Vijay Diwas. The global community, and especially the United States, put immense pressure on Pakistan to retreat. "The operation not only demonstrated the agility and determination of the Indian Air Force but also the deterrent potential of measured air strikes—even in a low-intensity conflict," said the IAF.
As India is celebrating the success of Operation Sindoor, a tit-for-tat military operation initiated last week to retaliate, which left 26 civilians dead, the importance of Operation Safed Sagar is being looked at differently. Operation Sindoor on May 7 witnessed the Indian armed forces eliminating several terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. More than 100 terrorists lost their lives, and nine top terror hideouts operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen were neutralised. The IAF's restraint and precision during Operation Safed Sagar became a tactical model for the measured strikes carried out under Operation Sindoor. The IAF's observance of Operation Safed Sagar is only days after the Indian armed forces conducted deep strikes against Pakistan's air bases in retaliation for Islamabad's drone and missile attacks on Indian military and civilian establishments. After four days of fierce cross-border fighting, both nations imposed a ceasefire, bringing a pause to further escalation.