IAF’s aerial display recreates Tangail airdrop, other key missions of 1971 war

Tangail airdrop, Meghna River crossing, the attack on Government House at Dhaka, and other key missions of the 1971 India-Pakistan War were on Wednesday recreated through an aerial display by the IAF, officials said.

The event was hosted at Air Force Station, Mohanbari in Assam, to commemorate India’s victory in the 1971 war.

“A flying display by Su-30 MKI, C-130, Dornier, An-32, Chinook, Mi-17, ALH and Cheetah aircraft recreated key missions of the 1971 war, which included the Tangail Airdrop, Meghna River Crossing, and the attack on Government House at Dhaka. The display highlighted the operational capability and mission readiness of the Indian Air Force,” the defence ministry said.

The event paid a rich tribute to the bravery and valour of the Indian armed forces.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, senior military and civilian dignitaries, veterans, and a large number of youth from Assam attended it.

A seminar on ‘Air Operations during the 1971 War’ was also conducted on the occasion, during which air veterans shared anecdotes and experiences from their participation in the war, the ministry said in a statement.

An exhibition titled ‘Triumph from the Sky-71’ showcased rare archival photographs from the period of war, and it also included a replica of the ‘Swarnim Vijay Mashal’, the ceremonial flame marking India’s decisive victory, it said.