‘A target was targeted to take out Pakistani intruders’: Why Operation Safed Sagar on IAF was historic

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force on Monday shared a memorial video marking the anniversary of the 1999 air operation ‘Operation Safed Sagar’ during the Kargil War against Pakistan.Operation Safed Sagar was the codename of the IAF for its aerial operation organized in support of Operation Vijay of the Indian Army, which was launched to evict Pakistani soldiers and intruders, who illegally occupied Indian positions along the Line of Control (LOC) in the Kargil region.In a post on X, the IAF said: “Operation Safed Sagar – Kodename of the Indian Air Force for its aerial operation during Kargilwar 19999 – was launched in support of the ground forces under Operation Vijay.

Operation was historic, the first mass of air power was used in the Kashmir region since the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The IAF executed high-high precision operations in some of the world’s most challenging hilly areas, which defines the role of air power in limited conflicts.IAF also shared the list of aircraft used during Operation Safed Sagar to move to Pakistan in the Kargil War. These included Mirage 2000s, MIG-21S, MIG-29S, MIG-23S, MIG-27s, Jaguars, Mi-17 helicopter and Cheetak helicopter.

IAF mentioned: “The Air Force was not worked with such high -height precision operations in the rugged mountainous region anytime before – it creates a watershed moment in military aviation history.”Operation Safed Sagar also broke the traditional thinking about aerial power. This reflects that limited, targeted aerial attacks can have a decisive impact without increasing in full -scale war.The IAF said, “Operation not only displayed the versatility and resolution of the Indian Air Force, but also established the preventive value of the calibrated air strike-even in the low intensity conflict,” said the IAF.“It has been proved that air power can decisively change the curriculum of war without crossing international borders.”The Kargil War was part of the center area of ​​Ladakh, in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir from May to July 1999. The struggle began when Pakistani troops and terrorists infiltrated the LoC. India responded with full force, and Operation Vijay led the successful recurrence of the major positions.Operation Safed Sagar The IAF tribute comes a few weeks after the recent aggressive under Operation Sindoor, an antigen strike launched on 7 May in response to the Pahgam terror attack. In that action, nine -known terrorist hub sponsored by Pakistan was destroyed, showing that air power was used continuously in the opposition operations of India.