Historical Moment Of Aerial Battle: Indian Air Force Shared The Video Of Operation Safed Sagar

The Indian Air Force, steeped in the fervour of Operation Vijay, celebrated the 26th anniversary of Operation Safed Sagar on 26 May.

The aim of this operation was to drive out Pakistani soldiers and infiltrators who had occupied Indian posts along the Line of Control (LOC) in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

On 26 May 1999, the IAF launched Operation Safed Sagar, marking a significant milestone in Indian history.

Ground forces under Operation Vijay conducted the operation to flush out Pakistani soldiers and intruders who had occupied Indian positions along the LoC in the Kargil sector.

On 26 May, the IAF shared a video on X, “#OpSafedSagar — the Indian Air Force’s codename for its air operations during the KargilWar1999 — 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.”

Operation Safed Sagar: The Valour Of  Indian Air Force

“This was the first large-scale use of air power in the Kashmir region since the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Never before had an air force tasked with such high-altitude precision operations in rugged mountainous terrain, making it a watershed moment in military aviation history,” the post added.

“Operation Safed Sagar was a trailblazer in many ways: it saw air power employed in unconventional roles, demonstrated the effectiveness of limited use of air assets in a localised conflict, and shattered the long-held notion that use of air power would inevitably escalate into full-scale war,” the IAF further posted.

When The Sky Thundered With MIGs

During the operation, the Indian Air Force utilised its MiG series of aircraft, including MiG 21s, MiG 23s, MiG 27s, and Mirage 2000, along with Chetak and Jaguar fighter planes.

The Operation Safed Sagar showcased the capability of employing air power in unconventional roles, proving that limited air assets can effectively utilised in localised conflicts.

Moreover, it shattered the conventional notion that air power deployment would inevitably escalate into full-scale war.

In a recent operation, Operation Sindoor, the IAF carried out a precise, measured, and targeted attack on 9 terrorist camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Pakistan on 7 May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam Terrorist Attack, killing 26 civilians in Kashmir.

Pakistan retaliated with hundreds of drones, but India’s Air Defence System accurately intercepted them.

In another retaliation, the IAF destroyed Pakistan’s Khan Yunus Airbase.

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