On Operation Safed Sagar anniversary, IAF highlights role of air power in Kargil and now

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday marked the anniversary of Operation Safed Sagar, which was launched during the 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan.

The IAF stated that the operation aimed at “flushing out Pakistani regulars and intruders” who had taken control of Indian positions along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

“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 been tasked with such high-altitude precision operations in rugged mountainous terrain – making it a watershed moment in military aviation history,” the Air Force said in a post on X.

The IAF said Operation Safed Sagar involved the use of aircraft such as Mirage 2000s, MiG-21s, Mi-17s, Jaguars, MiG-23s, MiG-27s, Chetak helicopters, and MiG-29s, and described the mission as 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 post read.

“The operation not only showcased the versatility and resolve of the Indian Air Force but also established the deterrent value of calibrated air strikes – even in a low-intensity conflict. It proved that air power could decisively alter the course of battle without crossing international boundaries,” it added.

The Kargil War lasted for nearly three months on the icy heights of the Kargil mountains. It began in May 1999 when Pakistani troops and terrorists occupied peaks in the Kargil sector.

In response, India launched Operation Vijay to reclaim the occupied territory and successfully regained control by July 26 – a date now commemorated as Kargil Vijay Diwas.

The anniversary of Operation Safed Sagar comes just days after the Indian armed forces carried out strikes on Pakistani air bases.

India targeted these air bases in response to Pakistan’s drone and missile attacks that were aimed at civilian areas and military infrastructure in India’s western sector. These attacks came after Operation Sindoor, which was launched in retaliation for a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, last month.

Operation Sindoor

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting multiple terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.

The Indian armed forces destroyed nine terror camps belonging to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen, killing over 100 terrorists.

Following these overnight operations by Indian forces, Pakistan responded with drone and missile attacks on India’s western regions. However, the Indian military successfully intercepted them. In return, India struck selected military targets deep inside Pakistan.

After four days of heavy cross-border drone and missile exchanges, both countries agreed to a ceasefire last Saturday, bringing immediate halt to military actions.