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IAF's Bold Strikes Led to Bangladesh's Birth
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Air power proved decisive in the 1971 war, paving the way for victory.
- IAF strikes crippled Pakistan's air defences and destroyed tanks.
- Indian Air Force missions cleared the path for army's march into East Pakistan.
On the third day of the 1971 war, December 5, the Indian Air Force (IAF) demonstrated air power's decisive role in shaping the conflict's outcome and ensuring India's victory. IAF aircraft relentlessly attacked Pakistani bases and forces, significantly impacting the war's trajectory.
Attacks on airfields and storage hangars, along with relentless bombing campaigns, crippled Pakistan's western air defences and inflicted heavy damage. Notably, the IAF's intervention in the Battle of Longewala was pivotal, destroying enemy tanks and securing Indian territory.
With Pakistan's air force effectively neutralized, IAF sorties on the eastern front facilitated the Indian Army's swift advance into East Pakistan, culminating in the war's conclusion and the emergence of Bangladesh.
