No 1 Squadron, the Indian Air Force's oldest squadron, celebrates 80 years of dedicated service to the nation. Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, who has served twice with the squadron, looks back on the Tigers's awesome journey.
'Amongst all the air-land operations in pursuit of a common military objective, it is the airborne operation which demands the greatest synergy,' says Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam on the occasion of Army Day.
'The Balakot mission was an act of political signaling that India is willing to raise the price that the Pakistani State has to pay in order to support terrorism.'
Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam lists the major operational takeaways from the 1971 War in his new book 'India's Wars, A Military History, 1947-1971'.
The 1971 war reaffirmed the importance of inspirational senior leadership in battle and heralded the emergence of a new fighting class amongst officers and men of India's armed forces.
'We decided that we would fire our rockets and dive into the valley and get away, making it difficult for the missiles to be fired.'
