New Delhi: During the 1971 India Pakistan War, the Tangail Airdrop was one of the most crucial operations of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. The Airdrop took place on December 11, 1971, and the airborne operation was done to seize the Poongli Bridge and ferry in Tangail. The operation is often hailed as one of the largest airborne operation after the World War II. The operation pushed back the Pakistan Army’s 93rd Infantry Brigade which was trying to withdraw to Dhaka.
The Tangail Airdrop during the 1971 India Pakistan War
On December 11, 1971, the Indian Air Force executed something which the subcontinent had not seen before: The first-ever large-scale airborne operation and it played a crucial role in liberating Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
The Indian Army knew the Poongli Bridge’s importance to cross the river there early on and had to capture it for any future offensives into Bangladesh. Captain F. K. Ghosh of the Parachute Regiment infiltrated into Bangladesh and then into the Tangail area and it was the intelligence that he gathered which allowed the Indian Army to develop the plan required to capture the bridge and locate potential drop zones.
How did the Tangail Airdrop took place?
The Tangail Airdrop began on in the afternoon of December 11, 1971, and a fleet of 6 An-12s, 20 Packets, and 22 Dakotas paradropped a battalion of 800 men at Tangail along with 12 jeeps. It was among the first Indian troops to enter Dhaka and it would be crucial for India’s eventual victory in the war.
While heliborne operations sped up the troops’ approach from the East side to Dhaka, the Northern axis needed swift action. The IAF was dominating the skies of the East Pakistan at that time and that enabled the daring airborne operation. An-12s & Packets flew from Dum Dum with heavy platform loads, while Dakotas from Kalaikunda brought in troops and equipment. For air defense cover, Gnat & MiG-21 fighters were present in the operation.
It was a meticulously planned operation in which to mark the drop zone, a Pathfinder force preceded the main drop, while a dummy drop 16 km away was done to mislead the enemy forces. The drop was carried out in broad daylight from 1600 hours to 1630 hours. The troops targeted the Poongli bridge to isolate Dhaka from the north. This monumental operation showcased the join planning by Indian Armed Forces and seamless coordination between the services.
The Indian Army, thanks to the Tangail Airdrop and the capture of the Poongli bridge got a highway straight to Dhaka, while the Pakistan Army was battered and they barely had men to defend Dhaka, which would prove crucial to India’s eventual win against Pakistan in the 1971 War. The Tangail Airdrop is a testament to the strategic brilliance and the prowess of the Indian Armed Forces.
The 1971 India-Pakistan War witnessed a pivotal moment with the Tangail Airdrop. This large-scale airborne operation, unprecedented in the subcontinent, involved paradropping 800 troops to capture the Poongli Bridge, isolating Dhaka and paving the way for India’s victory. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
