On the eve of Vijay Diwas, the Indian Air Force released rare operational details of its lightning counter-offensive launched hours after Pakistan’s pre-emptive strikes on December 3, 1971. Within minutes of Pakistan attacking eleven Indian airfields, IAF Canberra bombers were airborne, beginning a relentless 23-mission deep-penetration campaign that reached as far as Karachi port. The strikes systematically cratered runways at Mauripur (Masrur), Drigh Road in Karachi, and key northern bases like Sargodha, Mianwali, Murid, Chander, Risalewala, and Shorkot Road.

The most spectacular raid targeted Karachi itself, where IAF Canberras flying at low level under radar coverage destroyed fuel dumps, port facilities, and the main runway at Masrur airfield. The attacks neutralised Pakistan Air Force operations in the western sector within 48 hours and prevented any significant reinforcement to the eastern theatre. Simultaneously, heavy bombers and AN-12 transports struck ammunition depots, igniting massive fires visible for miles at Changa Manga forest.

By December 5, Pakistan had lost air superiority in both sectors, allowing Indian ground forces to advance rapidly in East Pakistan. The IAF’s account highlights how these long-range missions, flown without modern navigation aids and often in complete radio silence, shifted momentum decisively. The campaign culminated on December 16 with the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani troops in Dhaka – the largest military capitulation since World War II.

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India and Bangladesh commemorate December 16 as Vijay Diwas, while Pakistan observes it as a day of mourning. The 1971 war resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh after months of brutal repression by Pakistani forces that displaced millions and killed hundreds of thousands. Lieutenant General A.A.K. Niazi signed the instrument of surrender before Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora amid cheering crowds in Dhaka.

Fifty-three years later, the shared victory remains a cornerstone of India-Bangladesh ties, though recent political changes in Dhaka have introduced new complexities. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose government maintained close defence and economic ties with India, has been living in exile in New Delhi since August 2024. Meanwhile, the interim administration under Muhammad Yunus has moved to strengthen relations with Pakistan, underscoring the shifting regional dynamics born from the very war the IAF helped win.

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