CONTEXT:

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa visits Air Force Station in Bhisiana and Sarsawa to pay homage to the air warriors who made supreme sacrifice during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil.
• It took India two months of a joint effort between the Indian army and Air Force to evict the intruders.
• Dhanoa paid tribute to Late Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja and other fallen heroes who lost their life 20 years back during the Kargil war. CAS B.S. Dhanoa flew the ‘missing man’ formation flypast in a Mig-21 aircraft. He was accompanied by Air Marshal R Nambiar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Western Air Command in the ‘missing man’ flypast organised at Air Force Station in Bhisiana in Bhatinda to honour the valour and supreme sacrifice of men killed in action during Operation Safed Sagar at Kargil, J&K. On 28 May the CAS visited Air Force Station Sarsawa and flew in a Mi-17 V5 ‘Missing Man’ formation flypast to commemorate the Kargil martyrs.

BACKGROUND:

• India detected infiltrators in Kashmir’s Kargil area in the latter half of May and sent a five-man Indian army team led by Lieutenant Saurav Kalia to investigate.
• The Indian government on 25 May ordered air strikes to dislodge the infiltrators, believed to be Pakistani army regulars from the Northern Light Infantry.
• On 28 May 1999, Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja who was at that time the Flight Commander of 17 Squadron laid down his life along with Squadron Leader R Pundhir, Flight Lieutenant S Muhilan, Sergeant R K Sahu and Sergeant PVNR Prasad died in that Mi-17 helicopter while attempting to evict the infiltrators in Drass sector (J&K).