How IAF ops Tangail and Cactus helped India overthrow repressive Pakistan regime in 1971

The 1971 war between India and Pakistan culminated in the creation of Bangladesh. Two pivotal operations, the ‘Tangail drop’ and ‘Operation Cactus Lily,’ orchestrated by the Indian Air Force, were crucial in weakening Pakistan’s defences and securing Dhaka. The operations, involving airborne assaults and heli-lifts, paved the way for Pakistan’s surrender on December 16, 1971, bringing an end to the war and contributing to the birth of a new nation.