Operation Pawan

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on 14th January paid tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) personnel who were deployed in Sri Lanka under Operation Pawan, on the occasion of the 10th Armed Forces Veterans Day.

Remembering the bravery of Indian soldiers, the Defence Minister said that the IPKF displayed extraordinary courage while carrying out its mission in Sri Lanka. He acknowledged that many soldiers laid down their lives during the operation and that their valour, sacrifices and struggles did not receive the recognition they truly deserved for many years.

The IPKF was deployed in Sri Lanka in 1987 as part of Operation Pawan. The operation witnessed intense combat, particularly during the period between October 7 and October 26, 1987, resulting in hundreds of casualties and over a thousand soldiers injured.

Highlighting a significant moment of recognition, Rajnath Singh recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Sri Lanka in 2015, paid homage to the fallen Indian soldiers at the IPKF Memorial, acknowledging their supreme sacrifice.