THREAD ON TANGAIL AIRDROP
On 11 Dec 1971 in one of India’s biggest airborne operations (reportedly the largest one across the world since WW2) 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (~700 soldiers) was para dropped into Tangail, East Pakistan (now BD) behind enemy lines.

The main objective of the operation was the capture of Poongli Bridge on the Jamuna River which would cut off the Pakistani 93rd Brigade which was retreating from the north to defend Dhaka & its approaches.

MoD PRO Ramamohan Rao was asked by Major Inder Singh Gill of the Para Regiment to give good publicity to this para drop. Since they could not arrange for the pictures as the paradrop originated from a place where they had no access.

He instead had photos from Agra a year ago when he covered an exercise by the Para Brigade. He got these photos published saying Indian Para Brigade had been airdropped which was then picked up also by foreign media like the BBC which reported 5k men to have been airdropped.

This subterfuge along with the valiant actions of the Para Battalion demoralized the Pakistani forces who surrendered just 5 days later to the Indian Army (in theory the Pakistani Army could have fought much longer).

The 2nd Battalion involved in this air drop were among the first Indian troops to enter Dhaka where the Pakistani Army surrendered on 16th Dec 1971 thus ending the war & liberating Bangladesh.

#IndianArmy
#ParachuteRegiment

Ramamohan Rao later heard from an officer who was present in Dhaka who asked why the Pakistan Army surrendered , even though it could have held on for weeks, Lt. Gen. Niazi pointed at a copy of the Times London, which was on his table which carried a photograph of the airdrop