NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force marked the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor with an 88-hour commemorative relay run across the capital from May 7 to 10, retracing significant landmarks of New Delhi in a tribute to the air operations carried out exactly a year ago.
The run was flagged off at 1.05 am on May 7 by the Air Officer in Charge Administration from India Gate, the same hour that the IAF launched precision strikes on nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir a year ago.
It concluded on Sunday at 5 pm with a flag-in by Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh at Air Force Station New Delhi, mirroring the timeline of the conflict, which ended when India and Pakistan agreed to halt military actions at 1700 hours IST on May 10, last year.
The IAF in a statement, said that a total of 600 runners from all Commands of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army participated in the continuous relay format event. Civilian volunteers also took part.
The event commemorated what the IAF described as “88 hours of successful air operations” that “demonstrated its capability to deliver decisive and precise strikes.”
The force said the run was “not only a tribute to the significant milestone of the Indian Air Force’s operational history, but also a testament to the excellent teamwork achieved through public engagement, showcasing the ethos of the Indian Air Force.”
The route passed through India Gate, Brigadier Hoshiyar Singh Marg, Air Headquarters Vayu Bhawan, Nehru Park and New Moti Bagh road before concluding at Air Force Station New Delhi. Civil authorities played a supporting role in the conduct of the event. The IAF Jazz Band performed at Nehru Park between 6.30 am and 8 am on May 10 as part of associated activities.
The IAF said the aim of the run was “to foster esprit de corps amongst IAF personnel while enhancing public outreach and visibility of the Indian Defence Forces.”
Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 last year, targeted night terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in response to the Pahalgam massacre on April 22 that killed 26 civilians.