Tangail Airdrop

Tangail Airdrop
	Part of the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
	; A C-119 Boxcar of the Indian Air Force - the Tangail Airdrop relied heavily on these during the drop.
Date	11th - 12th December 1971
Location	Tangail, East Pakistan
Result	Indian victory: Indian forces capture and hold Poongli Bridge; Smooth advance of 95th Mountain Brigade towards Dhaka facilitated; Pakistani 93rd Brigade eliminated as a fighting formation and unable to reinforce Dhaka;
Belligerents
India	Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Lt Col K.S. Pannu	Brig. Abdul Qadir Khan
Units involved
95th Mountain Brigade 56 Mountain Regiment; 852 Light Battery; 13 Guards; 1 Maratha Light Infantry (Only unit involved in combat); 13 Rajputana Rifles; 94 Field Company (Sappers); 2 Para A Company; B Company; C Company; D Company; Indian Air Force 6 x An-12s; 20 x C-119 Boxcars; 22 x C-47 Skytrains;	93rd Infantry Brigade 83 (Indep) Mortar Battery; 33 Punjab Regiment; 31 Baloch Regiment (surrendered to Indian forces Dec 10); 70 Wing Rangers; 71 Wing Rangers; ~5,000 Razakars;
Strength
2 Para; 750 men in 4 Companies 1 Maratha Light Infantry; ~750-1000 men	93rd Brigade (Severely Understrength); 200-300 regular infantry; 100-200 Rangers; 600 Razakars + paramilitary;
Casualties and losses
2 Para; 3 KIA; 20 MIA (lost during drop); 1 WIA 1 Maratha Light; None	93rd Brigade + Razakars; 282 KIA; 42 POW

The Tangail Airdrop (11 December 1971) was an airborne operation conducted by the Indian Army in order to seize Poongli Bridge and ferry in the Tangail area. The operation, involving 2 Para of the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment is often regarded as one of the largest - if not the largest - airborne operation following World War 2. The operation saw the capture of all objectives and the repulsion of the Pakistan Army's 93rd Infantry Brigade which was attempting to withdraw to Dhaka to bolster its defence.^[1]

^ MoD, History Division (1992). "Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War" (PDF).

[:0-1] MoD, History Division (1992). "Official History of the 1971 India Pakistan War" (PDF).

[1]

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