Operation Pawan

Air Marshal Bharat Kumar is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and Vorosholov General Staff Academy (Moscow).

‘...has produced another well researched and very readable book on the use of Air Power as part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka.’ — Air Marshal Vinod Patney (Retd) Director General, Centre for Airpower Studies‘...his book admirably fills the long-felt gap in the narrative about one of India's most difficult military sojourns, especially the fine role played by the Indian Air Force in supporting out of area operations.’ — Nitin Gokhale Author of National Security Analyst, Media Trainer.‘It is a mammoth book on the IAF, IA and IN’s aerial operations in Sri Lanka during the years of the IPKF. . . , copiously illustrated with rare photographs and referenced by footnotes.’ — P.V.S. Jagan Mohan Co-author of Eagles over Bangladesh and The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965‘A superbly written account that creates a new bench mark for military history writers.’ — Kunal Verma, author of The Long Road to Siachen: The Question Why and General V.K. Singh: Courage & Conviction.

• Foreword 9 Preface 111. The Background 152. Operation Poomalai 543. The Accord and Induction of IPKF 674. Battle for Jaffna and the Heli-drop thatwent Horribly Wrong 995. The Classic Insurgency Phase 1696. The Provincial, Presidential and Parliamentary Elections 2727. Post-Election Operations 2888. Withdrawal/De-induction of IPKF 3309. Some Daring Rescues 36810. Looking Back 381Index 429