WATCH | Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Lt Gen YK Joshi pay homage in 'missing man' formation to IAF's Kargil war martyrs

Led by Air Chief Marshal (ACM) BS Dhanoa, the Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters flew in a missing man formation from Sarsawa base on Tuesday to pay homage to IAF jawans who lost their lives when an Indian Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by Pakistan during the Kargil war. 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General YK Joshi will also be part of the team.

The 'missing man' flypast is an aerial salute to honour the fallen comrades-in-arms. 

Kargil war, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC).  The IAF had played a key role in enabling the Indian Army to recapture the majority of the positions on the Indian side of the LOC infiltrated by the Pakistani troops and terrorists. The war came to an end on July 26 with a decisive victory for India as it regained Kargil. 

Air Chief BS Dhanoa and Lt Gen YK Joshi ahead of flying in a formation to pay homage to IAF martys.

Earlier on Monday, a squadron of MiG-21 aircraft led by the IAF chief flew in the missing man formation to pay tribute to Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja who was killed in action in Operation Safed Sadar during the Kargil war.

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Monday flew the 'missing man' formation near Punjab's Bathinda town paying a tribute to the fallen Kargil heroes. 

The formation flying was carried out at the Bhisiana air base on the outskirts of Bathinda in which Western Air Command chief Air Marshal R Nambiar also took part.

It is rare for two top IAF functionaries to fly together in a formation. Both were Kargil veterans as well as carried the missions during the conflict in 1999.

(With inputs from agencies)