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{{short description |Indian air drop in Sri Lankan Civil War}}
{{Infobox military operation
|name = Operation Poomalai
|partof = [[Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
|image = Paradropped Supply.jpg
|caption = Relief supplies drifting towards [[Jaffna]]
|location = [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]
|objective = * Supply the [[Tamil Tigers]] in Jaffna by air
* Bring a halt to [[Vadamarachchi Operation|Operation Liberation]]
|date = June 4, 1987
|time =
|time-begin = 15:55
|time-end = 18:13
|timezone = [[India Standard Time|IST]]
|executed_by = {{Air force|India}}
* [[Para (Special Forces)|Para SF]]
** 5 [[Antonov An-32]] [[military transport aircraft]]
* [[No. 7 Squadron IAF]]
** 4 [[Dassault Mirage 2000|Mirage 2000H]] [[Fighter aircraft|jetfighters]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Cooper |first=Tom |author-link= |date=2018 |title=Paradise Afire: The Sri Lankan War, 1971-1987 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Paradise_Afire_Volume_1/EfgNtAEACAAJ?hl=en |location= |publisher=Helion Limited |page=67 |isbn=9781912390342}}</ref>
|outcome = Success
* LTTE successfully supplied
* Second Phase of Operation Liberation halted the same day
}}
{{Campaignbox Indian Peace Keeping Force}}
{{Campaignbox Sri Lankan Civil War}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
'''Operation Poomalai''' (''Pūmālai'', lit. "Flower Garland"), also known as '''Eagle Mission 4''', was the codename assigned to a mission undertaken by the [[Indian Air Force]] for airdropping supplies over the besieged town of [[Jaffna]] in [[Sri Lanka]] on 4 June 1987 to support the [[Tamil Tigers]] during the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].

Jaffna was then under blockade by Sri Lankan troops as a part of [[Colombo]]'s offensive against the Tamil separatist movement. Concerned over alleged violations of interests of the [[Tamil people|Tamils]], who had broader support among the Tamil population of [[South India]] as well as the government, India attempted to negotiate a political settlement but the Indian offers had been rebuffed by Colombo. As civilian casualties grew,<ref name=PfaffB>Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP. Pfaffenberger B. Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 2, A Survey of Asia in 1987: Part II. (Feb., 1988), pp. 139</ref><ref name=UTHRCh8>{{cite web|url=http://www.uthr.org/BP/volume1/Chapter8.htm|title=India Enters; The Airdrop and the L.T.T.E.'s Dilemma|publisher=Uthr.org|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> calls grew within India to intervene in what was increasingly seen in the Indian (and the Tamil) media as a developing humanitarian crisis, especially with reports of aerial bombardment against rebel positions in civilian areas.<ref name=UTHRCh8/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/india/jaincommission/growth_of_tamil_militancy/ch1sec5.html|title=Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil Nadu.Chapter I - Phase II (1987-1988). Jain Commission Interim Report|publisher=Tamilnation.org|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref>

The Indian government, under [[Rajiv Gandhi]], decided to attempt to deliver aid to the northern area of Sri Lanka as a symbolic act of support to the rebels. The first of those efforts, a naval flotilla, was intercepted by the [[Sri Lanka Navy]] and was ordered to withdraw. Two days later, India mounted the airdrop over Jaffna.

== Background ==
{{Main|Sri Lankan Civil War|Vadamarachchi Operation}}
{{See also|IPKF|LTTE}}

The ethnic conflict in [[Sri Lanka]] can be traced to the independence of the island in 1948 from [[United Kingdom|Britain]]. At the time a [[Sinhalese people|Sinhala]] majority government was instituted that passed legislation deemed discriminatory by the substantial [[Tamil people|Tamil]] minority population. In the 1970s two major Tamil parties united to form the '''Tamil United Liberation Front''' (TULF) that started agitating for a separate state of [[Tamil Eelam]] within the system in a federal structure in northern and eastern Sri Lanka<ref name= GlobSec>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm|title=Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org|author=John Pike|publisher=Globalsecurity.org|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy. Outside the TULF, however, factions advocating more radical and militant courses of action soon emerged, and the divisions started flaring into a violent civil war.<ref name= GlobSec/>

The first round of violence flared in 1983 when the [[Four Four Bravo]] incident occurred, which sparked anti-Tamil riots in which nearly 3000 Tamil civilians were killed by state-sponsored mobs. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the already worsening ethnic strife. The militant factions, notably the [[LTTE]], at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up the [[guerrilla]] activities. In May 1985, the guerrillas launched an attack in [[Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi|Sri Maha Bodhi shrine]], a sacred site for Buddhists & it houses the world's oldest living human-planted tree, planted in 288 BC. This was followed by a massacre through the town. At least 150 civilians and monks died in the attack. This event is known as the [[Anuradhapura massacre]]. This was also seen as retaliation for the 1985 Valvettiturai massacre which occurred 2 days prior. In this incident, 70 tamil youths were forced by the Sri Lankan Army to gather within the town's library before it was blown up using high explosives.

The government stepped up its campaign against the insurgency, and the [[Sri Lankan army]] in 1987 laid siege to the town of [[Jaffna]], an LTTE stronghold, as part of its campaign against the Tamil bases known as the [[Vadamarachchi Operation]].<ref name=NYT>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9B0DE0D8173FF936A35755C0A961948260&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIndia "India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels"], ''[[The New York Times]]''. 5 June 1987</ref> India, which had a substantial Tamil population in the southern part of the country, had been aiding the Tamil factions and particularly the LTTE<ref name=fo>[http://www.fas.org/irp/world/india/raw/] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060901094318/http://www.fas.org/irp/world/india/raw/ |date=September 1, 2006 }}</ref> and called on the Sri Lankan government to halt the offensive, which was viewed to be against the sovereign rights of a nation. However, the Indian efforts were futile. Failing to negotiate an end to the crisis with Sri Lanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that it would send a convoy of ships to northern Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance.<ref name= NYT1>"Indians To Send convoy to Sri Lanka", ''[[The New York Times]]''. 2 June 1987</ref> A convoy of 19 fishing boats carrying 38 tons of food, fuel, and medicine and an [[Indian Coast Guard]] vessel escorting them was sent. On 4 June 1987, the [[Sri Lanka Navy]] intercepted and turned back the convoy. Several Sri Lankan patrol boats confronted the convoy as it entered Sri Lankan waters in the [[Palk Strait]] and after a four-hour standoff, the Indian convoy turned back.<ref name=NYT2>"Indian Flotilla is turned back by Sri Lankan Naval Vessels", ''[[The New York Times]]''. 4 June 1987</ref><ref>[https://apnews.com/article/e2a9336ea76a6180be768c1ef8f972de Indian Ships Retreat After Tense Standoff With Sri Lankan Vessels]</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/06/04/sri-lanka-halts-indian-aid-flotilla/b2a56b4c-9703-43eb-a865-5bbe407c2f95/ SRI LANKA HALTS INDIAN AID FLOTILLA]</ref>

Following the failure of the naval mission, the decision was made of symbolic support for the Tamil rebels as well as an act to preserve the credibility of Indian prime minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] among the country's Tamil population—by the [[Indian Government]] to carry out an airdrop of the humanitarian supplies to the LTTE, designated Operation Poomalai or Eagle Mission 4.<ref name=BS>[http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/History/1987/Chapter02.html] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907053333/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Army/History/1987/Chapter02.html |date=September 7, 2006 }}</ref>

== Operation ==
Mounted on the evening of 4 June 1987, the operation involved five [[An-32]]s of the [[Para Commandos (India)|Paratroop Training School]] in [[Agra]], escorted by five [[Mirage 2000]]s of the [[No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force|No. 7 Squadron]]. At 2200 on 2 June, 7 Squadron was directed to send a six aircraft detachment to [[Bangalore Airport]], where they were re-directed to [[Yelahanka]] airbase north of the city. At the same time, under the supervision of the (then) Vice-Chief of Air Staff [[Air Marshal (India)|Air Marshal]] [[Subramaniam Raghavendran|S. Raghavendran]], five An-32s were loaded with the relief supplies and took off for Bangalore at 0800. These were to fly out—led by Gp. Capt. B.K. Sunder, [[Commanding officer|CO]] of Paratroop Training School—after dawn and carry out the supply drop under the cover of the Mirages, which were led by Wg. Cdr. Ajit Bhavnani, CO of No. 7 Squadron.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/> A group of 35 national and international journalists also joined the flight. The Mirages were armed with two [[Matra Magic II]] [[air-to-air missile|AAM]]s and 2× 30 mm DEFA 554 revolver cannon with 125 rounds each as a measure against any opposition by the [[Sri Lanka Air Force]], and also carried three [[drop tanks]].<ref name=NYT/><ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com>{{cite web|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html|title="Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka.Operation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop." Bharat-rakshak.com|publisher=Bharat-rakshak.com|access-date=7 October 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609120451/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html|archive-date=9 June 2022}}</ref>
[[File:Poomalai An-32.jpg|thumb|180px|right|[[An-32]]s of the [[Indian Air Force]] taxiing for take-off from [[Bangalore]] during Operation Poomalai.]] 

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to [[New Delhi]] [[Bernard Tilakaratna]] was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs at 15:00, where the message was conveyed by Minister of External Affairs [[Natwar Singh]] that the Indian Air Force would be flying a mission at 16:00 to drop supplies over Jaffna. He was told that the aircraft were expected to complete their mission unhindered and any opposition by the Sri Lankan Air Force "would be met by force" by the escorting Mirage 2000s.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/>

The first of the flights left Bangalore at 15:55 and flew towards the Coramandel coast, where they were met by four Mirage escorts. One Mirage stayed back acting as radio relay, along with two additional An-32s over [[Tamil Nadu]], which acted as radio relay to Bangalore. The An-32s carried almost 25 tons of relief supplies, consisting of rice, milk powder, vegetables, and kerosene.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/06/05/indian-air-force-drops-supplies-to-sri-lankan-tamils/d7bbdbe0-0103-42c9-9b7f-689b7a2fab3e/ INDIAN AIR FORCE DROPS SUPPLIES TO SRI LANKAN TAMILS]</ref>

The flight leader attempted radio contact with [[Colombo]] [[Air Traffic Control|ATC]] over the civilian air traffic radio channel at 16:47, but was unable to establish contact. The mission approached Jaffna peninsula at about 16:50 and sighted Jaffna Town itself at 17:00. The aircraft descended from 12000 feet to about 1500 feet and carried out the drop at the drop zone about 7 km from the town of Jaffna. The aircraft then turned in a western direction, flying over Palay airbase before turning north and heading for the Indian coast.

The mission arrived back to over Bangalore at 18:13.

== Aftermath ==
{{See also|IPKF|Operation Pawan|Jaffna University Helidrop}}
In the wake of Operation Poomalai, Sri Lanka accused India of violating its sovereignty.<ref name=NYT/><ref name= Hindu>"IAF drops relief supplies over Jaffna". ''[[The Hindu]]'', 5 June 1987.</ref> However, India defended its actions as a mercy mission in aid of what were termed as the deteriorating conditions of the civilian population, refusing at the time to rule out further missions.<ref name=NYT/>
Within India, the actions were endorsed across the political diaspora<ref name=NewYorkTimes>{{cite news|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40710FB3D5A0C768CDDAF0894DF484D81&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIndia|title=Gandhi Opponents Back Move|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=5 June 1987|access-date=7 October 2022}}</ref> In India, it was seen at the time as an act of support against the beleaguered and besieged Tamil population of the north – an opinion that was destined to undergo a drastic reversal after the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]] by the LTTE in 1991. At that time, Colombo deemed it as a blatant show of support for the Tamil Tigers. The total supply air dropped by India during the operation amounted to little over 25 [[ton]]s, and this was clearly not sufficient to sustain a besieged city.

== See also ==
*[[Indian Air Force]]
*[[No. 7 Squadron IAF]]
*[[Sri Lankan Civil War]]
*[[IPKF]]
*[[LTTE]]
*[[Raid on Jaffna University]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sri Lankan Civil War}}
{{coord missing|Sri Lanka}}

[[Category:1987 in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:History of the Indian Air Force]]
[[Category:1987 in India]]
[[Category:Battles of the Indian Peace Keeping Force|Poomalai]]
[[Category:Operations involving Indian special forces|Poomalai]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles involving India|Poomalai]]
[[Category:Aerial operations and battles involving Sri Lanka|Poomalai]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:21, 19 July 2022
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	\|name = Operation Poomalai		\|name = Operation Poomalai
	\|partof = [[Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War]]		\|partof = [[Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War]]
	\|image = Paradropped Supply.jpg<!-- FAIR USE of Paradropped_Supply.jpg: see image description page at http://en.~~bharatdata~~.org/wiki/Image:Paradropped_Supply.jpg for rationale -->		\|image = Paradropped Supply.jpg<!-- FAIR USE of Paradropped_Supply.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Paradropped_Supply.jpg for rationale -->
	\|caption = Relief supplies drifting towards [[Jaffna]]		\|caption = Relief supplies drifting towards [[Jaffna]]
	\|location = [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]		\|location = [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]
Line 24:		Line 24:
	{{Campaignbox Indian Peace Keeping Force}}		{{Campaignbox Indian Peace Keeping Force}}
	{{Campaignbox Sri Lankan Civil War}}		{{Campaignbox Sri Lankan Civil War}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=July ~~2022~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2020}}
	'''Operation Poomalai''' (''Pūmālai'', lit. "Flower Garland"), also known as '''Eagle Mission 4''', was the codename assigned to a mission undertaken by the [[Indian Air Force]] for airdropping supplies over the besieged town of [[Jaffna]] in [[Sri Lanka]] on 4 June 1987 to support the [[Tamil Tigers]] during the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].		'''Operation Poomalai''' (''Pūmālai'', lit. "Flower Garland"), also known as '''Eagle Mission 4''', was the codename assigned to a mission undertaken by the [[Indian Air Force]] for airdropping supplies over the besieged town of [[Jaffna]] in [[Sri Lanka]] on 4 June 1987 to support the [[Tamil Tigers]] during the [[Sri Lankan Civil War]].

	Jaffna was then under blockade by Sri Lankan troops as a part of [[Colombo]]'s offensive against the Tamil separatist movement. Concerned over alleged violations of interests of the [[Tamil people\|Tamils]], who had broader support among the Tamil population of [[South India]] as well as the government, India attempted to negotiate a political settlement but the Indian offers had been rebuffed by Colombo. As civilian casualties grew,<ref name=PfaffB>Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP. Pfaffenberger B. Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 2, A Survey of Asia in 1987: Part II. (Feb., 1988), pp. 139</ref><ref name=UTHRCh8>{{cite web\|url=http://www.uthr.org/BP/volume1/Chapter8.htm\|title=India Enters; The Airdrop and the L.T.T.E.'s Dilemma\|publisher=Uthr.org\|access-date=7 October ~~2022~~}}</ref> calls grew within India to intervene in what was increasingly seen in the Indian (and the Tamil) media as a developing humanitarian crisis, especially with reports of aerial bombardment against rebel positions in civilian areas.<ref name=UTHRCh8/><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/india/jaincommission/growth_of_tamil_militancy/ch1sec5.html\|title=Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil Nadu.Chapter I - Phase II (1987-1988). Jain Commission Interim Report\|publisher=Tamilnation.org\|access-date=7 October ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Jaffna was then under blockade by Sri Lankan troops as a part of [[Colombo]]'s offensive against the Tamil separatist movement. Concerned over alleged violations of interests of the [[Tamil people\|Tamils]], who had broader support among the Tamil population of [[South India]] as well as the government, India attempted to negotiate a political settlement but the Indian offers had been rebuffed by Colombo. As civilian casualties grew,<ref name=PfaffB>Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP. Pfaffenberger B. Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 2, A Survey of Asia in 1987: Part II. (Feb., 1988), pp. 139</ref><ref name=UTHRCh8>{{cite web\|url=http://www.uthr.org/BP/volume1/Chapter8.htm\|title=India Enters; The Airdrop and the L.T.T.E.'s Dilemma\|publisher=Uthr.org\|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref> calls grew within India to intervene in what was increasingly seen in the Indian (and the Tamil) media as a developing humanitarian crisis, especially with reports of aerial bombardment against rebel positions in civilian areas.<ref name=UTHRCh8/><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/india/jaincommission/growth_of_tamil_militancy/ch1sec5.html\|title=Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil Nadu.Chapter I - Phase II (1987-1988). Jain Commission Interim Report\|publisher=Tamilnation.org\|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref>

	The Indian government, under [[Rajiv Gandhi]], decided to attempt to deliver aid to the northern area of Sri Lanka as a symbolic act of support to the rebels. The first of those efforts, a naval flotilla, was intercepted by the [[Sri Lanka Navy]] and was ordered to withdraw. Two days later, India mounted the airdrop over Jaffna.		The Indian government, under [[Rajiv Gandhi]], decided to attempt to deliver aid to the northern area of Sri Lanka as a symbolic act of support to the rebels. The first of those efforts, a naval flotilla, was intercepted by the [[Sri Lanka Navy]] and was ordered to withdraw. Two days later, India mounted the airdrop over Jaffna.
Line 35:		Line 35:
	{{See also\|IPKF\|LTTE}}		{{See also\|IPKF\|LTTE}}

	The ethnic conflict in [[Sri Lanka]] can be traced to the independence of the island in 1948 from [[United Kingdom\|Britain]]. At the time a [[Sinhalese people\|Sinhala]] majority government was instituted that passed legislation deemed discriminatory by the substantial [[Tamil people\|Tamil]] minority population. In the 1970s two major Tamil parties united to form the '''Tamil United Liberation Front''' (TULF) that started agitating for a separate state of [[Tamil Eelam]] within the system in a federal structure in northern and eastern Sri Lanka<ref name= GlobSec>{{cite web\|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm\|title=Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org\|author=John Pike\|publisher=Globalsecurity.org\|access-date=7 October ~~2022~~}}</ref> that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy. Outside the TULF, however, factions advocating more radical and militant courses of action soon emerged, and the divisions started flaring into a violent civil war.<ref name= GlobSec/>		The ethnic conflict in [[Sri Lanka]] can be traced to the independence of the island in 1948 from [[United Kingdom\|Britain]]. At the time a [[Sinhalese people\|Sinhala]] majority government was instituted that passed legislation deemed discriminatory by the substantial [[Tamil people\|Tamil]] minority population. In the 1970s two major Tamil parties united to form the '''Tamil United Liberation Front''' (TULF) that started agitating for a separate state of [[Tamil Eelam]] within the system in a federal structure in northern and eastern Sri Lanka<ref name= GlobSec>{{cite web\|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm\|title=Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org\|author=John Pike\|publisher=Globalsecurity.org\|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref> that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy. Outside the TULF, however, factions advocating more radical and militant courses of action soon emerged, and the divisions started flaring into a violent civil war.<ref name= GlobSec/>

	The first round of violence flared in 1983 when the [[Four Four Bravo]] incident occurred, which sparked anti-Tamil riots in which nearly 3000 Tamil civilians were killed by state-sponsored mobs. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the already worsening ethnic strife. The militant factions, notably the [[LTTE]], at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up the [[guerrilla]] activities. In May 1985, the guerrillas launched an attack in [[Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi\|Sri Maha Bodhi shrine]], a sacred site for Buddhists & it houses the world's oldest living human-planted tree, planted in 288 BC. This was followed by a massacre through the town. At least 150 civilians and monks died in the attack. This event is known as the [[Anuradhapura massacre]]. This was also seen as retaliation for the 1985 Valvettiturai massacre which occurred 2 days prior. In this incident, 70 tamil youths were forced by the Sri Lankan Army to gather within the town's library before it was blown up using high explosives.		The first round of violence flared in 1983 when the [[Four Four Bravo]] incident occurred, which sparked anti-Tamil riots in which nearly 3000 Tamil civilians were killed by state-sponsored mobs. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the already worsening ethnic strife. The militant factions, notably the [[LTTE]], at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up the [[guerrilla]] activities. In May 1985, the guerrillas launched an attack in [[Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi\|Sri Maha Bodhi shrine]], a sacred site for Buddhists & it houses the world's oldest living human-planted tree, planted in 288 BC. This was followed by a massacre through the town. At least 150 civilians and monks died in the attack. This event is known as the [[Anuradhapura massacre]]. This was also seen as retaliation for the 1985 Valvettiturai massacre which occurred 2 days prior. In this incident, 70 tamil youths were forced by the Sri Lankan Army to gather within the town's library before it was blown up using high explosives.
Line 44:		Line 44:

	== Operation ==		== Operation ==
	Mounted on the evening of 4 June 1987, the operation involved five [[An-32]]s of the [[Para Commandos (India)\|Paratroop Training School]] in [[Agra]], escorted by five [[Mirage 2000]]s of the [[No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force\|No. 7 Squadron]]. At 2200 on 2 June, 7 Squadron was directed to send a six aircraft detachment to [[Bangalore Airport]], where they were re-directed to [[Yelahanka]] airbase north of the city. At the same time, under the supervision of the (then) Vice-Chief of Air Staff [[Air Marshal (India)\|Air Marshal]] [[Subramaniam Raghavendran\|S. Raghavendran]], five An-32s were loaded with the relief supplies and took off for Bangalore at 0800. These were to fly out—led by Gp. Capt. B.K. Sunder, [[Commanding officer\|CO]] of Paratroop Training School—after dawn and carry out the supply drop under the cover of the Mirages, which were led by Wg. Cdr. Ajit Bhavnani, CO of No. 7 Squadron.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/> A group of 35 national and international journalists also joined the flight. The Mirages were armed with two [[Matra Magic II]] [[air-to-air missile\|AAM]]s and 2× 30 mm DEFA 554 revolver cannon with 125 rounds each as a measure against any opposition by the [[Sri Lanka Air Force]], and also carried three [[drop tanks]].<ref name=NYT/><ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com>{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html\|title="Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka.Operation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop." Bharat-rakshak.com\|publisher=Bharat-rakshak.com\|access-date=7 October 2014\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609120451/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html\|archive-date=9 June ~~2022~~}}</ref>		Mounted on the evening of 4 June 1987, the operation involved five [[An-32]]s of the [[Para Commandos (India)\|Paratroop Training School]] in [[Agra]], escorted by five [[Mirage 2000]]s of the [[No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force\|No. 7 Squadron]]. At 2200 on 2 June, 7 Squadron was directed to send a six aircraft detachment to [[Bangalore Airport]], where they were re-directed to [[Yelahanka]] airbase north of the city. At the same time, under the supervision of the (then) Vice-Chief of Air Staff [[Air Marshal (India)\|Air Marshal]] [[Subramaniam Raghavendran\|S. Raghavendran]], five An-32s were loaded with the relief supplies and took off for Bangalore at 0800. These were to fly out—led by Gp. Capt. B.K. Sunder, [[Commanding officer\|CO]] of Paratroop Training School—after dawn and carry out the supply drop under the cover of the Mirages, which were led by Wg. Cdr. Ajit Bhavnani, CO of No. 7 Squadron.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/> A group of 35 national and international journalists also joined the flight. The Mirages were armed with two [[Matra Magic II]] [[air-to-air missile\|AAM]]s and 2× 30 mm DEFA 554 revolver cannon with 125 rounds each as a measure against any opposition by the [[Sri Lanka Air Force]], and also carried three [[drop tanks]].<ref name=NYT/><ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com>{{cite web\|url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html\|title="Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka.Operation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop." Bharat-rakshak.com\|publisher=Bharat-rakshak.com\|access-date=7 October 2014\|url-status=dead\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609120451/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1987IPKF/Chapter1.html\|archive-date=9 June 2011}}</ref>
	[[File:Poomalai An-32.jpg\|thumb\|180px\|right\|[[An-32]]s of the [[Indian Air Force]] taxiing for take-off from [[Bangalore]] during Operation Poomalai.]] <!-- FAIR USE of Poomalai_An-32.jpg: see image description page at http://en.~~bharatdata~~.org/wiki/Image:Poomalai_An-32.jpg for rationale -->		[[File:Poomalai An-32.jpg\|thumb\|180px\|right\|[[An-32]]s of the [[Indian Air Force]] taxiing for take-off from [[Bangalore]] during Operation Poomalai.]] <!-- FAIR USE of Poomalai_An-32.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Poomalai_An-32.jpg for rationale -->

	Sri Lankan High Commissioner to [[New Delhi]] [[Bernard Tilakaratna]] was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs at 15:00, where the message was conveyed by Minister of External Affairs [[Natwar Singh]] that the Indian Air Force would be flying a mission at 16:00 to drop supplies over Jaffna. He was told that the aircraft were expected to complete their mission unhindered and any opposition by the Sri Lankan Air Force "would be met by force" by the escorting Mirage 2000s.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/>		Sri Lankan High Commissioner to [[New Delhi]] [[Bernard Tilakaratna]] was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs at 15:00, where the message was conveyed by Minister of External Affairs [[Natwar Singh]] that the Indian Air Force would be flying a mission at 16:00 to drop supplies over Jaffna. He was told that the aircraft were expected to complete their mission unhindered and any opposition by the Sri Lankan Air Force "would be met by force" by the escorting Mirage 2000s.<ref name=Bharat-rakshak.com/>
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	{{See also\|IPKF\|Operation Pawan\|Jaffna University Helidrop}}		{{See also\|IPKF\|Operation Pawan\|Jaffna University Helidrop}}
	In the wake of Operation Poomalai, Sri Lanka accused India of violating its sovereignty.<ref name=NYT/><ref name= Hindu>"IAF drops relief supplies over Jaffna". ''[[The Hindu]]'', 5 June 1987.</ref> However, India defended its actions as a mercy mission in aid of what were termed as the deteriorating conditions of the civilian population, refusing at the time to rule out further missions.<ref name=NYT/>		In the wake of Operation Poomalai, Sri Lanka accused India of violating its sovereignty.<ref name=NYT/><ref name= Hindu>"IAF drops relief supplies over Jaffna". ''[[The Hindu]]'', 5 June 1987.</ref> However, India defended its actions as a mercy mission in aid of what were termed as the deteriorating conditions of the civilian population, refusing at the time to rule out further missions.<ref name=NYT/>
	Within India, the actions were endorsed across the political diaspora<ref name=NewYorkTimes>{{cite news\|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40710FB3D5A0C768CDDAF0894DF484D81&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIndia\|title=Gandhi Opponents Back Move\|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]\|date=5 June 1987\|access-date=7 October ~~2022~~}}</ref> In India, it was seen at the time as an act of support against the beleaguered and besieged Tamil population of the north – an opinion that was destined to undergo a drastic reversal after the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]] by the LTTE in 1991. At that time, Colombo deemed it as a blatant show of support for the Tamil Tigers. The total supply air dropped by India during the operation amounted to little over 25 [[ton]]s, and this was clearly not sufficient to sustain a besieged city.		Within India, the actions were endorsed across the political diaspora<ref name=NewYorkTimes>{{cite news\|url=https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40710FB3D5A0C768CDDAF0894DF484D81&n=Top%2fNews%2fWorld%2fCountries%20and%20Territories%2fIndia\|title=Gandhi Opponents Back Move\|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]\|date=5 June 1987\|access-date=7 October 2014}}</ref> In India, it was seen at the time as an act of support against the beleaguered and besieged Tamil population of the north – an opinion that was destined to undergo a drastic reversal after the assassination of [[Rajiv Gandhi]] by the LTTE in 1991. At that time, Colombo deemed it as a blatant show of support for the Tamil Tigers. The total supply air dropped by India during the operation amounted to little over 25 [[ton]]s, and this was clearly not sufficient to sustain a besieged city.

	== See also ==		== See also ==