Pakistan celebrates Defence Day every year on 6th September, a day deeply engraved in our national memory as a reminder of the unwavering valour of our Armed Forces and the indomitable will of the Pakistani people. We celebrate this milestone not only for the heroic defence of our borders in 1965, but also for the legacy of excellence that has long marked our Armed Forces. This Defence Day reminds us of the spirit of 1965 and how the enduring values of leadership, training, and unwavering morale coalesced to achieve a decisive victory that altered the strategic equation in South Asia.

The opening phase of the 1965 War offered perhaps the clearest demonstration of the professional ethos that Defence Day commemorates. The PAF seized operational initiative by conducting offensive counter-air operations on Indian air bases at Pathankot, Adampur and Halwara. These missions were not only designed to kill aircraft, but also to hamper India’s ability to maintain air operations and shape the battlespace before it could take advantage of numerical superiority. The operation underscored the importance of Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) and also damaged key elements of the Indian air defence system.

Beyond strategy and technology, the 1965 War proved that the ultimate competitive edge lies in human capital. This........

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