Operation Rajiv
| Operation Rajiv | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Siachen Conflict | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| India | Pakistan | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Major Varinder Singh Naib Subedar Bana Singh | Subedar Ataullah Mohammed | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
| 8th Battalion, Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry | Shaheen Company, 3rd Commando Battalion, Special Service Group | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 75 | 7–17 | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 4 killed | 6 killed | ||||||||
Bana Top Location of the post with present-day geopolitical borders in the greater Kashmir region | |||||||||
Operation Rajiv was the codename for an Indian Army's June 1987 operation against Pakistan Army that successfully achieved its aim of snatching the highest point, called Left Shoulder (initially renamed as the Quaid Post by Pakistan and later renamed as Bana Top / Bana Post by India), to secure the Bilafond La sector along the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) on the Saltoro Mountain Range which is the western flank of the Siachen Glacier. Prior to this operation, India had captured the Siachen in 1984 and established Sonam Post and Amar Post in the Bilafond La sector, and Pakistan responded by establishing the Quaid Post in 1986 at a higher peak called the Left Shoulder (of Bilafond La). After Pakistan fired from the Quaid Post and killed Indian soldiers at the Sonam Post in 1986, India decided to capture the Quaid Post to secure the Bilafond La sector as the Quaid post was a threat to the Indian movement on the entire western Siachen Glacier. Consequently, under the Operation Rajiv in 1987 an Indian task force, led by Major Varinder Singh, launched multiple attacks on the Pakistani troops stationed at the post in an attempt to capture it. After several unsuccessful attempts, a team led by Naib Subedar Bana Singh successfully captured the Quaid Post. Following its capture, Quaid post was renamed to Bana Post after Naib Subedar (later Honorary Captain) Bana Singh, who led the operation. He was subsequently awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest gallantry award, for his courage in this operation. Since then India continues to hold entire Bilafond La sector, including the Bilafond La itself.