When Manohar Parrikar Personally Congratulated Army Officer Who Successfully Led Myanmar Surgical Strike

On 9 June 2015 India carried out a historic Surgical Strike in Myanmar territory against two camps belonged to North-East insurgent groups namely the Manipur-based People’s Liberation Army and the NSCN (K).

This response was a direct retaliation to the NSCN (K) ambush of Indian Army’s 6 Dogra Regiment in Manipur which resulted in the deaths of 18 Indian soldiers.

A team of Indian Army’s elite para-special forces led by Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Delta (name protected to safeguard identity) completely destroyed two insurgent camps deep inside Myanmar territory and also engaged a third camp before successfully returning back into Indian territory.

The total casualty figures were estimated at 40 to 50 and the Indian special forces did not suffer a single casualty or even an injury.

The cross-border strike was hailed as a big success by the Army and Indian political dispensation alike. It was also openly acknowledged by the Indian government which called it a direct response to the Manipur ambush.

One of the standout features of this whole operation was then defence minister Manohar Parrikar personally calling up Lieutenant Colonel Oscar Delta on his phone after he returned from the daring mission.

As detailed in the book, India’s Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes authored by journalists Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh, Parrikar congratulated the Lieutenant Colonel and his team for the successful operation.

The exhilarated Lieutenant Colonel was quoted as saying that, “It was exhilarating and absolutely incredible. It’s not every day that you get a call from the Defence Minister”.

The Lieutenant Colonel was later conferred the Kirti Chakra for his heroic actions.