The Atlantique Incident was a major event in which a Pakistan Navy plane was shot down by the Indian Air Force citing border violation. The episode took place in the Rann of Kutch on August 10, 1999 just a month after the Kargil War, creating a tense atmosphere between the two countries. The Pakistan Navy is the naval wing of the Pakistan military. ... The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting air-based warfare and securing Indian airspace. ... Rann of Kutch on the Top Left. ... August 10 is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Combatants India Pakistan Strength 30,000 5,000 Casualties ~600 killed , ~1,400 wounded 4000+ killed The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between April and June 1999 in Kashmir. ...

An Atlantique plane belonging to the Royal Dutch Navy. The downed plane was an identical one.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1638x1065, 136 KB) Breguet Atlantic, picture vom [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Atlantique Incident ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1638x1065, 136 KB) Breguet Atlantic, picture vom [1] File links The following pages link to this file: Atlantique Incident ... Royal Netherlands Navy Jack The Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy ) is the navy of the Netherlands. ...

The confrontation

A French-built naval plane, Breguet Atlantic used primarily for patrol and reconnaissance (though capable of being fitted with air-to-surface missiles and anti-submarine weapons) left Mehran Naval Base in Pakistan at 9:15 a.m. It is believed it was on a probing mission of Indian defences and responsiveness, similar to flights in the past. Two hours later it was intercepted by 2 IAF Mig-21 jets over Indian territory and was destroyed by a missile, killing all 16 on board. Pakistan claimed that the plane was unarmed and the debris was found mostly on the Pakistan side of the border, proving that there was no violation of Indian airspace. IAF however maintained that the plane did not respond to international protocol and that the debris of a downed aircraft could fall over a wide radius. The following day an IAF helicopter carrying journalists to the site of the attack was attacked by a surface-to-air missile. Pakistan denied it was aimed at the helicopter, but at a jet aircraft earlier in the day. The Breguet Atlantic (Breguet 1150 Atlantique) is a Long-distance Reconnaissance airplane, primarily designed for use over open Sea. ... In military tactics, to patrol, or conduct a patrol, is to conduct reconnaissance of a designated area or route. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... An air-to-surface missile (also, air-to-ground missile, ASM or AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft (bombers, attack aircraft, fighter aircraft or other kinds) and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both. ... A Hedgehog depth charge launcher. ... Mehran is a city in Iran, near the countrys western border. ... Modern Naval Tactics It is tempting to regard modern naval combat as the purest expression of tactics. ... The Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायु सेना : Bharatiya Vayu Sena) is the air-arm of the Armed Forces of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting air-based warfare and securing Indian airspace. ... Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (NATO reporting name Fishbed) is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. ... A missile (CE pronunciation: ; AmE: ) is, in general, a projectile—that is, something thrown or otherwise propelled. ... Debris (French, pronounced (IPA) dibri) is a word used to describe the remains of something that has been otherwise destroyed. ... Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and territorial waters or, more generally, any specific portion of the atmosphere. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A surface-to-air missile (SAM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft. ... Jet aircraft with condensation trail Jet aircraft are aircraft with jet engines. ...

Lawsuit

On September 21, 1999, Pakistan lodged a compensation claim at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, accusing India of shooting down an unarmed aircraft. Pakistan sought about $60 million in reparations from India and compensation for the victims' families. India argued that the court did not have jurisdiction, citing an exemption it filed in 1974 to exclude disputes between India and other Commonwealth States, and disputes covered by multi-lateral treaties. India also argued that Pakistan had violated the 1991 bilateral agreement between Pakistan and India on air violations, which states "Combat aircraft (to include fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, jet military trainer and armed helicopter aircraft) will not fly within 10 km of each other’s airspace including ADIZ." [1] The fact that debris was found in a radius of 2 Km on either side of the border provided India with a more solid case. September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Peace Palace, seat of the ICJ. The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; French: Cour internationale de justice) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. ... Arms of The Hague The Hague (with capital T; Dutch: officially s-Gravenhage, commonly Den Haag) is the third-largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 472,087 (January 1 2005) (700,000 in the greater metropolitan area) and an area of approximately 100... One million (1000000), one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999999 and preceding 1000001. ... In law, jurisdiction from the Latin jus, juris meaning law and dicere meaning to speak, is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted body or to a person to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... The English noun Commonwealth dates originally from the fifteenth century. ... A treaty is a binding agreement under international law concluded by subjects of international law, namely states and international organizations. ... A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... A trainer is a training aircraft used to develop piloting, navigational or weapon-aiming skills in flight crew. ... A helicopter gunship is a military helicopter armed for attacking targets on the ground, using automatic cannon and machinegun fire, rockets, and precision guided missiles such as the Hellfire. ... Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and territorial waters or, more generally, any specific portion of the atmosphere. ...

On June 22, 2000, the 15-judge Bench headed by Mr Gilbert Guillaume of France ruled (14-2 verdict) upholding India's submission that the court had no jurisdiction in this matter. Pakistan's claims were dropped and the outcome was seen as a decision highly favourable to India. The ruling was also a financial setback to the Pakistan government which had spent an enormous amount of money - close to 25 million Rupees - on the preparation of the case, much higher than what its Indian counterpart is believed to have spent. ^[2] June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... // About Pakistan The Islamic Republic of Pakistan (Urdu: اسلامی جمہوریۂ پاکستان, Islāmī Jamhūriya i Pākistān), or Pakistan (Urdu: پاکستان, Pākistān) is a country located in South Asia that overlaps onto the greater Middle East and Central Asia. ... Indian Rupee Collection The Rupee (₨ or Rs. ...

Aftermath

In India, the incident created instant heroes of the two pilots of the Mig-21s. On October 8, 2000, the prestigious "Vayu Sena" medal was awarded to Squadron Leader P.K. Bundela. The medal was also awarded to Wing Commander V.S. Sharma (the fighter controller who tracked the Atlantique, guided the pilot and ordered him to attack the plane) and Squadron Leader Pankaj Vishnoi, the helicopter pilot who recovered a part of the Atlantique's debris from the marshy border regions of the Rann. October 8 is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... A Squadron Leaders sleeve/shoulder insignia Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in some air forces. ... Wing Commander (rank) is a rank in the Royal Air Force, equivalent to a Lieutenant Colonel in most Armies, the Royal Marines and the United States Marine Corps. ... The Bell 206 of Canadian Helicopters Robinson Helicopter Company (USA) R44, a four seat development of the R22 A helicopter is an aircraft which is lifted and propelled by one or more horizontal rotors. ... Freshwater marsh in Florida In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. ...

The downing of the Pakistani aircraft came at a particularly bad juncture for Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who was already under attack from right-wing conservatives after the Kargil debacle. Two months later he was deposed in an Army coup by Pervez Musharraf. The Prime Minister of Pakistan (Wazir-e- Azam in Urdu)is the Head of Government of Pakistan. ... Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif (Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف ) was born on December 25, 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. ... Combatants India Pakistan Strength 30,000 5,000 Casualties ~600 killed , ~1,400 wounded 4000+ killed The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between April and June 1999 in Kashmir. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Pervez Musharraf (Urdu: ); born August 11, 1943 (Delhi, India) is the current president of Pakistan. ...

See also

• Indo-Pakistan Wars

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

Notes

↑  Govt comments sought in Atlantique case - Hosted on Pakistan's Dawn (newspaper). Dawn is Pakistans oldest and most widely-read English-language newspaper. ...

External links

• Indian Air Force account of the incident. (hosted by Bharat Rakshak)
• "Can't Stop the Madness", TIME, August 23-30, 1999 VOL. 154 NO. 7/8.