An image of a dinner menu from an Indian Air Force event has gone viral on social media after it featured dishes named after Pakistani cities linked to India’s recent and past military operations. The themed menu, part of a ceremony marking 93 years of the IAF, quickly caught the attention of users online, sparking a wave of reactions and praise for its creative and symbolic references.
The menu, titled “93 Years of IAF: Infallible, Impervious and Precise,” included items such as Rawalpindi Chicken Tikka Masala, Rafiqui Rhara Mutton, Bholari Paneer Methi Malai, Sukkur Sham Savera Kofta, Sargodha Dal Makhani, Jacobabad Mewa Pulao and Bahawalpur Naan. The dessert section continued the theme with Balakot Tiramisu, Muzaffarabad Kulfi Faluda and Muridke Meetha Pan.
The image, shared by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on X, has been widely circulated, with users applauding the IAF’s symbolic gesture. The menu names drew inspiration from locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir that were targeted during India’s Operation Sindoor earlier this year and the Balakot airstrike, known as Operation Bandar, in 2019.
Operation Sindoor, conducted on May 7, saw the Indian Armed Forces carry out precision strikes on nine terror hubs across Pakistan and PoK, including Rawalakot, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bhimber and the Neelum Valley. The operation was in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on 22 April that left 26 civilians dead. The strikes led to several days of heightened tension between India and Pakistan before both sides scaled down their actions on 10 May.
The 2019 Balakot airstrike, officially named Operation Bandar, was India’s retaliation to the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The airstrike targeted a major Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp in Balakot, marking one of the most significant cross-border counter-terror operations in recent years.
The IAF-themed dinner, combining humour with historical context, has since become a talking point across social media platforms, with many calling it a creative reflection of India’s military resolve and confidence.
