Although the 50th Parachute Brigade was charged with merely assisting the main thrust conducted by the 17th Division, its units moved rapidly across minefields, roadblocks and four riverine obstacles to be the first to reach Panjim.

The order to cross the river was received on the morning of 19 December, upon which two rifle companies advanced on Panjim at 0730 hours and secured the town without facing any resistance.

Despite being a newly raised battalion 6 Para of the Parachute Regiment with superb battle drill and fighting spirit attacked the Jallo railway bridge enduring stiff resistance and heavy artillery fire.

For the first time in the annals of independent India's history, an airborne infantry battle group, formed around the 2nd battalion, Parachute Regiment, was dropped at Tangail, which contributed substantially to speeding up the liberation of Bangladesh.

In response to an attempted coup d'état in the Maldives, and on the request of Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the Indian Army launched Operation Cactus.

The operation started on the night of 3 November 1988, when Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force airlifted elements of the 50th Independent Parachute Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Farukh Bulsara, from Agra Air Force Station and flew them non-stop over 2,000 kilometres (1,240 mi) to land them over the Malé International Airport on Hulhulé Island.

The Airborne Special Forces Battalions of the Parachute Regiment rotate to form part of the brigade, alternatively serving their field tenures in counter-insurgency/high-altitude areas.