7 Squadron IAF (Battle Axes) operates as a Special Munitions Delivery and air superiority unit.

7 Squadron Sqn has as its emblem two unfolded wings adorning a Farsha (Battle-axe) and the symbolic number 7 attached to the shaft.

7 Squadron (Battle Axes) was raised on 1 December 1942 at Vizag equipped with Vultee Vengeance dive bombers.

In response to the tribal invasion of the Kashmir kingdom and subsequent accession by Maharaja Hari Singh, India flew in troops and stationed fighters at Srinagar.

Tempests of 7 Squadron flew from Ambala in support of Indian Ground troops in the decisive Battle of Shelatang, offensive missions against Uri, Kotli and Rawalkot.

The first fatality suffered was on 1 December 1947, when Fg Offr UA D'Cruz was shot down in his Harvard and taken prisoner.

For his role in the initial days of operations, the CO Sqn Ldr Noronha was later awarded the Maha Vir Chakra.

Flt Lt BS Dogra received the Vir Chakra for his sorties during the Battle of Shalateng.

Wg Cdr Ranjan Dutt along with some pilots of 7 Sqn flew to attack the bridge at Domel.

In August 1948, the squadron set up base in Srinagar and provided support to the army operations near the Zoji La pass.

Although put on high alert during the Sino-Indian war in 1962, the unit did not see any action in this conflict, mainly due to the government's decision to limit the air force's role to supply and evacuation.

Already on a high alert, the unit flew its first offensive sorties on the morning of 6 September, against targets of opportunity.

7 was to suffer two more fatalities the next day, when on a dawn strike against PAF Sargodha, a five-ship formation was intercepted.

Two of the unit, Sqn Ldr SB Bhagwat and Fg Offr JS Brar, were lost on that day.

It hit an ammunition train at Kasur on 8 September, and ground targets in the Lahore area the next day.

In total, the Battleaxes flew 453 sorties (including 109 CAP) amounting to nearly 333 Hours, expending 218 rockets and 13000 lbs of bombs.

7 would move to Hindon AB in November 1965 and also took on the role of Operational Conversion Unit with the addition of a Hunter Trainer Flight.

The Hunter leader, Sqn Ldr SK Gupta ejected safely over Baghdogra airfield.

Wing Commander Coelho ejected over No Man's Land and was taken prisoner by Pakistani ground forces before he could be located by Indian troops.

He was replaced by Wg Cdr Nirmal Chandra Suri on 09 Dec.[5] Interdiction sorties were also flown against targets in the Suleimanke Headworks area.

One of these missions on 9 December, flown by Flying Officer Diskhit, landed with the fuel gauges reading zero.

The Battle Axes were called into action again on 3 November 1988 during Operation Cactus, when India responded to a plea for help by the Maldives government following a military coup.

While the Il-76s of No.44 Squadron flew in troops from the Para brigade into the capital Male, six Mirages operating from Trivandrum made several passes over the Islands in a show of force.

Wg Cdr Vaidya led the first formation with Flt Lt R Nambiar over the Hulule airfield.

7 squadron was back in action again in May 1999, called to assist the Army in the area North, North-East of Kargil during Operation Vijay.

For the first time, the IAF had employed Precision guided munitions to strike the supply lines of the entrenched enemy.

Wg Cdr R Nambiar, who was an experienced test pilot attached to 7 Squadron during the course of operations was awarded the Vayusena Medal (VM) Gallantry, having flown over 25 sorties during that period delivering PGMs in precision attacks.

Wg Cdr CH Kulkarni and Sqn Ldr DK Patnaik, from the strike team destroyed 9 bunkers which helped the ground troops to capture Tiger Hill with ease also received the Vayu Sena Medal.

Sqn Ldr AS Heer, was awarded the VM, having shown considerable ingenuity to record the effects of the bomb-strikes.

1 Sqn, who devised the adaptation of the 1000 lb bombs to the Mirage was also awarded the VSM In 2002 Mirage-2000s from the squadron used Precision Guided Munitions to destroy posts captured by Pakistan Army in the Machal sector of the LoC.