In August 1965, as part of Operation Gibraltar, Pakistan attempted to infiltrate forces into Jammu and Kashmir to precipitate an insurgency against Indian rule. This was followed by a full-scale war between India and Pakistan in the Western theatre. In September, Pakistan launched Operation Grand Slam in which an armoured thrust targeted the Akhnoor and Chhamb regions in Jammu. The Indian Air Force responded to an urgent call for air strikes against the Pakistani Army. Singh was summoned into the Defence Minister Y B Chavan's office with a request for air support. With a characteristic nonchalance, he replied ""in an hour."" True to his word, the armoured thrust was hit in an hour by the IAF. Although the IAF suffered some losses early on, it bounced back and scored strategic victories during the conflict