Chief of the Indian Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria flew a MiG-21 of the 51st Squadron with a Mirage-2000 and a Sukhoi-30MKI to the Srinagar Air Base on Wednesday to mark the first anniversary of the Balakot airstrike.
He said that the message is clear that there will no longer be a status quo, if there is an attack orchestrated from across the border there will be a response and it will be robust.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria landed after flying a MiG-21 of the 51rst Squadron wih Commanding Officer Group Captain Nazeer with two each Mirage-2000 & Sukhoi-30MKI at Srinagar airbase on the occasion of one year anniversary of the Balakot air strikes. https://t.co/E8p06LCaRm pic.twitter.com/RNR29JRg6G
— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2020
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that “with the Balakot airstrike India has clearly demonstrated its strong will against terrorism”.
I salute the @IAF_MCC for its unmatched bravery and courage exhibited during Balakote air strikes. Our government led by PM Shri @narendramodi has adopted a different approach from earlier governments. Now we do not hesitate to cross the border to protect India against terrorism.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) February 26, 2020
The Indian Air Force, in a pre-dawn airstrike, had bombed alleged training camps of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group in Pakistan on 26 February 2019.
India maintains it carried out the airstrike to avenge the killing of 40 Indian troops in the Pulwama terror attack. Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the 14 February deadly attack on an Indian security convoy in Kashmir.
The airstrike carried out with Mirage warplanes of the Indian Air Force (IAF) had used Israeli-made “Spice 200” missiles.
The relationship between New Delhi and Islamabad worsened after the Pulwama terror attack. It was the biggest terrorist attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, which claimed the lives of over 150 people.
