IAF chief warns Pakistan of strong response if Pulwama-like attack repeats

Warning Pakistan of a serious response in case of Pulwama like fidayeen (suicide) attack is repeated on Indian soil, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Marshal RKS Bhadauria, on Wednesday said that the IAF is capable to take on every target- deep or surface.

“There will be no status quo and response will be very robust (in case of Pulwama type attack is orchestrated from across the Line of Control (LoC) again,” he told reporters at Technical Airport in Srinagar on the eve of first anniversary of ‘Operation.

Bhadauria landed in Srinagar after flying MiG- 21 of 51 Squadron Commanding Officer Group Captain Nazeer with two Mirage—2000 and Sukho-30MKI to mark the first anniversary of Balakot Air strike by the IAF on February 26 last year.

Replying to a query on what was the strategy adopted by the IAF after 14 February 2019 Pulwama fidayeen attack that saw 40 CRPF men dead, the Chief of Air Staff said, “The message (to Pakistan) was clear at the government level that any attacks orchestrated across LoC will not be acceptable at all. We had a review post Pulwama attack followed by more reviews where we discussed threat analysis that requires different handling. Today, we have better weapons, communication and other things on the board.”

“Various agencies are monitoring the activities of terrorist camps across (LoC) and if there is a repeat of Pulwama type attack, Air Force is ready to take on any target be that close, deep or surface. The spirit of air force is very high,” he warned.

He said that various intelligence agencies formulated a strategy and the Air Force was given the choice of targets located across the LoC that included training camps at Balakot. “The operation was conducted professionally,” he said.

He said that 51 Squardon’s wing commander Abhinandan demonstrated the spirit of the IAF. “They had no hesitation to engage the vastly superior aircraft—(F-16) in terms of technology and weapons. The IAF is proud of them,” the Chief of Air Staff said.