One year of Balakot airstrike: IAF chief RKS Bhadauria to fly with MiG-21 pilots to Srinagar
New Delhi/IBNS: Marking the first anniversary of Balakot airstrikes, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria might fly with MiG-21 pilots to Srinagar on Wednesday, media reports said.
Top sources in the Air Force told India Today TV that IAF chief Bhadauria is expected to himself fly a MiG-21 Bison aircraft with the 51 Squadron of the Indian Air Force.
Sources told the news channel that Mirage 2000 fighters may also be part of the display.
Besides this, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria will also address a seminar titled 'Indian Air Force: No war, no peace' at the DRDO Bhawan on Friday. In the seminar, he is likely to speak about the Balakot airstrikes and the air skirmish on the following day (February 27, 2019), reported the news channel.
Speaking on the airstrike, Bhadauria told The Indian Express: "The Balakot airstrike redefined the use of air power towards meeting the national objective and has changed the paradigm of sub-conventional action and response in the subcontinent."
"The event itself, and the subsequent air operations on February 27, 2019, have remained in public attention with the battle of narratives spreading out to the masses over all forms of media. But the fact remains that the Balakot airstrikes were the most significant air action by the IAF in over four decades, when our fighters penetrated deep into Pakistan airspace, executed a precise attack on the terror camp and returned home unchallenged," he said.
He further said: "Over the last year, we have continued to focus on our operational training and readiness, induction of enhanced BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missiles, stand off weapon capability and upgradation of secure communications. We have looked closely at our modernisation and acquisition plans for prioritisation in line with the changing threat scenario."
The Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on terror camps in Balakot inside Pakistan on Feb 26, 2019.
The incident took place just days after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama area left 40 Indian security personnel killed.
The incident deteriorated the relationship between India and Pakistan, triggering panic and tension.
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