Balakot Air Strike Marked Major Shift In Govt’s Handling Of Terror Attacks: IAF Chief Hails Political Resolve

Speaking on the Eighty-Seven anniversary of Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria today (8 October) reminded of the importance to keep our defence installations on high alert at all times after the suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in February reports ANI.

The new IAF Chief said, “Present security environment in the neighbourhood is a serious cause of concern. The Pulwama attack is a stark reminder of the persistent threat to defence installation”.

Forty soldiers of the Indian paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in a suicide car-bomb attack in Pulwama in February which resulted in Balakot sir strike deep into Pakistan territory.

Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said, “The decision to bomb a terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan, marked a major shift in the government’s policy on national security.”

“Strategic relevance of this (Balakot airstrike) is the resolve of political leadership to punish perpetrators of terrorism. There is a major shift in the government’s way of handling terrorist attacks”, the Air chief made this statement at Hindon Air Force Station near Delhi.

Meanwhile Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is in France to take delivery of the first of the 36 Rafale fighter jets in a formal handover ceremony which will take place later today.

At present IAF pilots are being trained at the Dassault’s Merignac facility in the southwestern province of Bordeaux and the first batch of Rafale jets will fly to their home base in India by May 2020.