Gwalior: Pakistani Air Force side did not enter into Indian airspace after the Balakot airstrike, Air Marshal BS Dhanoa said Monday. He also asserted that the IAF ‘achieved its military objective’ in the operation while Pakistan did not.
Dhanoa said this in response to a question at a press conference held during a day-long event at the Gwalior Air Base to mark 20 years of the Kargil War.
“They didn’t come into our airspace. And what was our objective? Our objective was to strike the (terror) camp and we have done that. We have achieved our objective. Their (Pakistani) objective was to hit our army places. They could not and that is the bottom line,” Dhanoa said.
Dhanoa asserted that the IAF achieved its stated military objective but the Pakistani side did not. “But none of them (PAF aircraft) crossed the LoC into our side,” Dhanoa added.
The IAF also organised a seminar on ‘Air operations in Kargil war, lessons learnt and way forward’ at the Air Force Station here.
The IAF had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist training camp in Pakistan’s Balakot area February 26 in response to the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
The Pakistan Air Force tried to retaliate the next day, but was thwarted by the IAF.
Asked about the airspace being closed from the Pakistani side, Dhanoa termed it as none of India’s concern.
“hey deciding to close the airspace is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part and you have noticed that the Air Force have never stopped our civilian air traffic,” he pointed out.
“Only February 27, we had stopped Srinagar airspace for two-three hours. We did not allow tension with Pakistan to dictate our civil aviation because our economy is much bigger and much stronger as compared to theirs,” added Dhanoa.
Praising the Mirage-2000, the IAF chief recalled how the use of the aircraft equipped with laser-guided bombs, coupled with the ground forces had turned the tide of the Kargil war. He said it was because of the Mirage-2000 the IAF carried out effective strikes on Pakistani infiltrators.
“We stand by the people who achieved this (victory in Kargil). Pakistan did not have beyond visual range missile. When you have an element of surprise by your side then you can make success. Purpose of our attack has always been to show our resolve and capability,” Dhanoa pointed out.
PTI
