India Defence News

Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria took off in the Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to join the squadron that carried out the actual operation across the border in Balakot, for a sortie to commemorate the day.

Chief of Air Staff RKS Bhadauria, who is on a four-day visit to Bangladesh, gifted the BAF an Alouettee III helicopter used in the Liberation War by the brave Kilo Flight team.

During the ceremony, the Army Commander presented two Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry) and 50 Sena Medals (Gallantry) to the brave soldiers of the Indian Army. 

The two-minute propaganda video which has at least 20 edits was released on the day when two years ago Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistan Air Force F-16 in a dogfight over the Line of Control before his MiG-21 Bison fighter crash-landed in Pakistan.

Major Laishram Jyotin Singh's act of valour saved the lives of two officers, four paramedics and two Afghan civilians from a suicide bomber who targeted the guesthouse in Kabul where he was residing.

The 2019 Balakot airstrike was conducted by India in the early morning hours of 26 February when Indian warplanes crossed the border and dropped bombs in the vicinity of the town of Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan.

Stating that the boundary question may take time to resolve, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the disturbance of peace and tranquillity including violence will inevitably have a damaging impact on the relationship between India and China.

Hailing Indian Air Force for their exceptional courage, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "I salute the exceptional courage and diligence of IAF. The success of Balakot strikes has shown India's strong will to act against terrorism. We are proud of our armed forces who keep India safe and secure."

Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh and his Pakistani counterpart held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact on Thursday.

"What we have achieved is to show that this strategy will not work with us. And every move will be met resolutely," Army Chief General MM Naravane said.