Balakot Airstrikes 1st Anniversary: ‘Message We Wanted to Give Was Ghus Kar Maarenge, Wherever You Are’, Says Former Air Chief BS Dhanoa
Exactly a year after February 26, 2019, Balakot Strike, Former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa described the operation against the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) s a “paradigm shift” in Indian military operations. He said that the Indian forces wanted to give a message to the enemy that "Ghus kar maarenge, no matter where you are."
New Delhi, February 26: Exactly a year after February 26, 2019, Balakot Strike, Former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa described the operation against the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as a “paradigm shift” in Indian military operations. He said that the Indian forces wanted to give a message to the enemy that "Ghus kar maarenge, no matter where you are." Timeline of Events That Unfolded on February 26, 2019 As IAF Destroyed JeM Terror Camps to Avenge Pulwama Attack.
"One year has gone past and we look back with satisfaction. We have learnt a lot of lessons, a lot of things have been implemented after Balakot operations. Basically, it's a paradigm shift in the way we conduct our operations. The other side never believed that we could carry out a strike inside Pakistan to take out a terror training camp that we successfully carried out," Dhanoa said.
"The message that we wanted to give was, ‘ghus kar maarenge’ no matter where you are. Otherwise, we could have attacked them from our territory as well," he said. Post Balakot Air Strikes by IAF, Pakistan F-16 Jets Intercepted Delhi-Kabul Spicejet Flight.
The airstrike was in retaliation for a suicide bombing claimed by JeM that killed 40 CRPF Jawans on February 14 last year. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections that held later that year was free of a terrorist attack as they were "scared" of similar or even more devastating response from India, former Air Force Chief BS Dhanoa told ANI on Wednesday.
The Balakot strike was followed by a dogfight between India and Pakistani warplanes, which resulted in capturing of Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. He was released later. Varthaman took down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet. Islamabad, however, denied use of US-made fighter jet.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2020 10:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).