Govt rejected our proposal to strike Pak terror camps after 26/11: BS Dhanoa

The government had rejected a proposal of the Indian Air Force to strike Pakistan terror camps after 26/11, said Former IAF Chief Dhanoa on Friday, 27 December.

While addressing students at VJTI annual festival Technovonanza, he said that India was well aware of the location of the terror camps and was ready but it was a political decision to carry out the strike or not, reported The Times of India.

He has in the past also stated that Pakistan indulges in propaganda battles, but it is important to understand that the Indian Air Force ‘has the ability to fight short, swift wars’ whether ‘on land, air, sea and space.’

Dhanoa also said that India’s biggest challenge is to be flanked by two nuclear-armed nations, hinting at Pakistan and China.

In a Q&A session, he talked about how China has an advanced air force that relies on quality and quantity and have even developed unsinkable aircraft carriers, reported the media channel.

“When I met the Chinese air force chief at the Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru, I said ‘We must meet more on the ground than in the air’,” he said.

Earlier this month, Dhanoa made a strong statement that the Balakot air strike was meant to warn Pakistan and terrorist organisations that terror attacks against India would not go unanswered.

“The message of Balakot, therefore, was to tell Pakistani establishments and terror organisations that there will be a cost to pay for terror attacks in India which was effectively conveyed,” the former Air Chief Marshal had said.

He had said that after the Pulwama attack in February, in which 40 people were killed, “There were only two questions – when and where the retaliation will take place.”

“The government and political will was very clear to tell the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Pakistani establishment that such attacks would come at a cost and no matter where you are, be it PoK or Pakistan, we will get you and that is the message of Balakot,” Dhanoa said.

The Indian Air Force had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot area on 26 February in response to the 14 February Pulwama terror attack in J&K.