Major shift in govt's way of handling terror attacks: IAF chief on Balakot

Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria has said that the present environment in the neighbourhood was a ‘serious concern’ and there was a major shift in the way terror attacks were being handled. He was speaking on the occasion on the 87th Air Force Day on Tuesday.

“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 installations,” news agency ANI quoted Air Chief Marshal as saying.

Bhadauria took charge last month as the 26th chief of the Indian Air Force.

Speaking about the Balakot strike, when India hit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) targets deep inside Pakistan territory in retaliation to the terror group’s attack on security forces in Kashmir’s Pulwama that left 40 jawans dead. Bhadauria said: “Strategic relevance of this (Balakot airstrike) is the resolve of political leadership to punish perpetrators of terrorism. There is a major shift in govt’s way of handling terrorist attacks.”

The IAF had recently released a promotional video showcasing the story of Balakot airstrike in February this year. The video tweeted by news agency Asian News International showed several aircraft targeting and destroying the terrorist bases.

The Air Force will on Tuesday display its prowess at the Hindon air base. The aircraft that will display their might include the newly-acquired Apache attack helicopters and the Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. The Apache was bought from the United States and has the ability to carry out lethal attacks besides being of immense help in peacekeeping missions.

The air show will also include various formations by the Surya Kiran aerobatics team and Sarang helicopters, an IAF officer said. Alongside the modern acquisitions, vintage aircraft like the Tiger Moth, the refurbished Dakota transport aircraft will be the other highlights of the event.