IAF carries out mega exercise at Pokhran

Mega exercise

The Indian Air Force Saturday carried out a mega exercise in Pokhran involving around 140 fighter jets and attack helicopters, in a fire power demonstration close to the border with Pakistan that came two days after the Pulwama attack.

Ready to deliver “appropriate response”

As India’s military establishment mulls options to avenge the strike by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said the IAF was prepared to deliver “appropriate response” as assigned by India’s political leadership.

Speaking at the inauguration of the day and night Vayu Shakti exercise, he, however, did not either mention Pakistan or the Pulwama attack.

Pinpoint accuracy

Top IAF sources said though the Vayu Shakti was planned in advance, the drill was a demonstration of the force’s capability to hit targets with “pinpoint accuracy” and carry out missions at short notice.

Remembering Pulwama

Forty CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide attack in Kashmir’s Pulwama district by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces have been given full freedom to retaliate against the attack. India has also said it will ensure “complete isolation” of Pakistan internationally for its support to terror groups.

Showcasing strength

“While wars are fought few and far between, we have an ever present sub-conventional threat as the enemy knows it cannot defeat us in a conventional conflict,” the IAF chief said, in a clear reference to Pakistan.

“So, today we showcase our ability to punish, our ability to insert and extricate troops from hostile territories,” Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa said.