Our objective of Balakot airstrike achieved: Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa

Gwalior: “The Pakistani fighter jets never entered the Indian airspace after the Balakot airstrike by India”, asserted Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa. The Air Chief Marshal further added that India achieved its objective through Balakot airstrike. He was speaking in a press conference held after a function to commemorate the completion of 20 years for the Kargil war.

“Our objective was to target the terrorists holed up in Balakot and the Indian Airforce achieved”, he said expressing satisfaction. Pakistani fighter jets carried out attacks in the Indian airspace, the very next day. The objective of the Pakistani attack was to target the Indian military bases, which they could not achieve. Furthermore, he said that the Pakistan fighter jets did not enter the Indian airspace.

The Airforce Chief gave this information while answering the questions asked by the reporters. The Airforce Chief highlighted that Pakistan is still reeling under the fear of an Indian airstrike. That is precisely the reason why Pakistan has yet not opened its airspace for India. Pakistan has said that the airspace will be opened for India if India guarantees that it will not carry out airstrikes on Pakistan. But this fear is a Pakistani issue, and it makes no difference if Pakistan does not open its airspace for India. Because the Indian economy is much stronger as compared to Pakistan and even if Pakistan does not open its air, India can easily bear the additional load.

The Airforce Chief reminded that the ‘Mirage 2000’ fighter jets played an essential role in the Kargil war as well as the Balakot airstrike.