The army, navy and the air force Thursday said they are in aheightened state of readiness and fully prepared to deal with “any provocation”by Islamabad.
In a first joint media briefing after the latest escalationbetween the two countries, the three forces said Pakistan has escalated thetension by targeting their “military installations in an aerial raid onWednesday” and India was “ready for a befitting reply to any eventualities”.
“The Pakistan Air Force aircraft attempting to targetmilitary installations were intercepted by IAF fighter aircraft which thwartedtheir plans. PAF bombs have fallen in Indian army formation compounds, theywere unable to cause any damage to our military installations,” said Air ViceMarshal R G K Kapoor, assistant chief of Air Staff.
He said in the aerial combat, one F-16 of Pakistan Air Forcewas shot down by an IAF MiG-21 Bison. The F-16 crashed and fell across the LOCin Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
The IAF official said there have been many factuallyincorrect statements made by Pakistan since its aerial raid targeting Indianmilitary installations Wednesday.
He said there has been “blatant disinformation” campaign byPakistan that two IAF aircraft were shot down by Pakistan and three pilots weredowned.
“This figure was later revised to two IAF aircraft and twopilots. The fact, however, is that Indian Army units had reported sighting twoparachutes falling in the PaK which were of two F-16 pilots shot down by theIAF MiG-21 Bison. Pakistan later in theevening changed its statement to say that one Indian pilot was in theircustody,” he said.
He also rejected Pakistan’s claims that they intentionallydropped weapons in open space where there was no human presence or militaryposts.
The IAF official also rejected Pakistan’s contention that noF-16s were used in the operation and no Pakistani plane was downed by IAF.
The IAF also showed a piece of the AMRAAM missile at thenews briefing.
“The fact remains that one F-16 of PAF was shot down byan IAF MiG-21 Bison aircraft,” said the Air Vice Marshal.
Addressing the journalists, Army’s Additional DirectorGeneral of Military Operations Maj. Gen. Surinder Singh Mahal said the groundbased air defence weapon systems of the Army have been put on alert along theLine of Control and some parts of the international border.
A delegation of Indian air force (IAF) team will on Fridayevening receive its wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman, captured by Pakistan,at the Wagah border, official sources said.
It is not clear whether Varthaman will be handed over to theInternational Red Cross or to the Indian authorities by Pakistan.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has offered to receivewing commander Varthaman at the Attari border.
The Congress leader tweeted his request to Prime MinisterNarendra Modi.