In the wake of the recent "understanding" between India and Pakistan, India's senior military command warned sternly on Sunday that any renewed hostile activity from Pakistan or its allied terror outfits would face a "fierce and punitive" reaction.
Speaking at a joint press conference, Vice Admiral AN Pramod, Lt General Rajiv Ghai, and Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti underlined that although the Indian military is committed to preserving peace, they are always fully capable of responding firmly in the defense of national sovereignty and avoiding escalation.
The media conference also provided information on 'Operation Sindoor,' outlining India's recent military operations. There was a temporary ceasefire to reduce tensions, but a violation was committed at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and the Indian defense forces were forced to escalate their alert levels.
Air Marshal Bharti: "Cannot Disclose Number of Pakistani Planes Downed"
Military officials confirmed that there was no violation of Indian borders or airspace during the operations. Air Marshal Bharti explained that India's operations were aimed at terror infrastructure along the border, saying, "All our pilots are back home."
India's air defense mechanism was engaged when Pakistani drones and missiles tried to target military installations. These attempts were intercepted and neutralized before they could do any harm, the senior commanders said.
What has been going on the past 3–4 days is nothing short of a war," Lt Gen Ghai said, adding that around 100 terrorists were killed in targeted attacks. Among the killed were high-profile operatives such as Yusuf Azhar and Abdul Rauf, both of whom had connections to the Indian Airlines hijacking and the Pulwama terror attack.
Lt Gen Ghai also quoted video evidence of funerals where prominent Pakistani personalities had attended, implying the authenticity of the intelligence that informed the strikes. He further mentioned that relatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar were among those targeted during the operation.
These joint operations were carried out across various locations on the Line of Control. Indian Navy also actively participated in these operations, undergoing strenuous maneuvers in the Arabian Sea to assess combat preparedness and weapon system dependability.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod stressed on naval vigilance and said, "The Indian Navy had intensive surveillance of Pakistani naval movement, maintaining strong defensive posture." He further asserted, "We have quantitative and qualitative advantage to give crushing blow, dominating entirely maritime front… Hope Pakistan will not dare… This time if Pakistan ever dares to do something, Pakistan has an idea of what we will do."
Precision Over Provocation
Air Marshal Bharti reaffirmed that the Indian focus has been on the precision of surgeries, not quantities of casualties. The leadership emphatically reiterated the point that any military operations undertaken were calibrated towards eliminating threats, but without wanton escalation.
Significantly, Bharti laid out that Indian military action isn't against the Pakistani army per se, but aimed at unraveling terrorist network activity based in its territory.
In spite of the continued tensions, the military emphasized their unshakeable commitment to peace. "Though the situation is hot, India maintains its mandate -- protecting its sovereignty while preventing escalations," the three asserted.
With diplomatic engagements still ongoing, the world waits anxiously for indications that there is movement towards enduring peace and stability in the region.
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