In a stern warning to Pakistan, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria on Monday (May 18) said that Islamabad should worry whenever there is a terrorist attack on Indian soil and asked it to stop abetting terrorism in India. Speaking to news agency ANI, Bhadauria also played down recent air space violations by China Ladakh, saying that necessary actions are taken to tackle such incidents.
"Whenever there's a terrorist attack on our soil, they should be worried and they were rightly worried. They've to stop abetting terrorism in India if they've to get out of these worries," the Indian Air Force chief said when asked about Pakistan fearing retaliation from India after the Handwara encounter.
On the question of airstrikes at terror launchpads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), the IAF chief said: "If the situation demands so, of course, Indian Air Force is ready 24x7."
In February last year, the Air Force had carried out an airstrike on a terrorist camp of Jaish in Balakot across the LoC. The strike was India's retaliation to the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in which over 40 soldiers were killed.
On air space violation by China
Speaking about the recent incidents of air space violations by China, the Air Force Chief said that there was no need to worry as such issues are tackled. "Some activity was noticed which wasn't in the usual domain. Whenever such things happen, we monitor closely and take necessary action. No reason for undue worry on these issues. Whenever there's air space violation, it gets tackled," he added.
Earlier this month, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had to deploy its fighter planes on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) after Chinese military helicopters came close to the Indian territory. "As soon as the movement of Chinese helicopters was picked up, the Indian fighter jets were rushed to the border areas in the Ladakh sector," sources had said.
