*Pak will have to think 100 times for any misadventure
‘Ready to meet any challenge for national security’
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 28: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today declared that terrorist hideouts, infrastructure and training facilities across Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) were no more safe now and assured citizens of the country that troops are prepared to meet every kind of challenge for national security.
Addressing a seminar on ‘Air Power in No War No Peace Scenario’ organized by the Centre for Air Power Studies to mark first anniversary of Balakote airstrikes in Pakistan, in the Union capital today, Rajnath said Pakistan has to be openly held accountable for the terrorism and till this is done, it will continue the policy of duplicity and deceit.
“Terrorism has not remain an option for Pakistan now which the neighbour can use when it desires,” Rajnath said in a virtual reference towards airstrikes conducted by the Indian Air Force at Balakote terror training camp on February 24 last year post February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred.
India had on February 24 struck deep inside Balakote in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Nearly 200 Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were killed in Balakote terror training camp.
The Defence Minister said India’s adversary on the western borders (Pakistan) will have to think 100 times before considering about any future “misadventure”.
“I want to assure every citizen of the country that we are prepared to meet with any challenge for the national security and will remain so in future as well,” Rajnath said in a series of tweets after addressing the seminar.
Asserting that till Pakistan is openly held accountable for the terrorism it will continue the policy of duplicity and deceit, he, however, said that Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, who used to get VIP treatment in the neighbouring country is now behind the bars.
Rajnath said entire world is united in war against terrorism.
“For world peace, we are getting support of several major countries in the world against Pakistan. The world stands shoulder to shoulder with India in forcing countries like Pakistan to bring terrorist leaders to justice. Recently, we saw the impact of collective diplomatic pressure on Pakistan,” he added.
The Defence Minister said they have initiated some major structural changes in the way we intend tackling threats to our nation but added that it will take some time for the entire set up to be fully operational.
“This transition time is crucial and we need to keep the guard up,” he said.
Asserting that India had been seen as a country that didn’t respond adequately to terrorism despite grave provocations, Rajnath said the surgical strike of 2016 (post Uri terror attack) and airstrike of 2019 (in the aftermath of Pulwama terrorist strike) changed the perception once and for all.
“Balakote operation taught us how to think tactical rather than strategic. I have little doubt that Balakote strike forced the rewriting of many a manual and rule book across the LoC. Those who preferred to place India in an imaginary understanding of the past, were brought into the reality of present and its potential manifestation in future,” the Defence Minister said.
After Balakote, he said, it was made amply clear that terrorism will not remain a low-cost option that can proliferate under veiled threats and bogeys that have repeatedly been voiced by irresponsible and ill-informed leaders from across the border.
“Our approach to terrorism was and will remain a judicious combination of clinical military action and mature and responsible diplomatic outreach,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister said India’s response following Pulwama attack displayed the country’s defence capability and affirmed its right to defend itself against terrorism.
Singh paid tributes to 40 CRPF personnel martyred in the Pulwama attack and saluted the soldiers who carried out the Balakote operation.
“If we’ve to be prepared for the tasks assigned to us, then it’s important we maintain credible deterrence at land, air and sea at all times,” he said.
Singh called “hybrid warfare” a reality, saying that a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic tools is a genuine threat. He emphasized the need to reorient the training of soldiers to meet the challenges posed by hybrid warfare.
Referring to various aspects of hybrid warfare such as expansion of battle space and use of technology infusion, he said, “In such a scenario, artificial intelligence, high-speed weapons and space-based sensors and tools will have a significant impact.”
PTI adds: Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and Chief of Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria also spoke at the event.
Rawat said the clear message from the Balakote strikes was that the kind of “proxy war” perpetrated on India “will not be tolerated” while IAF chief R K S Bhadauria highlighted the need for new indigenous technology in warfare and urged DRDO to develop such weapons.
Rawat highlighted the significance of “credible deterrence” in warfare.
“If we’ve to be prepared for the tasks assigned to us then it’s important we maintain credible deterrence at land, air and sea at all times. Deterrence comes from keeping every personnel trained and motivated, Gen Rawat said.
He added that credible deterrence comes from the will of the military leadership and intent of political leadership while taking the tough decision.
“This was amply shown after Kargil, Uri and Pulwama attacks,” he said.
“We had an edge over Pakistan Air Force in terms of ‘Beyond Visual Range Missile’ capability at the time of Kargil. We allowed that to slip and thereafter it took a decade and half in our struggle to acquisition process to be able to get better capability,” the Air Force chief said.
This would soon materialize with the induction of the Rafale jets, he said.
“In air engagement, especially in a deeply contested area, it is important to have a weapons edge. Once we retain this edge, it is important that we don’t allow to slip back this edge,” he added.
Hailing the Government’s decision to carry out the Balakote strikes, Bhadauria said it was a “tough and bold decision to strike at the heart of terrorist training camps deep inside Pakistan across the Line of Control”.
“IAF successfully struck the target chosen. Pakistan Air Force responded 30 hours later with a large package of aircraft under Operation Swift Retort. IAF ensured they weren’t able to hit targets. They were in a hurry to disengage. They were doing it for their domestic audience,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
