Spectacular IAF drill on how to hit terror camps
Pokhran, Rajasthan ,Feb. 28: The Indian Air Force put up a spectacular performance of bombing mock enemy targets, including mock terrorist camps, at the Vayu Shakti exercise in the deserts of Pokhran both before dusk and in the moonlight on Sunday. Defence minister A.K. Antony said the exercise was not aimed at Pakistan as such, but reiterated India’s main concern that Pakistan was yet to dismantle the terror camps operating on its soil.
He also noted that this had been conveyed to Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir during last week’s talks in New Delhi, saying that India had not expected any “miracle” from these talks.
In response to another question, on whether he was unhappy over the modest increase in this year’s defence budget allocations, Mr Antony said the finance minister had a very difficult task to perform this year and that he had performed his duties well.
Mr Antony also declared that the armed forces would protect every inch of Indian territory. When asked whether Saudi Arabia could play the role of an interlocutor between India and Pakistan, Mr Antony replied that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was currently in Saudi Arabia and that it was not proper for a Cabinet minister to say anything on the matter.
On Sunday, frontline fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force, including Sukhois, MiG-29s, Mirage 2000s and Jaguars, fired rockets and dropped bombs on targets that included mock enemy aircraft hangars and enemy convoys. The impressive demonstration was witnessed by President Pratibha Patil, who is supreme commander of the defence forces, besides Mr Antony, minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju and the three service chiefs. A total of 107 IAF aircraft participated in the exercise.
While a large number of foreign military attaches based in New Delhi attended the exercise, the representatives of Pakistan and China were not invited.
The exercise that lit up the skies over Pokhran was held in three stages. The first was held in daylight in the evening, the second stage at dusk and the third held in moonlight. The bombing targets were a fair distance away from the grandstand on which the dignitaries were seated. The audience witnessed sonic booms as aircraft flew at supersonic speeds, dropped heavy bombs (including those of 1,000 kg) and fired infrared missiles at the targets. Even the MiG-27 aircraft, one of which had crashed recently, took part in the magnificent demonstration of air power. The IAF Garud special forces, along with aircraft like the AN 32 and the large IL-76 as well as attack helicopters also participated. Images of the aircraft firing missiles and bombs were relayed on three screens by unmanned aerial vehicles in the skies.
One commentator remarked: “The flypast was so splendid that even the wind stopped to stare.”
Sridhar Kumaraswami
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