‘Ready to undertake any further mission’
*AM quotes Ramcharitmanas on Op Sindoor
NEW DELHI, May 12: The Indian Air Force on Monday said all its military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational, and ready to undertake any further missions if the need arises.
Director General of Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said the Indian military’s fight was with terrorists and their support infrastructure, but it was a “pity” that the Pakistani military chose to bat for the terrorists.
“We have also iterated that our fight was with terrorists and their support infrastructure,” he said.
Click here to watch video
“However, it is a pity that the Pakistan military chose to intervene and bat for the terrorists, which compelled us to respond in kind.”
Air Marshal Bharti, Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and Director General of Naval Operations Vice Admiral A N Pramod were addressing a media briefing on ‘Operation Sindoor.’
He said India’s robust air defence system effectively foiled Pakistan’s attempts to attack Indian military installations.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
On Pakistan military’s claim of success in hitting Indian installations, Air Marshal Bharti said, “I would like to emphatically state that, in spite of some minor damage incurred, all our military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational, and ready to undertake any further missions, should the need so arise.”
The Director General of Air Operations said India’s robust air defence (AD) system comprises a large variety of AD sensors, and weapon systems’ from point defence weapons like the LLAD guns, shoulder-fired MANPADS and short-range SAMS (Surface-to-Air Missile Systems) and longer range SAMs held in our inventory.
“Additionally, the numerous waves of drones and UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) employed by Pakistan were also thwarted by the indigenously developed soft and hard-kill counter-UAS systems and the well-trained Indian AD personnel,” he said.
“All this was brought together as an efficient and effective AD environment, by the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the lAF, which accords us Net-Centric Op capability,” he said.
“I would like to place on record the performance and efficacy demonstrated by even the older and battle-proven AD weapons like the Pechora, OSA-AK and the LLAD guns, in countering the Pakistani threat vectors in the current operations.”
Air Marshal Bharti said another highlight of ‘Operation Sindoor’ has been the stellar performance of indigenous AD weapons like the Akash system. The IAF also showed some images of damages inflicted by the Indian military on Pakistan.
Vice Admiral Pramod said the Indian Navy maintains a credible capability to detect, identify and neutralise any aerial platforms that threaten the naval units at sea. Indian Navy’s carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets were immediately deployed at sea with full combat readiness in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack
“In the current standoff, the presence of our aircraft carrier with large number of Mig 29 K fighters and airborne early warning helicopters prevented any suspicious or hostile aircraft to close the carrier battle group within several hundred km,” Vice Admiral Pramod said.
“Over the past few years, and most importantly immediately after the cowardly incident by the Pakistani sponsored terrorist attack at Pahalgam, we had validated our anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence capability in a complex threat environment using a cross platform cooperative mechanism,” he added.
Lt Gen Ghai said there has been total synergy between the three services during the Operation Sindoor.
Meanwhile, at a serious military briefing, one doesn’t expect high literature and text from epics to be quoted by a battle-hardened air warrior to drive home a point.
Director General of Air Operations, IAF, Air Marshal A K Bharti, though stunned and captivated a large gathering of generally cynical journalists by quoting a couplet from Ramcharitmanas to expound on Lord Ram’s patience and anger at the Sea God.
Without reading from any paper, the Air Marshal fluently recited the couplet — ‘Vinay Na Manat Jaldhi Jad, Bhaye Teen Din Beet, Bole Ram Sakop Tab, Bhai Bin Hoi Na Preet’.
Translated in English, the couplet reads, “The ocean remained unmoved by humble requests, three days passed. Then Lord Rama, with rising anger, declared without fear, there can be no love.”
This couplet refers to the time when Lord Rama waiting for the Sea God to grant him the passage to Lanka loses patience after three days and becomes angry. He declares that love does not exist without fear and lifts his bow. Only then does the Sea God appears and helps Lord Ram.
“What message is being given… So, a hint is enough for an intelligent person,” Bharti said, as the room broke into applause.
The display of literary prowess was triggered by a reporter’s question whether there was any symbolism or messaging in using the Sanskrit hymn dedicated to Lord Shiva in the briefing on Sunday and a famed poetry of ‘Rashtrakavi’ Ramdhari Singh Dinkar on epic Mahabharata on Monday.
Before the briefing started, the military played on a big screen, a key verse from ‘Krishna ki Chetavani’, part of Dinkar’s timeless classic ‘Rashmirathi’ in a rock music style rendition, juxtaposed with the images of the Indian military assets — missiles, naval platforms, weapon system, air defence system — with subtitles.
“Jab nash manuj pe chhata hai, pehle vivek mar jata hai….Hit-vachan tune nahin maana, maitri ka mulya nahin pehchana,…. Antim sankalp sunaata hun. Yachana nahin ab rann hoga, jeevan jai ya ki maran hoga,” the lyrics played out with subtitles carrying words — ‘Prepared’, ‘Each move detected’, ‘Every step watched’, ‘Tracked’, ‘Monitored’.
In English, it roughly translates as — “When doom hovers over a man, the first thing that vanishes is wisdom…you did not heed wise words, did not recognise value of friendship…announcing last resolve. There will be war and not pleading, glory to life or death it will be”.
Before the briefing by the military on Sunday, Shiva Tandava Stotram was played on the big screen, setting the tone for the press conference.
A montage of images showing damage inflicted by the Indian military under Operation Sindoor played with subtitles such as — ‘heed our advice’, ‘terrorism will have a cost for Pakistan’, ‘heavy’, ‘inevitable’, ‘unaffordable’.
During Monday’s briefing, sounds of a powerful rendition of ‘Krishna ki Chetavani’ poem echoed through the hall — a metaphor-laden message delivered to Pakistan by the Indian military with a poetic precision.
A collage of images of wreckage of Pakistani drones destroyed by the Indian armed forces under Operation Sindoor and a montage of videos showcasing India’s military’s prowess in all three domains — land, air and sea — played on a large screen along with music.
The message was loud and clear — India’s zero-tolerance for terrorism and its resolute stand to protect the nation’s sovereignty and integrity and ensure safety of its citizens. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
