Indian Air Force conducts precision strike against practice target on Balakot anniversary

The Indian Air Force carried out a long-range precision strike against a practice target to mark the second anniversary of the Balakot airstrikes on Saturday.

Sources said the strike was carried out by members of the same squadron that carried out the actual operations in Balakot in 2019.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria also flew a multi-aircraft sortie with the units to commemorate the occasion, along with the squadron pilots.

The target practice mission area was in the Rajasthan sector while the Air Chief's sortie was in Gwalior.

On February 26, 2019, the Indian Air Force warplanes hit a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in Pakistan to avenge killing of 40 CRPF personnel in the Pulwama terror attack.

Pakistan retaliated the next day but the IAF foiled their plans. The attack by India and subsequent retaliation by Pakistan triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the Balakot airstrikes, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted saying that the success of the air strikes displayed India's strong will to act against terrorism.