New Delhi: After an Indian Air Force fighter jet went down during an aerial encounter over the Line of Control (LOC) on Wednesday and the pilot was captured by Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the chiefs of the three armed forces at his residence on Wednesday.
According to reports, the meeting encompassed the events of the day wherein the IAF thwarted Pakistani F-16 jets that had violated Indian airspace in Lam Valley, Nowshera sector in an effort to attack India’s military installation.
Reports suggest that NSA Ajit Doval provided a report on the Indian Air Force pilot who has been taken into Pakistani custody after his MIG-21 was lost in the counter-operation that saw one Pakistani F-16 being shot down. Three different reports have been submitted to PM Modi – one each by the three chiefs of the Indian Defence.
Earlier in the government has said that it expected the ‘immediate and safe return’ of the pilot in Pakistan’s custody.
In a demarche, India also lodged a strong protest at what it called an “unprovoked act of aggression by Pakistan”, saying its jets targeted military installations in India.
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In the worst escalation of hostilities between the countries in decades, a day after India’s air strike to target a terror camp in Balakot, fighter jets of both sides engaged in direct battle. Pakistan later put out a video of the Indian Air Force pilot whose MiG-21 jet had crashed after shooting down a Pakistani aircraft.
“India also strongly objected to Pakistan’s vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention. It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody,” the government said in its demarche.
Reportedly, the meeting between PM Modi and the three service chiefs and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, that lasted for about one hour and 20 minutes. This was the second meeting in 24 hours.