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IAF strengthened capabilities after Balakot, deployed new acquisitions in Ladakh

Front-line platforms, inducted over the last two years, form a critical part of IAF’s force projection in eastern Ladakh, and have demonstrated its capability to carry out combat missions in the sensitive theatre



The Indian Air Force has strengthened its offensive capabilities significantly since the bombing of Jaish-e-Mohammed targets in Pakistan’s Balakot exactly two years ago, and the months-long border standoff with China saw IAF flex its muscle in the Ladakh theatre where it deployed cutting-edge weaponry inducted after the unprecedented, peace time cross-border strikes on February 26, 2019.

IAF’s Mirage-2000s struck targets in Balakot in response to the Pakistan-backed Pulwama suicide attack in Kashmir in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers were killed on February 14.

Front-line platforms, inducted over the last two years, form a critical part of IAF’s force projection in eastern Ladakh, and have demonstrated its capability to carry out day-and-night, all-weather combat missions in the sensitive theatre, said people familiar with the developments.

The platforms inducted after the Balakot raid include Rafale fighter jets, missiles, smart air-to-ground weapons, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and CH-47F (I) Chinook multi-mission helicopters. To be sure, these acquisitions were planned years before the Balakot strikes but were inducted during the last two years.

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