Can India strike enemies across border like Israel? IAF chief cites example
Air chief marshal AP Singh stressed the importance of developing domestic weapon systems to avoid reliance on foreign arms.
When asked if India could conduct cross-border operations like Israel to eliminate enemies, Air chief marshal AP Singh affirmed that the Indian defence forces have the capability, as demonstrated during the Balakot airstrike in 2019.
‘We can strike enemies in foreign land’: IAF chief
Speaking ahead of Indian Air Force (IAF) Day, AP Singh said at a press conference on Friday, “We have the capability to strike our enemies in foreign lands, which we showed during the Balakot air strikes.”
"But as for who we can target and where, that I won’t disclose," he added.
The Balakot strike in February 2019 was a response to the Pulwama attack, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed by a suicide bomber. In retaliation, IAF Mirage jets used Israeli-origin Spice 2000 bombs to hit Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps in Pakistan.
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Israel killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike in Lebanon on September 27. Israel used bunker buster bombs that penetrated several meters underground to reach Nasrallah's hideout.
ALSO READ- Hassan Nasrallah suffocated to death inside his secret bunker, report reveals gruesome details
Can't rely on foreign weapons: IAF chief
The IAF chief stressed the importance of India developing indigenous weapon systems to avoid dependence on foreign arms, which could become a vulnerability due to shifting international interests.
He urged Indian manufacturers to increase production to ensure self-reliance in future conflicts. "You can't rely on external supplies. It's crucial to produce weapons domestically," IAF chief said.
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"If you need to fight the war...you have to have them being manufactured in India. You cannot afford to have them being bought and rely on that supply chain. It is imperative that we have these things being produced in India...we can't be stocking up everything forever. These things will have life. If we keep stocking up, we'll have wastage," Singh said.
