Pakistan was incapable of affording a full-blown war with India. But the response still had to convey an ‘impression’ to India and the world that Islamabad was willing to escalate the crisis.
The 3 men, who spent 23 years in prison on terror charges before being acquitted by the Rajasthan HC, said the situation had worsened in the last few years.
Two jawans died Tuesday, a day after their convoy was targeted by an explosives-packed car in Pulwama, months after 40 CRPF personnel were killed in the same manner.
On 9 July 1991, then-PM PV Narasimha Rao addressed the nation days before the Budget presentation, admitting that the job of repairing India's sick economy won't be easy, quick, or smooth.
Air India’s new policy, effective from 2 May, introduces new weight limits for tickets in each of the different 'fare families' — Comfort, Comfort Plus, and Flex.
New Delhi has, in past, too, objected to Chinese construction activities in Shaksgam Valley. Work in this strategic region gathered pace after the 2017 Doklam stand-off.
A theme has not yet emerged for BJP & people see lack of a contest, which makes it unexciting. For all these reasons, 2024 is turning out to be an unexpectedly theme-less election.
Totally biased and unprofessional article..Making joke of IAF in the eyes of every sensible and honest person.PAF totally owned IAF on 27th february captured IAF pilot and completely achieved their target by bombing their designated targets..F16 downed only in IAF dreams for proof IAF MIG 21 wreckage intact with all missiles and fuel tanks available for any independent journalist for inspection.
Stop making indians fun in international community.Accept your weakness and Improve
I have been too late to comment on it but honestly bro, you must hv hit your head real hard..
i dont know whats the purpose of this writeup, but you can fool around here by doing what you want but you are lowering your own status and credit by doing such writeups. comeup with something making sense i will support you definitley.
I wouldn’t like to insult anybody intelligence.the author if this article has not provided anything to substantiate anything.
Firstly no proof of any planes been shot down in India territory, secondly one spice missile would have sufficed to blow up the target building however your showing points where the missiles have penentated the building, bearing in mind the same building was shown on international media outlets.
WHY IS UR PUBLICATION spewing fake propaganda and spreading hate. Pakistan even sent the indian pilot back, who 8ncidently commented how well he was looked after.
We are neighbours and should try to better ourselves and get on. Our masses are poor and Hungary and yet your feeding the elitist agenda.
If you don’t have the decency to print the truth then don’t spread lies and hate.
Care to explain how just one SPICE was enough! Are you an expert? What about the propaganda of ISPR that it’s been spewing since 1949! You guys blindly believe your side of news and our side is just propaganda! Is this a one way circus going on or what!! 4 wars we’ve fought, each started by Pakistan. Pakistan hasn’t won any and then tells it’s public that they won each war and it’s false propaganda by Indian media that India won. What a load of bollocks!
I feel sorry for indian people how their media and govt making them fool. Abhinandan plane all missiles were intact then how can he shot down f16 I think with his blows. Both airforces are professional and ready to lay their lives for their country but this is reality PAF is world’s one of the professional airforce and has top pilots of the world accept the reality other wise ur own govt said it would be different if we had rafales I think u know its meaning
The comments of several PAK readers on this article proves how biased their point of view is, ignoring obvious involuntary evidence provided by their own DGISPR and PM. Some of the comments even refer to these official statements as ‘confusion’. A confusion with such clarity – that’s what it seems to be, informing the world that a second pilot was seriously wounded and admitted to a specific hospital. WOW! looks like someone in the street watching the sky that day picked up the phone to call and inform DGISPR. Believing the stranger’s story, the DGISPR informed the PM, who believing DGISPR announced about the second pilot in their Parliament. LOL
For all Pakistani readers, below are a few of the past confusions that the Pakistani army had in the past, which may be clear now for all Pakistani people.
Confusion 1965 – Sqd. Ldr. A.B. Devaiah downed the most advanced PAF fighter of those days, F 104 Starfighter, with IAF’s humble Dassault Mystère IV. The confusion was made public 30 years later through PAF’s appointed writer, John Fricker on his book about PAF.
Confusion 1971 – Ever heard of a place called East Pakistan? To avoid any confusion like your DGISPR, refer to history books. If your history book tells you that West Pakistanis gifted East Pakistani to the Bangladeshis, it could be a similar confusion.
Confusion Kargil – Another confusion to then Pakistan Army and its Genera – Kargil heights was not occupied by the Pakistani army regulars but by militants. Now everyone including their then PM, ISI chief and President acknowledge it was a confusion that they did clear to the Pakistani people.
Confusion Osama – Another confusion about whether Americans fooled the Pakistan Army or whether Osama fooled the Pakistan Army or whether Pakistan Army fooled Pakistanis and the rest of the word.
As Indians, we welcome more such confusion as long as the result continues to be the same as the past.
Leave Osama, Pakistani Army or Americans did not use word confusion about Osama.
The confusion was shooting down own Mi17 helicopter by IAF. Confusion is that you slumdogs are still paranoid with Pakistan when Chinese forces have taken away 4000 sq. km. of land Ladakh after killing 20-100 Indian soldiers by breaking their arms, legs and necks. Modi at first claimed that no Chinese incursion took place, the very later he visited the Ladakh but not Galwan Valley.
World’s most shameless nation which has lived under Muslim minority rule as ‘slaves’ for 1200 years, suffered humiliation at the hands of a small country Pakistan on Feb 27, 2019. But still these shameless Hindus recall half a century old 1971 event, and imaginary shooting down of advanced aircraft by shamelessly mentioning half truth and imaginary braveries.
Indians are hellbent to make a fool of themselves by beating the F-16 drum over and over again. It’s typical of Indians, for their childishness is no secret from the film industry to media outlets. This article itself is a typical example of that very emotional but erratic analytical approach to things relating to Pakistan that don’t seem to add up at all. Such articles deserve a laughter for one that they can’t even hide their nationalistic bias, let alone maintaining journalistic professionalism and objectivity.
Abhinandan’s Russian plane could carry only 4 air to air missiles and all four of them were collected from the crash site. They were displayed for the media by the ISPR. How did he manage to shoot down an F-16 without ever firing a missile? Maybe with his blows. Secondly, the entire world knows nothing happened in Balakot except missing the mark badly and the IAF had to lick dust for failing to achieve a meager target in the first place and then being unable to stop PAF, a rather smaller force, from intruding and bombing Indian territory while shooting down a MiG-21 and an SU-30. What IAF could manage to do at best, on the other hand, was to shoot down its own chopper. I will definitely make some noise for the Indian bravado in maiming their own friendly fire kill.
Hell yeah the media Lollipop given to all indian….i appreciate the way writer has twisted all the facts in IAF’s favor whereas it was a daymare for the IAF & ultimate Humiliation for thier Sukhoi’s + Bonus was Abhi nandan, or you think that also didn’t ever happen & abhi nandan was a Pakistani actor
You guys Cure corona from Cow’s pee …your scientist’s says Einstein theoies are wrong …no wonder if you say, sob ass can be re-absored in your mum’s vagin@ indian will agree with that …anyways move forward lets hear how many shortcomings IAF suffers
IAF sources told NDTV:
Among the Indian Air Force’s fighters which were targeted were two Sukhoi-30s which managed to evade the AMRAAMs which were fired at close to their maximum range of 100 kilometres. Fully defensive and desperate to escape the incoming AMRAAMs, the IAF Sukhoi-30s escaped being shot down but were unable to retaliate the F-16s because they were out of position and their own missiles, the Russian R-77s, did not have the range to realistically engage the Pakistani fighters. that the Russian missiles do not match its advertised range and cannot engage targets which are more than 80 kilometres away.
Pakistan army’s only one goal has been Kashmir. 73 years have passed and still it’s a dream for them. On the other hand you have lost half of your country in 1971 and you still have the audacity to come and bark in a Indian news channel. Ha ha
Still waiting for indian proof of them shooting down an f 16. They can count 300 terrorists they claimed to kill but cant show any proof of the f16??? If it had been shot down then it should have been found anywhere between south kashmir and where abinandan aka failed pilot / national hero was shot down. Even the u.s said pakistans inventory is full. When will india allow u.n obserbers into jammu kashmir
I think you dont read newspapers or watch news channels. I think you should because that will keep you updated about the statements that your fu***ng PM give every time and at last creates confusion for the people of pakistan.
IAF has already showed the radar images.
Your PM can tell lie, your forces can tell lie but technology nevers.
The wreckage of the f16 downed by WGC ABHINANDAN fell in POK, which your forces took as an advantage and did’nt showed it to the media.
And if still you didnt believe this then nothing
can be done.
No problem we can understand the situation you are facing. No one accepts its failure.
The publisher is fooling here the whole world with the incorrect information. Pakistan lost none of the aircraft in this aerial trial over Indian Air Force. However, Indian should be thankful to us for not killing the other Mirage-2000 formation which came beyond the ill fated Indian aircraft. Ask Abi Nandhan before publishing the next part.
IAF shooting down it’s own mi-17 helicopter (taking it for a PAF aircraft) deep inside IOK reflects the confusion and extremely tense situation prevailing in the IAF ranks from top to bottom.
It also reflects their level of training, so called commitment, resolve and preparedness.
Good write. However, quite naturally the Indian author give a bollywoodistic tinge to the whole story when he mentioned that few Indian pilots faced the large formation of enemy and forced them to retreat thus making a history.
It’s been a Year now. All the international experts have rejected Indian claim of shooting down of F 16.
A master story teller. Good details with some cooked up narratives. In fact the Indian strike was an embarrassing goof up. Now that most of the details are out, a correction in the narrative is in order. All Indian bombs missed. Thankfully, nobody was killed otherwise the PAF would have to retaliate in kind. The PAF shot down a SU-30 and a Mig 21. The Indians shot their own helicopter. In a desperate search for heroes, Abhinandan was awarded for being shot down and the other pilots for missing targets. The fratricide guys were court martialled. In fact Modi should have been kicked for being an air strategist and half the IAF top brass fired for telling lies. After all how can you lie over the bodies of your own crew.
There will be plenty of versions from both sides, with each claiming victory. Irrespective of which version one believes, some events cannot be challenged, IAF breached Pakistani airspace and dropped their ammunition which PAF and their air defence systems failed to stop. Pakistan cordoned off the bombed area for 45 + days and did not allow anyone into the vicinity. Next day PAF hit back and dropped their quota of ammunition which missed any important target. IAF lost a MIG 21 and it’s pilot was captured. Everything else is speculation with no definite evidence. Make of this what you will.
conveniently forgetting the Fratricide which was basically the biggest human tragedy of the entire balakot/retort skirmish that nobody disputes!
Being from the other side of the border, I must say it’s a reasonably good article. But there are some sweeping statements about PAF without any corroborative references or evidence.
LOL. Indians still stuck dreaming shooting down an F 16. Please move on, no one in the world except deluded Indians believe the Junk MIG 21 shot down anything. There are no proofs that you have presented that the world considers anything to be taken seriously. All you have are your own inferences from statements made by DG ISPR, Bollywood inspired stories of Pakistanis lynching their own pilot, and some random videos of puff of smoke and smoke trails on Youtube. LOL comoon would you believe us If we used these as proofs?
Haha…
Why PAF was not able to prevent balakot airstrike.IAF breached ur airspace whilePAF was incompetently watching.
Idiotic pakis always believe in heroics of their incapable defences services.
May be Balakot airstrikes they will remember for long.
F 16 shooting down by MIG bison is a tight slap on incapable and ill trained PAF.
You Indian always convince on Bollywood type proof given by Sameer. Balakot is blunder done by IAF. .
Sumit give it up! No Pakistan Air Force F16 was shot down and this has been verifed by a count by the US of Pakistani F16 aircraft, as reported by Foreign Policy magazine, a highly reputable US publication. The Indian Air Force strike at Balakot was a dud as it missed its target, again verified by independent sources (including Australian and others) using satellite pictures of the site before and after the strike. At the same time the undeniable facts are that an Indian MiG 21 was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force and its pilot captured and that an Indian Mi 17 helicopter was shot down by friendly fire and tragically the six military personnel on board died. It is quite clear that in this instance Indian Air Force was outclassed by the Pakistan Air Force! Accept this and learn some lessons, and that is the only rational and sensible approach to avoid making the same mistakes again.
So you’re saying that DG ISPR made unfounded tweets about 2 pilots in custody with details to the extent of one of them being in serious condition in a particular hospital. And later showed the good sense to delete them. BTW, how did you guys manage to lose a JF-17 a few days later in an excercise? Surprising to say the least that you guys do live firing during a training exercise when your own aircraft are in the air! Smells like a cover up. OK, maybe Abhinandan didn’t shoot down an F-16 but confused it with a JF-17 which could look similar at a distance and from certain angles. What is not in doubt is that PAF did lose a fighter that day.
These things happen in the Fog of War and initially there was a lot of confusion on both sides. Your Govt and Forces denied losing a MIG 21 initially, but later changed their stance and admitted the loss. So Initially 2, 3 different companies of the army reported capturing the same pilot Abhinandan and hence the confusion on DG ISPRs part. Everyone know it was Abhinandan who was also treated at the CMH as well. So please stop making stuff up out of nothing to keep your selves happy. The US DOD officials did a count of the PAF F 16s and confirmed none was missing which was published in Foreign Policy Magazine. Of course you guys don’t believe this either and quote a fabricated article from Hindustan Times to say Pentagon denies doing the count LOL.
Please wake up and ask yourself where are the gun camera footage from your planes, there must be a footage of an F16 being shot down??? Or ask yourself that your Air Force must know the location and coordinates of F16 wreckage so why couldn’t it pick it up on satellite and show the wreckage to the world??? Ask yourself why were your mighty Su30s chickening out trying desperately to evade AMRAAMs fired by PAF and couldn’t fire a single missile of their own??? Ask yourself how such a well trained air force which you guys think IAF is could shoot down its own helicopter killing 6 of its own soldiers???
Funny even after all of this you guys have the audacity to say such things or write such articles as this one.
LOL I think you saying PAF maybe lost a JF17 instead of F16 and even your Govt and Air Force might not know since they look similar shows you know nothing about aerial warfare. This is a new story all together from the Indian side. The world is getting tired of hearing these stories. Stop embarrassing yourselves now. No F 16 was shot down, there is no evidence that any one in the world accepts to date.
LOL and again another made up story only Indians believe. PAF didn’t lose any JF17 in exercise a few days after 27th Feb.
Amazing analysis and a well researched paper. I was totally engrossed while reading it. I am looking forward to read the next part
Seems quite well researched.
My only question is ….why the jingoism about superlative performance by IAF ??? … when your own article speaks of the PAF displaying better vision, customised modernisation of its platforms (within their resources) and greater flexibility in conduct of operations ?? It also highlights the supposed vulnerability of Su30MKIs to BVR wpns becuse of which they stayed at extreme rgs ?? Can we just rest easy because we have a few upgraded Mirage 2000s ? The F16 kill was the only saving grace …that too happened by pure good luck, presence of mind and good dogfighting skills at close range by Abhinandan ….otherwise it would ve been only loss of a Bison aircraft on our side.
Nobody believes in F-16 fictitious kill except Indians.
If your SU-30s has to stay at extreme ranges, how can you expect that they would allow mig-21 to come closer.
Mig-21 was a piece of cake locked by more than 4 aircrafts and as soon as he crossed the LoC, leader of the formation himself pressed the trigger and called Fox-3.
If read carefully, article is completely pointed on the training, planning and capabilities of just PAF. Almost zero info is given about plaNS and training of Indian airforce. Read last para carefully you get what I am putting forward.. it’s not at all wise to make any judgement on IAF since it’s the overall analysis of PAF not IAF…
This article clearly lacks any references and based on the assumptions of the writer himself.
Training and planning of the IAF can easily be evaluated from the shooting down of its own MI-17. Please don’t present any other reasons to cover up the incompetence.
Radars of SU-30s and Mig couldn’t sync up due to heavy EW and jamming. IAF was at the state of complete disarray when it was under attack.
Well said and true. It’s funny how India got 2 of their planes shot down, and downed their own helicopter which showed it was in a state of complete unpreparedness and also showcased their poor training, yet the author here is somehow saying Pakistan’s operation Swift Retort wasn’t a success and it was because of Indian Air forces training and resolve LOL.
Do you really think F16 was struck down by a Mig21 ? hahahaha what the…
There was no F16 downed, and you conveniently ignored the Mi17 that would never have been downed had it not been for PAF retort! The Mi17 is the greatest human tragedy of the event that nobody disputes
Sameer, well researched and articulated. How one question befuddles me ….India has a Defence Budget that’s 5 times Pak for years now …. sld not the IAF achieved such a massive technological advantage over PAF that the 27th adventure by PAF sld have resulted in massive losses for PAF …. instead we discussing score lines ? PAF sld never have had the gumption to Counter strike. Who in the INDIAN ESTABLISHMENT ISS RESPONSIBLE?
Our stupid Defense Acquisition Council has impoverished our defence courses especially the IAF. Congress Govt after 2004 has made it worse with no new aircraft in the inventory after inducting Sukhoi. Quite startling to see that when the great economies are looking to induct 5th Gen aircraft, we still are evaluating 4th Gen aircraft vis a vis MMRCA 2.0. God knows who will be the winner. No one seems fit. Rafale won’t come at $15 billion for 114. AMCA, the Indian so-called 5th gen aircraft won’t come before mid of 2030s if everything goes as planned.
Wait for second article, article doesn’t say anything about IAF?
This is what you call overconfidence.
Just wondering why nobody is raising questions about self-shooting of the helicopter. Just imagine the amount of Panic that PAF created in Indian control rooms on that day.
Perhaps you would take out sometime to read US report on the count of F 16s. They are still the same as they were at the time of purchase. Moreover New York Times also states Pakistan victorious. That is a neutral report.
Doosra banda doesn’t prove F16, if your car key is missing would you run to say your car is stolen or would you actually check the car? a year and not a single bolt let alone an F16 has been proven!
If IAF was better why did it not escalate after PAK attacked??
A well analysed paper with a detailed research and pragmatic professional assessment of the PAF’s opl preparedness. It will be interesting to read the next part. Well done.
This is one of the best pieces of journalism I have read from any of the Indian media. Don’t know how much truth is in this but very detailed, descriptive and thorough. This kind of journalism is what we need more. Thank you and keep up the good job.
i can only laugh at this comment. Saying “don’t know how much truth in this” and then praising the detail, description and thorough. What an idiot.
One can write a million pages filled with description and thoroughness, but if its all fiction than who cares. Truth comes first.
I agree that this is a very well researched article and is accurate in describing the Pakistan Air Force as a very professional organization and the strategy and tactics it used. . I think the author should have stayed true to his analysis rather than veering off into jingoism by attempting to justify Indian Air Force performance. The facts are that the Indian attack at Balakot was a bust as verified by independent analysts. The Indian Air Force missed their target! The following day the Pakistan Air Force was very effective in electronic warfare and neutralized the Indian Su 30 MKI, reducing them to hapless bystanders. Wing Commander Abhinandan had his communications jammed and was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force. There is absolutely no evidence that he shot down any Pakistani aircraft. Incidentally, Abhinandan’s MiG 21 Bison was a highly capable upgraded aircraft with state of the art radar and avionics. In some ways more advanced then the Pakistan Air Force’s mostly early model F-16. The author mentions the objectives of the Pakistan Air Force and I believe that an impartial analysis would show that they more than achieved these objectives. For an excellent analysis of how the Pakistan Air Force outclassed and dominated the Indian Air Force in February 2019 I would recommend comments by a highly respected Indian Defence Analyst, Praveen Sawhney, available on U-Tube.
This is all bullshit.
Just watch these two videos and see how IAF was on the mercy of PAF on 27th.
Very well researched and factual account of PAF’s tactics, capabilities and abilities..While there plan’s are brilliant and audacious, they more often than not falter in their assessment of IAF’s capabilities and execution..It is a testimony to the ultimate edge which the IAF pilots probably have due to better training, management of resources and above all the individual grit and determination of the pilots themselves.. Ultimately, it’s the Man behind the Machine that matters..Wing Cdr Abhinandan is a prime example of that..
How do you know know this is factual? What sources does he offer. It could mostly be an imagined write up sprinkled with some elements of truth.
Well written article which is prefaced with the promise of no jingoism. Not sure that’s the case though. Each side has a different narrative, with the Pakistani side so much more believable – from the Pulwama incident “holes”, to the Balakot target unaffected post IAF strike, the large number of purported casualties that went without trace, the fake testimonial propoganda around the casualties, to no wreckage of the F-16 shot down and Abhinandan’s missile warheads that were presented intact. Add to this footage of the burning IAF SU-30, and the mauling of Abhinandan – which country’s jingoistic narrative should one believe?
Seriously, the burning Su 30 and missile warheads. Seems you haven’t counter checked your points.
Fairly complicated mix up of PAF. Look like Paf has achieved a near parity with IAF. It will be very educative to IAF to get to know the PAF achievements while missions in vazirstan.Also whether PAF has any support from military satellites either its own or by china. It looks like Turkey is slowly turning into Pakistani supporter to the exent that it will offer PAF the needed depth by passing Afghnistan. I wonder whether PAF can launch F-16 from bases in Turkey or may use Turkey air space for running away from IAF long range attack aircraft as a safe zone. Turkey is still a member of NATO. Hance it will be prudent for India to manage its relationship with Turkey intelligently to deny PAF any advantage. The doctorine of max force in first strike itself by pakistan did not succeed druing 1965 hence it is unlikely it will again use the same tactice in next comat is debatable. IAF has a challenge of creating a pressure points over southern pakistan and effectively draw down the PAF from norhern India.
Pakistans PM and ISPR were very factual ! Saying they shot down 3 pilots and changing it to 1 after realizing it was their own 2 PAF pilots of F-16 !!! Complete pak population is under its armys fake propoganda !!
Then counter it point by point, if you will.
All bullshiy. India don’t have guts to start war against Pakistan. They are in dark, no idea about what Pakistan is capable of.
India – Pak fought 4 wars and all went against pakistan. So we are well aware of pakistans capability ! Pakistan doing great job fooling its population.
I think in this case it is the Indian government “doing great job in fooling its population.” The verified facts according to international and Indian sources are: 1. The Indian attack at Balakot was a dud as they missed their targets. Verified by international analysts using satellite images. 2. Pakistan Air Force attacked Indian military targets in Indian Occupied Kashmir carefully avoiding causing any casualties. Indians have admitted that Pakistanis used stand-off munitions in Indian Occupied Kashmir. 3. An Indian MiG 21 Bison was shot down and its pilot captured. Acknowledged by India. 4. A US Department of Defense count of Pakistan F-16s showed that none were missing. 5. An Indian Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by friendly fire in Indian Occupied Kashmir with a loss of seven lives. Admitted by India. These are facts and that would suggest that Pakistan’s account is more accurate than that of the Indian government.
Totally biased and unprofessional article..Making joke of IAF in the eyes of every sensible and honest person.PAF totally owned IAF on 27th february captured IAF pilot and completely achieved their target by bombing their designated targets..F16 downed only in IAF dreams for proof IAF MIG 21 wreckage intact with all missiles and fuel tanks available for any independent journalist for inspection.
Stop making indians fun in international community.Accept your weakness and Improve
I have been too late to comment on it but honestly bro, you must hv hit your head real hard..
i dont know whats the purpose of this writeup, but you can fool around here by doing what you want but you are lowering your own status and credit by doing such writeups. comeup with something making sense i will support you definitley.
Thankyou..
Have a good day sir.
Just read this pack of lies while having a CUP of Tea.
Guess what? My Tea tastes more Fantastic now?
Never knew “The Print” uses bollywood script writers for covering serious war business.
I wouldn’t like to insult anybody intelligence.the author if this article has not provided anything to substantiate anything.
Firstly no proof of any planes been shot down in India territory, secondly one spice missile would have sufficed to blow up the target building however your showing points where the missiles have penentated the building, bearing in mind the same building was shown on international media outlets.
WHY IS UR PUBLICATION spewing fake propaganda and spreading hate. Pakistan even sent the indian pilot back, who 8ncidently commented how well he was looked after.
We are neighbours and should try to better ourselves and get on. Our masses are poor and Hungary and yet your feeding the elitist agenda.
If you don’t have the decency to print the truth then don’t spread lies and hate.
Care to explain how just one SPICE was enough! Are you an expert? What about the propaganda of ISPR that it’s been spewing since 1949! You guys blindly believe your side of news and our side is just propaganda! Is this a one way circus going on or what!! 4 wars we’ve fought, each started by Pakistan. Pakistan hasn’t won any and then tells it’s public that they won each war and it’s false propaganda by Indian media that India won. What a load of bollocks!
I feel sorry for indian people how their media and govt making them fool. Abhinandan plane all missiles were intact then how can he shot down f16 I think with his blows. Both airforces are professional and ready to lay their lives for their country but this is reality PAF is world’s one of the professional airforce and has top pilots of the world accept the reality other wise ur own govt said it would be different if we had rafales I think u know its meaning
The comments of several PAK readers on this article proves how biased their point of view is, ignoring obvious involuntary evidence provided by their own DGISPR and PM. Some of the comments even refer to these official statements as ‘confusion’. A confusion with such clarity – that’s what it seems to be, informing the world that a second pilot was seriously wounded and admitted to a specific hospital. WOW! looks like someone in the street watching the sky that day picked up the phone to call and inform DGISPR. Believing the stranger’s story, the DGISPR informed the PM, who believing DGISPR announced about the second pilot in their Parliament. LOL
For all Pakistani readers, below are a few of the past confusions that the Pakistani army had in the past, which may be clear now for all Pakistani people.
Confusion 1965 – Sqd. Ldr. A.B. Devaiah downed the most advanced PAF fighter of those days, F 104 Starfighter, with IAF’s humble Dassault Mystère IV. The confusion was made public 30 years later through PAF’s appointed writer, John Fricker on his book about PAF.
Confusion 1971 – Ever heard of a place called East Pakistan? To avoid any confusion like your DGISPR, refer to history books. If your history book tells you that West Pakistanis gifted East Pakistani to the Bangladeshis, it could be a similar confusion.
Confusion Kargil – Another confusion to then Pakistan Army and its Genera – Kargil heights was not occupied by the Pakistani army regulars but by militants. Now everyone including their then PM, ISI chief and President acknowledge it was a confusion that they did clear to the Pakistani people.
Confusion Osama – Another confusion about whether Americans fooled the Pakistan Army or whether Osama fooled the Pakistan Army or whether Pakistan Army fooled Pakistanis and the rest of the word.
As Indians, we welcome more such confusion as long as the result continues to be the same as the past.
Leave Osama, Pakistani Army or Americans did not use word confusion about Osama.
The confusion was shooting down own Mi17 helicopter by IAF. Confusion is that you slumdogs are still paranoid with Pakistan when Chinese forces have taken away 4000 sq. km. of land Ladakh after killing 20-100 Indian soldiers by breaking their arms, legs and necks. Modi at first claimed that no Chinese incursion took place, the very later he visited the Ladakh but not Galwan Valley.
World’s most shameless nation which has lived under Muslim minority rule as ‘slaves’ for 1200 years, suffered humiliation at the hands of a small country Pakistan on Feb 27, 2019. But still these shameless Hindus recall half a century old 1971 event, and imaginary shooting down of advanced aircraft by shamelessly mentioning half truth and imaginary braveries.
Indians are hellbent to make a fool of themselves by beating the F-16 drum over and over again. It’s typical of Indians, for their childishness is no secret from the film industry to media outlets. This article itself is a typical example of that very emotional but erratic analytical approach to things relating to Pakistan that don’t seem to add up at all. Such articles deserve a laughter for one that they can’t even hide their nationalistic bias, let alone maintaining journalistic professionalism and objectivity.
Abhinandan’s Russian plane could carry only 4 air to air missiles and all four of them were collected from the crash site. They were displayed for the media by the ISPR. How did he manage to shoot down an F-16 without ever firing a missile? Maybe with his blows. Secondly, the entire world knows nothing happened in Balakot except missing the mark badly and the IAF had to lick dust for failing to achieve a meager target in the first place and then being unable to stop PAF, a rather smaller force, from intruding and bombing Indian territory while shooting down a MiG-21 and an SU-30. What IAF could manage to do at best, on the other hand, was to shoot down its own chopper. I will definitely make some noise for the Indian bravado in maiming their own friendly fire kill.
Hell yeah the media Lollipop given to all indian….i appreciate the way writer has twisted all the facts in IAF’s favor whereas it was a daymare for the IAF & ultimate Humiliation for thier Sukhoi’s + Bonus was Abhi nandan, or you think that also didn’t ever happen & abhi nandan was a Pakistani actor
You guys Cure corona from Cow’s pee …your scientist’s says Einstein theoies are wrong …no wonder if you say, sob ass can be re-absored in your mum’s vagin@ indian will agree with that …anyways move forward lets hear how many shortcomings IAF suffers
IAF sources told NDTV:
Among the Indian Air Force’s fighters which were targeted were two Sukhoi-30s which managed to evade the AMRAAMs which were fired at close to their maximum range of 100 kilometres. Fully defensive and desperate to escape the incoming AMRAAMs, the IAF Sukhoi-30s escaped being shot down but were unable to retaliate the F-16s because they were out of position and their own missiles, the Russian R-77s, did not have the range to realistically engage the Pakistani fighters. that the Russian missiles do not match its advertised range and cannot engage targets which are more than 80 kilometres away.
Pakistan army’s only one goal has been Kashmir. 73 years have passed and still it’s a dream for them. On the other hand you have lost half of your country in 1971 and you still have the audacity to come and bark in a Indian news channel. Ha ha
Still waiting for indian proof of them shooting down an f 16. They can count 300 terrorists they claimed to kill but cant show any proof of the f16??? If it had been shot down then it should have been found anywhere between south kashmir and where abinandan aka failed pilot / national hero was shot down. Even the u.s said pakistans inventory is full. When will india allow u.n obserbers into jammu kashmir
I think you dont read newspapers or watch news channels. I think you should because that will keep you updated about the statements that your fu***ng PM give every time and at last creates confusion for the people of pakistan.
IAF has already showed the radar images.
Your PM can tell lie, your forces can tell lie but technology nevers.
The wreckage of the f16 downed by WGC ABHINANDAN fell in POK, which your forces took as an advantage and did’nt showed it to the media.
And if still you didnt believe this then nothing
can be done.
No problem we can understand the situation you are facing. No one accepts its failure.
The publisher is fooling here the whole world with the incorrect information. Pakistan lost none of the aircraft in this aerial trial over Indian Air Force. However, Indian should be thankful to us for not killing the other Mirage-2000 formation which came beyond the ill fated Indian aircraft. Ask Abi Nandhan before publishing the next part.
IAF shooting down it’s own mi-17 helicopter (taking it for a PAF aircraft) deep inside IOK reflects the confusion and extremely tense situation prevailing in the IAF ranks from top to bottom.
It also reflects their level of training, so called commitment, resolve and preparedness.
It’s bundle of false information
And the author after narrating the biased fairy tale forgets to shed light upon the events after PAF response. He goes to sleep.. Dreaming of Rafales…
Good write. However, quite naturally the Indian author give a bollywoodistic tinge to the whole story when he mentioned that few Indian pilots faced the large formation of enemy and forced them to retreat thus making a history.
It’s been a Year now. All the international experts have rejected Indian claim of shooting down of F 16.
A master story teller. Good details with some cooked up narratives. In fact the Indian strike was an embarrassing goof up. Now that most of the details are out, a correction in the narrative is in order. All Indian bombs missed. Thankfully, nobody was killed otherwise the PAF would have to retaliate in kind. The PAF shot down a SU-30 and a Mig 21. The Indians shot their own helicopter. In a desperate search for heroes, Abhinandan was awarded for being shot down and the other pilots for missing targets. The fratricide guys were court martialled. In fact Modi should have been kicked for being an air strategist and half the IAF top brass fired for telling lies. After all how can you lie over the bodies of your own crew.
when is second part expected?
Very informative and well researched . Eagerly waiting for the next part. Please publish soon.
There will be plenty of versions from both sides, with each claiming victory. Irrespective of which version one believes, some events cannot be challenged, IAF breached Pakistani airspace and dropped their ammunition which PAF and their air defence systems failed to stop. Pakistan cordoned off the bombed area for 45 + days and did not allow anyone into the vicinity. Next day PAF hit back and dropped their quota of ammunition which missed any important target. IAF lost a MIG 21 and it’s pilot was captured. Everything else is speculation with no definite evidence. Make of this what you will.
conveniently forgetting the Fratricide which was basically the biggest human tragedy of the entire balakot/retort skirmish that nobody disputes!
Being from the other side of the border, I must say it’s a reasonably good article. But there are some sweeping statements about PAF without any corroborative references or evidence.
LOL. Indians still stuck dreaming shooting down an F 16. Please move on, no one in the world except deluded Indians believe the Junk MIG 21 shot down anything. There are no proofs that you have presented that the world considers anything to be taken seriously. All you have are your own inferences from statements made by DG ISPR, Bollywood inspired stories of Pakistanis lynching their own pilot, and some random videos of puff of smoke and smoke trails on Youtube. LOL comoon would you believe us If we used these as proofs?
Haha…
Why PAF was not able to prevent balakot airstrike.IAF breached ur airspace whilePAF was incompetently watching.
Idiotic pakis always believe in heroics of their incapable defences services.
May be Balakot airstrikes they will remember for long.
F 16 shooting down by MIG bison is a tight slap on incapable and ill trained PAF.
You Indian always convince on Bollywood type proof given by Sameer. Balakot is blunder done by IAF. .
Sumit give it up! No Pakistan Air Force F16 was shot down and this has been verifed by a count by the US of Pakistani F16 aircraft, as reported by Foreign Policy magazine, a highly reputable US publication. The Indian Air Force strike at Balakot was a dud as it missed its target, again verified by independent sources (including Australian and others) using satellite pictures of the site before and after the strike. At the same time the undeniable facts are that an Indian MiG 21 was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force and its pilot captured and that an Indian Mi 17 helicopter was shot down by friendly fire and tragically the six military personnel on board died. It is quite clear that in this instance Indian Air Force was outclassed by the Pakistan Air Force! Accept this and learn some lessons, and that is the only rational and sensible approach to avoid making the same mistakes again.
So you’re saying that DG ISPR made unfounded tweets about 2 pilots in custody with details to the extent of one of them being in serious condition in a particular hospital. And later showed the good sense to delete them. BTW, how did you guys manage to lose a JF-17 a few days later in an excercise? Surprising to say the least that you guys do live firing during a training exercise when your own aircraft are in the air! Smells like a cover up. OK, maybe Abhinandan didn’t shoot down an F-16 but confused it with a JF-17 which could look similar at a distance and from certain angles. What is not in doubt is that PAF did lose a fighter that day.
These things happen in the Fog of War and initially there was a lot of confusion on both sides. Your Govt and Forces denied losing a MIG 21 initially, but later changed their stance and admitted the loss. So Initially 2, 3 different companies of the army reported capturing the same pilot Abhinandan and hence the confusion on DG ISPRs part. Everyone know it was Abhinandan who was also treated at the CMH as well. So please stop making stuff up out of nothing to keep your selves happy. The US DOD officials did a count of the PAF F 16s and confirmed none was missing which was published in Foreign Policy Magazine. Of course you guys don’t believe this either and quote a fabricated article from Hindustan Times to say Pentagon denies doing the count LOL.
Please wake up and ask yourself where are the gun camera footage from your planes, there must be a footage of an F16 being shot down??? Or ask yourself that your Air Force must know the location and coordinates of F16 wreckage so why couldn’t it pick it up on satellite and show the wreckage to the world??? Ask yourself why were your mighty Su30s chickening out trying desperately to evade AMRAAMs fired by PAF and couldn’t fire a single missile of their own??? Ask yourself how such a well trained air force which you guys think IAF is could shoot down its own helicopter killing 6 of its own soldiers???
Funny even after all of this you guys have the audacity to say such things or write such articles as this one.
LOL I think you saying PAF maybe lost a JF17 instead of F16 and even your Govt and Air Force might not know since they look similar shows you know nothing about aerial warfare. This is a new story all together from the Indian side. The world is getting tired of hearing these stories. Stop embarrassing yourselves now. No F 16 was shot down, there is no evidence that any one in the world accepts to date.
LOL and again another made up story only Indians believe. PAF didn’t lose any JF17 in exercise a few days after 27th Feb.
Amazing analysis and a well researched paper. I was totally engrossed while reading it. I am looking forward to read the next part
Seems quite well researched.
My only question is ….why the jingoism about superlative performance by IAF ??? … when your own article speaks of the PAF displaying better vision, customised modernisation of its platforms (within their resources) and greater flexibility in conduct of operations ?? It also highlights the supposed vulnerability of Su30MKIs to BVR wpns becuse of which they stayed at extreme rgs ?? Can we just rest easy because we have a few upgraded Mirage 2000s ? The F16 kill was the only saving grace …that too happened by pure good luck, presence of mind and good dogfighting skills at close range by Abhinandan ….otherwise it would ve been only loss of a Bison aircraft on our side.
Nobody believes in F-16 fictitious kill except Indians.
If your SU-30s has to stay at extreme ranges, how can you expect that they would allow mig-21 to come closer.
Mig-21 was a piece of cake locked by more than 4 aircrafts and as soon as he crossed the LoC, leader of the formation himself pressed the trigger and called Fox-3.
If read carefully, article is completely pointed on the training, planning and capabilities of just PAF. Almost zero info is given about plaNS and training of Indian airforce. Read last para carefully you get what I am putting forward.. it’s not at all wise to make any judgement on IAF since it’s the overall analysis of PAF not IAF…
This article clearly lacks any references and based on the assumptions of the writer himself.
Training and planning of the IAF can easily be evaluated from the shooting down of its own MI-17. Please don’t present any other reasons to cover up the incompetence.
Radars of SU-30s and Mig couldn’t sync up due to heavy EW and jamming. IAF was at the state of complete disarray when it was under attack.
Well said and true. It’s funny how India got 2 of their planes shot down, and downed their own helicopter which showed it was in a state of complete unpreparedness and also showcased their poor training, yet the author here is somehow saying Pakistan’s operation Swift Retort wasn’t a success and it was because of Indian Air forces training and resolve LOL.
Do you really think F16 was struck down by a Mig21 ? hahahaha what the…
There was no F16 downed, and you conveniently ignored the Mi17 that would never have been downed had it not been for PAF retort! The Mi17 is the greatest human tragedy of the event that nobody disputes
Sameer, well researched and articulated. How one question befuddles me ….India has a Defence Budget that’s 5 times Pak for years now …. sld not the IAF achieved such a massive technological advantage over PAF that the 27th adventure by PAF sld have resulted in massive losses for PAF …. instead we discussing score lines ? PAF sld never have had the gumption to Counter strike. Who in the INDIAN ESTABLISHMENT ISS RESPONSIBLE?
Our stupid Defense Acquisition Council has impoverished our defence courses especially the IAF. Congress Govt after 2004 has made it worse with no new aircraft in the inventory after inducting Sukhoi. Quite startling to see that when the great economies are looking to induct 5th Gen aircraft, we still are evaluating 4th Gen aircraft vis a vis MMRCA 2.0. God knows who will be the winner. No one seems fit. Rafale won’t come at $15 billion for 114. AMCA, the Indian so-called 5th gen aircraft won’t come before mid of 2030s if everything goes as planned.
Wait for second article, article doesn’t say anything about IAF?
This is what you call overconfidence.
Just wondering why nobody is raising questions about self-shooting of the helicopter. Just imagine the amount of Panic that PAF created in Indian control rooms on that day.
At 2:20 listen “Doosra Bandah” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETkxbP9aqZo
This proves F16 down, which Ghafoor accidentally revealed and backtracked on that day.
Perhaps you would take out sometime to read US report on the count of F 16s. They are still the same as they were at the time of purchase. Moreover New York Times also states Pakistan victorious. That is a neutral report.
Doosra banda doesn’t prove F16, if your car key is missing would you run to say your car is stolen or would you actually check the car? a year and not a single bolt let alone an F16 has been proven!
If IAF was better why did it not escalate after PAK attacked??
A well analysed paper with a detailed research and pragmatic professional assessment of the PAF’s opl preparedness. It will be interesting to read the next part. Well done.
print is a jehadiNaxal prestitute khabrandi gaddar channel. printIn will be wiped out under sharia.
This is one of the best pieces of journalism I have read from any of the Indian media. Don’t know how much truth is in this but very detailed, descriptive and thorough. This kind of journalism is what we need more. Thank you and keep up the good job.
i can only laugh at this comment. Saying “don’t know how much truth in this” and then praising the detail, description and thorough. What an idiot.
One can write a million pages filled with description and thoroughness, but if its all fiction than who cares. Truth comes first.
I agree that this is a very well researched article and is accurate in describing the Pakistan Air Force as a very professional organization and the strategy and tactics it used. . I think the author should have stayed true to his analysis rather than veering off into jingoism by attempting to justify Indian Air Force performance. The facts are that the Indian attack at Balakot was a bust as verified by independent analysts. The Indian Air Force missed their target! The following day the Pakistan Air Force was very effective in electronic warfare and neutralized the Indian Su 30 MKI, reducing them to hapless bystanders. Wing Commander Abhinandan had his communications jammed and was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force. There is absolutely no evidence that he shot down any Pakistani aircraft. Incidentally, Abhinandan’s MiG 21 Bison was a highly capable upgraded aircraft with state of the art radar and avionics. In some ways more advanced then the Pakistan Air Force’s mostly early model F-16. The author mentions the objectives of the Pakistan Air Force and I believe that an impartial analysis would show that they more than achieved these objectives. For an excellent analysis of how the Pakistan Air Force outclassed and dominated the Indian Air Force in February 2019 I would recommend comments by a highly respected Indian Defence Analyst, Praveen Sawhney, available on U-Tube.
This is all bullshit.
Just watch these two videos and see how IAF was on the mercy of PAF on 27th.
https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/pakistan-air-force-operation-swift-retort-mujahideen-e-aflaak-ko-salam-2019-part-1-2.635510/
Very well researched and factual account of PAF’s tactics, capabilities and abilities..While there plan’s are brilliant and audacious, they more often than not falter in their assessment of IAF’s capabilities and execution..It is a testimony to the ultimate edge which the IAF pilots probably have due to better training, management of resources and above all the individual grit and determination of the pilots themselves.. Ultimately, it’s the Man behind the Machine that matters..Wing Cdr Abhinandan is a prime example of that..
How do you know know this is factual? What sources does he offer. It could mostly be an imagined write up sprinkled with some elements of truth.
Well written article which is prefaced with the promise of no jingoism. Not sure that’s the case though. Each side has a different narrative, with the Pakistani side so much more believable – from the Pulwama incident “holes”, to the Balakot target unaffected post IAF strike, the large number of purported casualties that went without trace, the fake testimonial propoganda around the casualties, to no wreckage of the F-16 shot down and Abhinandan’s missile warheads that were presented intact. Add to this footage of the burning IAF SU-30, and the mauling of Abhinandan – which country’s jingoistic narrative should one believe?
Spotted a Pakistani in Indian name
Seriously, the burning Su 30 and missile warheads. Seems you haven’t counter checked your points.
Fairly complicated mix up of PAF. Look like Paf has achieved a near parity with IAF. It will be very educative to IAF to get to know the PAF achievements while missions in vazirstan.Also whether PAF has any support from military satellites either its own or by china. It looks like Turkey is slowly turning into Pakistani supporter to the exent that it will offer PAF the needed depth by passing Afghnistan. I wonder whether PAF can launch F-16 from bases in Turkey or may use Turkey air space for running away from IAF long range attack aircraft as a safe zone. Turkey is still a member of NATO. Hance it will be prudent for India to manage its relationship with Turkey intelligently to deny PAF any advantage. The doctorine of max force in first strike itself by pakistan did not succeed druing 1965 hence it is unlikely it will again use the same tactice in next comat is debatable. IAF has a challenge of creating a pressure points over southern pakistan and effectively draw down the PAF from norhern India.
Not a factual newspaper report, just another biased story with some facts ingrained to try and give it credibility.
Pakistans PM and ISPR were very factual ! Saying they shot down 3 pilots and changing it to 1 after realizing it was their own 2 PAF pilots of F-16 !!! Complete pak population is under its armys fake propoganda !!
Then counter it point by point, if you will.
All bullshiy. India don’t have guts to start war against Pakistan. They are in dark, no idea about what Pakistan is capable of.
India – Pak fought 4 wars and all went against pakistan. So we are well aware of pakistans capability ! Pakistan doing great job fooling its population.
I think in this case it is the Indian government “doing great job in fooling its population.” The verified facts according to international and Indian sources are: 1. The Indian attack at Balakot was a dud as they missed their targets. Verified by international analysts using satellite images. 2. Pakistan Air Force attacked Indian military targets in Indian Occupied Kashmir carefully avoiding causing any casualties. Indians have admitted that Pakistanis used stand-off munitions in Indian Occupied Kashmir. 3. An Indian MiG 21 Bison was shot down and its pilot captured. Acknowledged by India. 4. A US Department of Defense count of Pakistan F-16s showed that none were missing. 5. An Indian Mi-17 helicopter was shot down by friendly fire in Indian Occupied Kashmir with a loss of seven lives. Admitted by India. These are facts and that would suggest that Pakistan’s account is more accurate than that of the Indian government.