With the triumphal jubilation sweeping across the country following the successful air strikes by India on terror deep inside Pakistan, the army veterans have cautioned against further escalation of the air fights.  On Wednesday Pakistan claimed to have shot down one Indian MiG 21 aircraft and capturing of one Indian pilot, a development  which has raised concern among the ex Army officers.

In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, wing commander (retired) Adarsh Bal who had served in IAF and fought  1971 Indo-Pak war said, “We have to be vigilant enough. I fail to understand why MiG 21 was sent as they have been obsolete years ago. MiG 21s have faced accidents even during the peace time. Now Pakistan is boasting to have shot down our MIG 21 fighter plane and captured our pilot. I hope this escalation would end soon since  the financial condition of both the countries is bad.”

He further said that though India has one of the best air forces of the world the nation needs to be vigilant and move strategically.

Notably, he had hailed the IAF strikes on the terrorist hideouts based in Pakistan, terming it a tremendously successful operation on Tuesday. “ Our fighter planes did not come under the enemy’s radar and there was no bombing in the residential areas of Pakistan either. Only those areas were attacked which had terrorist bases. Guided bombs were chosen by our Indian Air Force which had set targets. In 1971 too during Indo Pak war, India had made Pakistan taste defeat. They had demolished the oil refinery in Karachi,” he added. Notably,  the veteran air force pilot himself had been a part of the operation.