In the run up to Balakot strikes, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat very categorically conveyed to the top brass of the Government that his force was fully ready to deal with any ground offensive by Pakistan and take the battle into the enemy territory, top military sources said.
The Indian Army was prepared for a conventional warfare with Pakistan which would have included going inside Pakistan, the sources told PTI.
The Army chief informed the government about preparedness of his force when it was considering various options, including carrying out an aerial raid, to punish Pakistan for the Pulwama terror attack.
Gen. Rawat, at a closed door interaction with a group of retiring Army officials on Monday, said the force was combat ready for any hostilities from Pakistan Army after the Balakot strikes, the sources said.
Explaining Gen. Rawat's comments, a military official said what the Army Chief meant was that Indian Army was ready to take the battle into Pakistan.