After the deadly Pahalgam terror attack which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Air Force has conducted "Exercise Aakraman" (Attack) over a large area in the central sector involving its mainstream fighter aircraft fleets led by the Rafale combat aircraft. The Indian Air Force operates two squadrons of the Rafale aircraft which are based out of Ambala and Hashimara in West Bengal.
In a show of strength and vigilance, not just fighter jets but transport aircraft were also active throughout the night on Thursday. These jets reportedly flew extremely close to the border areas. Meanwhile, Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)-equipped aircraft maintained sharp surveillance on enemy movements. At the same time, Pakistani Air Force jets were also seen flying across the border.
India's military gears up for response
All three wings of the Indian Armed Forces—Army, Navy, and Air Force—are now on high alert post Pahalgam attack. Movements have increased from Jammu and Kashmir all the way down to the Arabian Sea. Along the Pakistani border, Indian Rafale jets have begun aerial patrolling, while security forces are intensifying checks in border villages and systematically destroying known terrorist hideouts.
Army chief visits Srinagar
Meanwhile, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi reached Srinagar on Friday amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan. He was accompanied by 15 Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Prashant Srivastava, and the Victor Force Commander. During his visit, General Dwivedi will chair a high-level security review meeting focused on strategic planning along the LoC and other border areas. As per sources, senior military officials will brief the Army Chief on current deployments, intelligence inputs, and future course of action to counter any cross-border threats. After the meeting, General Dwivedi will visit the exact location in Pahalgam where unarmed tourists were killed in the terrorist ambush.
Pahalgam terror attack
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and more than a dozen others injured in the Pahalgam terror attack which occurred on April 22. This has been one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The government, however, has yet to officially confirm the number of casualties in the terror attack in Pahalgam. Following the terror attack, security forces launched search operations to track down the terrorists responsible. Security has been heightened since the attack, with visuals from the area showing the streets deserted in the usually bustling tourist area.
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