Major shift in govt's way of handling terrorism: IAF chief on Balakot

New Delhi: The strategic relevance of Balakot air strikes is the resolve of the political leadership to punish the perpetrators of terrorism, Air Chief RKS Bhadauria said on Tuesday.

In his Air Force Day message, the Air Chief said, "The strategic relevance of this (Balakot air strikes) is the resolve of the political leadership to punish the perpetrators of terrorism. There is a major shift in the government's way of handling terrorist attacks."

Stressing that the present security environment in the neighbourhood is a case of serious concern, the Air Chief said Pulwama attack is a stark reminder of the persistent threat to defence installations.

Earlier, the Chiefs of three services paid floral tributes at the national war memorial on the occasion of 87th Air Force Day.

"On February 26 this year, the IAF successfully struck terrorist camps located at Balakot. On the next day, the IAF successfully thwarted Pakistan Air Force's attempts to attack our military establishments. In the aerial engagement that followed we shot down a PAF F-16 fighter aircraft and lost a MiG-21," the IAF chief said in his remarks during Air Force Day press conference on October 4.

IAF jets struck at a JeM camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26 earlier this year, days after a terror attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu Kashmir's Pulwama which claimed the lives of around 40 CRPF personnel.