Click to play videoNew Delhi: Pakistan had mobilized its military, including 75 per cent of its air force, for war after the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in November 2008.
The Indian Air Force revealed this on Sunday when P V Naik took over as its Chief Marshal. Naik’s appointment is a change of the guard in the Indian Air Force. After the unprecedented tenure of helicopter pilot Fali Major as chief, a fighter pilot will again lead the IAF.
Naik, who is the IAF’s 19th chief, will have to draw from his combat experience because of the security situation in the region. The uncertain security situation was highlighted by a disclosure by a senior IAF officer.
“Pakistan had mobilised 75 percent of its air force against us after 26/11. Maybe because they were afraid of us," said Western Air Command chief Air Marshal P K Barbora at the WAC headquarters in New Delhi.
Barbora’s statement reveals that military tension was real and the two neighbours were closer to war than what was generally believed after the Mumbai attacks.
"The situation is not like that at present and they (Pakistan military) have all gone back to their peacetime locations," Barbora said.
The Pakistan military is now back in peace-time locations, but all it could take for it to be back at battle stations is a provocative terror attack.
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