The Army is celebrating the 75th year of the Indian Army joining the Air Force to oust the Pakistani Army from Kashmir on October 27, 1947.
A top Air Force official said on Wednesday that there were no plans “at the moment” to annex Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), but expressed hope that someday India will have “entire Kashmir”. Speaking to reporters at an event here on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Budgam landing of Indian troops, Air Marshal Amit Dev, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Western Air Command also said that people in PoK No. Pakistanis are being treated very fairly.
“…All the activities carried out by the Indian Air Force and Army (on October 27, 1947) resulted in the independence of this part of Kashmir. I am sure that someday Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also join this part of Kashmir. And in the coming years we will have the whole of Kashmir.
However, when asked whether the force has any plans to capture PoK, Air Marshal Dev said there are no plans at the moment.
“(Entire) Kashmir is one, one nation is one. People on both sides have equal affection. Today or tomorrow, history is witness that nations come together. At the moment we don’t have any plan but God willing, it will always be there because people in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir are not being treated very fairly by Pakistanis,” he said.
Indian troops landed in Kashmir on October 27, 1947, a day after the then Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession with India following Pakistani tribal raids.
The AOC-in-C of the Western Air Command said that the Indian Air Force has to face many challenges, but the basic technology is there.
“The rate of change of technology in the world today is so fast that we have to keep pace with it. If a country has to grow economically then it should have a strong army, we should fulfill our obligation towards the nation in the coming years… and we are always ready for the challenge.”
The IAF has become a very capable force and in the years to come, “we will continue to serve the nation with honour”‘ he said. Asked about the drone strikes, Air Marshal Dev said they can only cause minimal damage.
“We had equipment ready against it (drone attacks), and it was deployed here as well. Now we are increasing the deployment by purchasing more. The drone challenge is a small challenge and we will be able to tackle it as and when it comes.” He said the celebration of 75 years of Budgam’s landing was a historic occasion.
“After the Instrument of Accession was signed, we quickly moved in our troops and the Srinagar airfield was escorted and after that we launched another offensive and pushed back the Pakistani forces, which were part of the Kabali (tribal). Came as
“I am sure that if the United Nations had not intervened, perhaps the whole of Kashmir would have been ours,” he said. He said the Indian Air Force and Army carried out several other minor missions, including operations, after an airstrip was laid in Poonch. In a short span of seven days, there were strikes at Srinagar airfield, ammunition dumps at Skardu and Leh.
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