SOURCE: ZEE NEWS
A day after India welcomed its first batch of five combat-proven Rafale fighter jets, Pakistan’s nefarious design was exposed yet again. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aisha Farooqui on Thursday accused India of “disproportionate arms buildup”, adding that it “could also lead to an arms race in South Asia”, according to Pakistani news portal The Tribune.
Trying yet again to draw unnecessary global attention, Pakistan begged that the “world community must dissuade India”. Known for air-superiority and precision strikes, the Rafale jets are India’s first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after the Sukhoi Su-30 jets were imported from Russia in 1997. The Rafale jets will give the Indian Air Force (IAF) a strategic edge and strengthen the air power of the country.
Interfering yet again in India’s internal affairs, Pakistan claimed that “India continues to amass military capabilities beyond its genuine security requirement”, as reported by The Tribune. An envious Pakistan also claimed that “India has nuclearised the Indian Ocean and continues to increase the readiness of its arsenal through measures such as canisterisation of missile systems”.
Pointing a finger at India’s nuclear capability, it further said that “India continues to expand and modernise its nuclear arsenal both in terms of type and number of delivery systems”,
Pakistan, globally known to breed and harbour terrorists, blamed India’s “offensive security doctrine and force postures, which are adversely affecting strategic stability in South Asia”. Calling India’s attempt to secure its armed forces, Pakistan called it India’s “narrow commercial interests”. It also said that the “arms buildup is being aided and abetted through a policy of exemptions, waivers and supply of advanced equipment, technology and weapons”.
It, however, announced that “Pakistan remains confident of its ability to thwart any ill-considered act of aggression”.
On July 29, the combat aircraft landed at the Ambala Air Force base at around 3:14 PM to a rousing reception, nearly four years after India inked an inter-governmental agreement with France to procure 36 Rafales. Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the arrival of Rafale jets, and tweeted in Sanskrit, saying there is no virtue like protecting the nation and there is no vow like defence of the nation.
As soon as the aircraft touched down at the airbase, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted, “The Birds have landed safely in Ambala.” Giving a veiled warning to China, he said, “I would like to add, if it is anyone who should be worried about or critical about this new capability of the Indian Air Force, it should be those who want to threaten our territorial integrity.”
Each jet was given a special water cannon salute at the strategically-located airbase in the presence of top IAF brass including Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria, who had played a key role as lead negotiator in the procurement of the jets.
The fleet, which took off from Merignac airbase in French port city of Bordeaux on July 27 morning, had a planned stopover at Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE and began its onward journey July 29 morning. The Rafale jets established contact with Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata in the Western Arabian Sea and were escorted by two Sukhoi 30 MKIs after they entered the Indian air space.
