Operation Swift Retort: Pakistan’s Response to the Indian Aggression and Miscalculation
Despite Pakistan reiterating its desire for peace talks and extending an olive branch, India has always spurned its efforts to defuse tensions. Instead, whenever an important event is to take place in Pakistan and the country is moving towards progress, an incident is either staged in India or Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), with a disquieting rise of war hysteria in the country. Additionally, a pattern that has come to the fore shows how these events seem to take place when the elections are due in India.
Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations highlighted such instances in a press conference that was held in 2019: "In December 2001 ─ the Indian parliament attack ─ India was supposed to have general elections and the presidential election in 2002, the United Nations General Assembly was in session. It was around this time that an influx of terrorists began on Pakistan's western border following 9/11. When the Mumbai attack took place, our progress in the war on terror was quite good and at this time too, there were to be general elections in India from February to December.”
“On January 2, 2016, Pathankot happened. The President of the United States' State of the Union address was due. India was to see state elections and there were foreign secretary-level talks scheduled between India and Pakistan. That was scuttled… The Uri incident happened on September 18, 2016, when our prime minister was set to go to the UNGA to deliver a speech," he added.
India’s penchant for phantom surgical strikes, displaying the urge for military adventurism was clearly seen after Indian military base in Uri in IIOJK was attacked by freedom fighters in September 2016. India accused Pakistan of its involvement even before the Uri attack was over. This hasty charge seemed strange. To follow up, India claimed to have carried out a surgical strike against the ‘terrorist launch pads’ in response to the Uri attack which was predictably blamed on Pakistan. However, on ground, the proof of a surgical strike having been conducted was nowhere to be found – apart from a firing incident along the LOC which was strongly and befittingly responded to as per the rules of engagement – as if magically any evidence of a surgical strike had vanished into thin air, leaving behind rising tensions that India kept stoking.
In February 2019, Pakistan was preparing for significant events that were either to take place in Pakistan or involved Pakistan in February-March 2019, such as1 Saudi Crown Prince's visit and investment conference; discussion on United Nations Security Council terror listing; Afghan peace talks; European Union discussion on IIOJK; Hearing of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav's case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ); Discussion on the FATF report; meeting between Pakistan, Indian officials on Kartarpur Corridor developments; and Pakistan Super League matches were to be played in Pakistan.
That was not to the liking of India, therefore, in a staged incident in Pulwama on February 14, India, as expected, immediately blamed Pakistan without any inquiry or concrete evidence. Indian leadership resorted to bellicosity and belligerence vowing to avenge and give a ‘strong response’, despite failing to provide actionable evidence of Pakistan’s involvement. The following events transpired from February 15 to February 25, 20192:
▪ February 15: Modi vows 'strong response' to Pulwama; India withdraws Most Favoured Nation status for Pakistan
▪ February 16: Pakistan seeks 'actionable evidence'
▪ February 18: Pakistan calls back high commissioner in India
▪ India begins arguments in Jadhav case before ICJ
▪ February 19: PM Imran asks Delhi to share evidence; India spurns PM Imran’s olive branch
▪ February 21: UN chief calls for ‘meaningful’ engagement; Congress tells Modi not to 'play politics' over Pulwama; NSC orders acceleration of anti-terrorism ops
▪ February 22: ‘Talks, not war,’ Pakistan Army chief warns India against ‘misadventure’; Qureshi writes a letter to UNSC
▪ February 25: FM postpones Japan tour; 'Pakistan armed forces fully prepared for befitting response to Indian aggression': COAS
From this turn of events, it can be concluded that India was beating the drums of war once again, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s eyes firmly set on the next elections. This time around, however, Pakistan was not one to sit back and the subsequent events were to completely erode the credibility of Indian politico-military leadership. A clear message was given by the Pakistani politico-military leadership that Pakistan would pick the place and time to respond to this uncalled for aggression.
India Escalates the Situation – February 26, 2019
The cold night of February 26, 2019 saw an unusual air activity of Indian Air Force (IAF) as picked up by the radars of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Bahawalpur, Lahore and Sialkot Sector. Due to the timely matching response by PAF in all three sectors, Indian jets didn’t dare to invade. The environment seemed immersed in the pangs of war. India was up to ‘something’, but the question on everyone’s mind was what could it be? Pakistan’s politico-military leadership was in a unanimous agreement that India would, without a shred of doubt, be scheming to repeat its infamous phantom surgical strikes. However, that became evident in the wee hours of February 26, 2019, when a heavy team of Indian planes purposefully violated Pakistani airspace across the Line of Control (LOC). PAF instantly picked up the movement and swiftly responded with its fighters chasing the Indian jets. Sensing the obvious blow, the Indian jets panicked and dropped their payloads over the forests of Balakot (Jabba) while rushing back to safety to their side of the LOC.
DG ISPR, while addressing a press conference on February 26, said that the Indian air force started their intrusion at the Pakistani airspace on three fronts. He further said that one of the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) was in the air when the first visibility of an Indian formation came on radar while approaching towards the Lahore-Sialkot border. “Our CAP approached and challenged them and they returned seven to eight nautical miles within their borders and did not cross into our territory,” he said. “The second Indian formation was spotted at Okara-Bahawalpur sector, but they also did not dare to cross into Pakistan when another Pakistani CAP was sent to that side as standard operation procedure (SOP).” He mentioned how the third CAP picked a relatively heavier formation at Muzaffarabad near Keran Valley. “They had crossed the LoC by four to five nautical miles when we challenged them. They had crossed the LoC for four minutes before the PAF challenged them.”
The Indian forces wanted to target the civilian population so they could claim that they had targeted alleged terrorist base camps to benefit their warmongering. However, due to Pakistan’s swift response, they released their payload of four bombs which dropped miles away near Jabba, Balakot, and left the area immediately.
Strategic Messaging
Speaking at a press conference, DG ISPR dared India, "I said three things: You will never be able to surprise us and we have not been surprised. We were ready, we responded, we denied. I said we will retain the escalation ladder. We have that initiative in our hand," he said. "I am saying that we will surprise you. Wait for that surprise. Our response will be different. See it for yourself. The response will come, and response will come differently."
Meanwhile, addressing a joint press conference with the Ministers of Defence and Finance, the Foreign Minister stated that Pakistan rejected India’s claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and heavy casualties. “The Bhartiya Janata Party was rejected in five Indian states so it had to resort to something… when it is time for elections, politicians start losing their minds,” Qureshi said. “Even within India people are raising questions and saying the story is not the same as being narrated.”
The Defence Minister talked about PAF being airborne, waiting for any eventuality and that the Indian aircraft dropped their payload some four to five kilometers inside the LOC. "At 2:55 am the Indian planes entered (the Pakistani airspace). At 2:58 am they (were driven out) of our airspace. They fled from the LoC because of the alertness of our Air Force," the Foreign Minister said, as he warned not to "underestimate their (the air force's) ability to defend Pakistan."3
Operation Swift Retort – February 27, 2019
Meanwhile, on February 26 2019, an unusually busy day in the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, Pakistan Army officers along with PAF officers appeared busy inside their high-tech operations room. Decked up in the wartime uniform, they were bent over a large map illuminated on the tabletop screen, urgency reflecting in their very demeanor. Careful planning is, after all, an intrinsic part of such precision operations. The rules were clear – keeping the country secure tops every other concern.
While they were busy encircling places on the map with a marker, the door opened and an army officer who appeared to be their senior walked in. In anticipation of a significant piece of news, they became attentive. The officer took a deep breath and said, “Gentlemen”, further arousing the curiosity with a deliberate pause. His expression remained neutral and the voice steady, giving an air of solid confidence that resonated with the present situation and the quality of an Army officer, as he spoke, “A decision has been made. The top brass is convinced that an immediate response is essential. We are going for contingency 3.”
The politico-military leadership had decided to give a swift response through PAF, covering all grounds in the planning of the response that came to be known as Operation ‘Swift Retort’.
The timing of the attack was left to the decision of the Air Force while the targets had been distinctly marked for them – the Indian Army installations across LOC. Although the response to India breaching Pakistan’s sovereignty was to be a notch higher – quid pro quo plus – it was kept clear that there shall be no casualty during the operation.
A question was raised by the officers on how that would be ensured given Indian inclination to transform everything into an opportunity to malign Pakistan in front of the international community. The senior officer present in the meeting thus spoke of the unique decision to drift their targets at the very last moment. The officials had taken into consideration that Pakistan Air Force has cameras attached to their bombs which would provide sufficient proof in response to any fake news originating from India on Operation Swift Retort. It would be enough to prove that the drifting was deliberate so that there is no loss of lives, while leaving no doubt that the PAF jets hovered above their heads and had Pakistan wanted it, havoc would have been wreaked.
On being briefed on the details of the mission, the officers began to further chart out their plan. On February 27, 2019, warplanes of PAF took to the sky and carried out the specified protocol of the operation, delivering an emphatic blow to the enemy. However, IAF, in an attempt to further escalate the aerial mission, breached Pakistan’s airspace and crossed into Pakistan while chasing the aircraft. The officers of PAF not only defended the skies of Pakistan but also deterred the aggressors in a jaw-breaking dogfight that was instigated by IAF. The successful sortie resulted in PAF downing two fighter aircraft of IAF.
The capture and subsequent release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman proved to be a testament to Pakistan’s resolve to safeguard its territorial integrity as well as give India a befitting response. The state of Pakistan, its Army, and Air Force proved that despite an unwavering stance for peaceful resolutions and table talks with their adversary, they will not step back from giving an appropriate response to India’s misadventures.
Despite hardcore proof of the downing of the planes along with reports that disregarded Indian claims of shooting down Pakistan’s F-16 aircraft, the Indian leadership went to the extent of awarding Abhinandan the third highest gallantry award, the Vir Chakra, last year.
1. DG ISPR reiterates 'talks, not war' proposal to India, distances Pakistan from Pulwama,
Dawn, February 22, 2019.
2. Timeline: Events leading up to the Feb 2019 Pak-India aerial combat,
Dawn, Updated February 27, 2021
3. We will pick time, place to hit back,
The News, February 27, 2019
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Despite Pakistan reiterating its desire for peace talks and extending an olive branch, India has always spurned its efforts to defuse tensions. Instead, whenever an important event is to take place in Pakistan and the country is moving towards progress, an incident is either staged in India or...
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