Former IAF Chief Praises PM Modi’s Leadership in Pulwama and Galwan Responses

Former Indian Air Force Chief, RKS Bhadauria, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, particularly highlighting India’s responses to the Pulwama terror attack and the Galwan border standoff with Pakistan and China, respectively. Bhadauria, now a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), spoke at an event in New Delhi, where he emphasized the significance of the Balakot airstrike as a decisive action against terrorism, challenging the notion that India should not act against Pakistan due to its nuclear capabilities. He credited the airstrike for creating a strategic shift in thinking, allowing for strong actions against terrorism.

In 2019, following the Pulwama attack that killed over 40 Indian CRPF personnel, India conducted an airstrike against terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan. Bhadauria also commended India’s military response to the Galwan border standoff with China, stating that the Chinese policy of ‘Salami Slicing’ to incrementally gain territory is now ineffective against India. He attributed this change to India’s demonstrated readiness to counter Chinese aggression.

Furthermore, Bhadauria lauded the BJP government’s swift action in acquiring Rafale jets, which he described as a significant enhancement to India’s military capabilities during the Galwan clash. He joined the BJP in March, praising the government’s ‘landmark decisions’ over the last decade.