Ahmedabad: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to visit the Bhuj Airbase of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Gujarat, sources said.
The visit is scheduled for Friday and will span two days.
The Bhuj Airbase holds significant strategic importance and has been targeted by Pakistani forces in the past. The Pakistani military had attempted to strike the Bhuj Airbase using drones procured from abroad. However, these attempts were thwarted, and the Pakistani plot was severely foiled.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Adampur Airbase in Punjab, where he met IAF personnel. Now, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will undertake a two-day visit to the Gujarat-based airbase, accompanied by the head of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force. Notably, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently reviewed the security situation along India’s western border. The border areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat, which lie adjacent to Pakistan, are part of the western frontier.
The security review meeting, which focused on the safety of the nation’s borders, was attended by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the Army and Navy chiefs, and senior officials. According to the Ministry of Defence, the meeting held on Tuesday in New Delhi discussed the security situation on the western borders. The meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, provided detailed information regarding the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border with Pakistan.
After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, India destroyed terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In retaliation, the Pakistani military launched drone strikes across Indian territories, sending 300 to 400 drones. However, the Indian Air Defence Systems effectively downed these drones, inflicting a significant defeat on Pakistan. Following this setback, Pakistan called for a ceasefire and stated it would refrain from further firing across the border.
The Defence Minister’s upcoming visit sends a clear message to Pakistan and its allies: the Pakistani drone attacks on Indian airbases have had no impact, and in fact, Pakistan has faced considerable losses. The drones, which Pakistan imported, proved to be ineffective.
While India successfully neutralised Pakistan’s drones, Indian airbases remain fully operational and secure.
In a similar incident, the Pakistani military attempted to target the Adampur Airbase in Punjab with drones, but India’s robust air defence system neutralized the attacks. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally visited the Adampur Airbase, where he met with IAF personnel, boosting their morale.
(IANS)
