Vice Admiral AN Pramod highlighted India’s robust layered fleet air defence system.
In a high-stakes media briefing by the Indian Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO), senior defence officials presented evidence of Pakistan’s aerial aggression, including the wreckage of a Pakistani Mirage fighter jet and Chinese-origin PL-15 missile debris used during recent hostilities. The briefing also marked the Indian military’s assertion of complete operational readiness and technological superiority during the ongoing tensions.
Air Marshal AK Bharti, addressing the press, emphasized that Pakistan’s decision to intervene on behalf of terrorist networks left India with no choice but to respond decisively. “It is a pity that the Pakistani military chose to intervene, and that for terrorists. Hence, we chose to respond. Our battle-proven systems stood the test of time and took them head-on,” he stated.
Among the highlights was the demonstration of the indigenous Akash air defence system, which successfully neutralized multiple threats, including high-speed missiles and drones. Bharti credited India’s sustained investment in indigenous defence infrastructure, stating, “This has been possible only because of budgetary and policy support from the Government of India over the last decade.”
Visuals shown during the briefing included the debris of Turkish-origin YIHA and Songar drones intercepted and destroyed by Indian forces, as well as pieces of a PL-15 air-to-air missile, underscoring Pakistan’s reliance on Chinese and Turkish technology.
Vice Admiral AN Pramod highlighted India’s robust layered fleet air defence system, explaining, “We are maintaining continuous surveillance using multiple sensors and real-time data to degrade or neutralise threats as they emerge. Our mechanism ensures coverage against everything from drones to fighter aircraft.”
In a symbolic moment during the briefing, Air Marshal Bharti referenced a poem by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar — “Vinay na maanat jalath jad gaye teen din beeti, bolo Ram Sakop tab Bhay Binu Hoye Na Preeti” — reinforcing India’s stance that restraint must not be mistaken for weakness.
