INDIA READIED MISSILES TO COUNTER PAK AGGRESSION

Decision was taken at the topmost level to respond to Pakistan’s nuclear threat by making it clear that India was ready to strike at Pakistani cities.

India had mobilised its missile launching capabilities over land, air and sea after Pakistan threatened India with a nuclear missile strike, post Indian Air Force’s 26 February airstrike on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan. In effect, India was ready to carry out the first strike against Pakistan, rather than wait for it to fire its missile first and then respond. This would have been done if it was clear that a Pakistani strike was imminent.

The Indian missile systems were placed on standby mode and would have been launched within minutes of the order being received. Highly placed sources said that this was the closest India came, in the last few decades, to launch missiles at important cities in Pakistan.

The situation between the two countries got aggravated further post the downing of an Indian Air Force aircraft on 27 February and the subsequent capture of its pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, who was attacked while repelling a Pakistan Air Force attack, which had intruded into Indian airspace, with Pakistan, even at the ministerial level, continuing to threaten India with a nuclear response.

Sources said Pakistan’s move to announce on 26 February that it was calling the National Command Authority (NCA) meeting on the next day was part of the whole aggressive behaviour, which culminated with Pakistan making it clear a day later that it was preparing to launch a nuclear missile strike on India. The NCA is Pakistan’s principal decision making body on nuclear issues.

The meeting was called on Wednesday but was announced on Tuesday with the A Holika Dahan effigy of Masood Azhar, the head of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-mohammed, is seen before getting burnt on the eve of Holi in Mumbai on Tuesday. aim not just to warn Indian policymakers that Pakistan was threatening a nuclear attack on Indian cities, but also to warn other countries of such an eventuality, while also giving them ample time to intervene in the matter and speak to India.

Pakistan later “conveyed” to India and other countries that were acting as peacemakers, that it had mobilised its warheads and had authorised