New Delhi, In move to track a major naval exercise by Pakistan in the north Arabian Sea, India has deployed some warships, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft and fighter jets.
Sources told that the Indian armed forces is being kept operationally ready “to prevent any misadventure” by Pakistan and close tabs are being kept.
“There is a heightened threat perception about strikes, whether by state or non-state actors, after India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Even if the Pakistani exercise is a regular one, like the joint naval-air one called `Ribat’ conducted every year, intentions can change very quickly,” a source told.
Pakistan will be conducting live missile, rocket and gun firings between September 25 and 29 amd has issued a issued a maritime alert for commercial shipping in the north Arabian Sea.
The Navy, apart from warships and submarines, is also using its Poseidon-8I patrol aircraft for long-range maritime reconnaissance over the exercise area. “There are at least seven to eight Pakistani warships there,” said a source.
The Indian armed forces have been maintaining high operational readiness ever since the IAF conducted the pre-dawn air strikes against the major Jaish-e-Mohammed training facility at Balakot in Pakistan on February 26. Moreover, the Balakot terror camp has been revived for terror training earlier this month.
