Pakistan shutting its airspace is their problem, India never stopped flight operations: Air Force chief

Gwalior: That Pakistan had shut its airspace for all Indian flights till June 28 was a problem for the neighbouring country and the Indian Air Force never stopped civil air traffic operations in the country, Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa said on Monday.

At an event at the Gwalior airbase to commemorate 20 years of the Kargil war, Dhanoa said, “They (Pakistan) have closed their airspace that is their problem. Our economy is vibrant and air traffic is a very important part. You have noticed that the Air Force has never stopped our civil air traffic.”

Dhanoa was responding to queries on Pakistan’s move to shut its airspace following the Balakot airstrikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp on February 26. The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred on February 14.