Syed Ata Hasnain – a former Indian military commander, has admitted Pakistan’s successful neutralization of Indian narrative post February 27 air skirmish between the two countries in 2019.
Lt Gen (Retd) Former GOC 15 Corps of the Indian Army – Syed Ata Hasnain in a statement, admitted that India was essentially outclassed by Pakistan in the narrative war post February 27 air skirmish between India and Pakistan.
He lauded Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) – Pakistan Army’s media wing for its successful and effective efforts in propagating Pakistani narrative to both national and international audience.
Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain confessed that India had lost the narrative war post February 27 incident. Furthermore, he admitted that India has made several tactical mistakes overt the last three decades, especially the use of military force as a psychological warfare tool.
Operation Swift Retort
On 27 February 2019, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in its operation ‘Swift Retort’ conducted six airstrikes at multiple locations in Indian-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) in retaliation to the Indian Air Force (IAF) incursion into Pakistani territory a day earlier.
A dogfight followed between IAF and PAF jets which resulted in two IAF jets, an SU-30MKI and a Mig-21 being shot down by PAF.
The IAF Mig-21 was piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman who crashed inside Pakistani territory and was captured by Pakistan Army.
On the same day, one Indian Mi-17 helicopter was shot down in a friendly fire incident after it was targeted by SPYDER air defense system of the Indian Army. The helicopter crash killed six Indian Air Force personnel and one civilian in the Budgam district.
Captured IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was later released and returned back to India as a goodwill gesture by Pakistan to diffuse the tension between two nuclear armed countries.
