February 27
Sushma Swaraj, who is in China with her counterparts from Beijing and Moscow, termed Tuesday’s strikes by Indian aircraft within the Pakistani airspace as “pre-emptive” and said India will continue to act with “responsibility and restraint.”
“India does not wish to see a further escalation of this situation. India will continue to act with responsibility and restraint,” she said.
Pakistan Air Force earlier today shot down two Indian jets within its airspace and arrested two Indian pilots, one in an injured condition, the military spokesperson said in a press conference hours after the retaliatory action.
A day ago, Indian aircraft had intruded into Pakistani airspace from the Muzaffarabad sector and dropped their payload on what India claimed was a terrorist camp, before they were repelled by timely action from the Pakistan Air Force.
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The escalation has triggered the international alarm, with the United States, China and the European Union calling for restraint. A while ago the ministry of external affairs accepted that one Indian pilot is missing in action after his MiG was in an exchange with Pakistani Air force plane; video surfaced on social media showing him being interrogated by Pakistani Army.
“We encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement after speaking with his counterparts from both countries.