Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday almost admitted the superiority of Pakistan’s military in the recent confrontation between the two countries sparked by the February 14 suicide attack on Indian forces in the Pulwama district of Held Kashmir.
“Today, we badly felt the absence of Rafale fighter jets [in our air force fleet]. If we had Rafale, the scenario would have been different,” Modi said while speaking at the India Today Conclave 2019 in New Delhi on Saturday.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Air Force had shot down India’s two Russian-made MiG jets and captured an Indian Air Force pilot on Wednesday after they violated Pakistan’s airspace.
Modi said he will like to make it very clear that in the past, the country ‘suffered’ due to vested interest over the Rafale jets.
The Modi administration has signed a multibillion-dollar deal with French defence manufacturer Dassault Aviation to acquire 36 Rafale jets in an effort to overhaul the Indian Air Force. The opposition accuses Modi of wrongdoing in the deal.
India started using the MiGs in 1963, but since 1970, 170 pilots and 40 civilians have been killed in accidents involving the aircraft series. Due to high rate of crashes, MiGs have come be called ‘flying coffins’.
“We continue to suffer due to the politicisation of the Rafale deal. The vested interests and politicisation have caused great harm to the nation’s interest,” he said.
Attacking the opposition, Modi said opposition is welcome to criticise his government’s policies and find faults in its working. “But I request you not to oppose matters related to the nation’s security,” he said.
“First due to politics of self-interest and later due to politics per se, the country has suffered a lot,” he said. “Their hatred for Modi has become a hatred for the nation. At a time when the entire world is with India on countering terrorism, some people are raising doubts about the armed forces,” he continued.
“Their remarks are being used as proof against India (in Pakistan). These people have come down to opposing the country in their opposition to Modi,” he said, adding that many Modis will come and go but the nation will remain.
He asked the political parties not to weaken the country for their petty political gains. “Do you not trust what our armed forces have to say? Or do you trust our enemies more than us,” he asked.
Modi also spoke on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar while speaking on the opposition.
“The parties and people who are attacking Modi should not end up helping and aiding people like Masood Azhar,” he added.
Published in Daily Times, March 3rd 2019.
