Military Might Bolstered Since Balakot Airstrikes

More military firepower

- Rahul Singh

SRINAGAR: India has significantly multiplied its offensive capabilities since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes in Pakistan, and during the border standoff with China, and the new weapons and systems it has modernized its arsenal with bring more options on the table as New Delhi carefully weighs military action to punish Pakistan for being behind the Pahalgam terror attack, officials aware of the matter said on Monday.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his top ministers pledging a crushing response, India has strengthened its military posture across the western front after the April 22 attack that killed 26 people, including the volatile Line of Control (LoC), which is witnessing a sharp escalation of hostilities following constant ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Army.

"Many capability gaps have been fixed during the last five to six years through imports and locally produced weaponry. The new capabilities can pack a mean punch. Overall, the military is far more potent than what it was when the Balakot airstrikes were executed," said one of the officials cited above, asking not to be named.