OPTIONS TO PUNISH PAKISTAN

India has a few options on the table to make Islamabad pay, and pay heavily, for their long-standing support to cross-border terrorism. However, each comes with consequences, and not just for our recalcitrant neighbour

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AIR STRIKES

The obvious reference point is India's air strike in 2019 following the Pulwama attack, where 12 Mirage jets fooled the Pakistan Air Force, made a deep ingress and bombed a JeM camp in Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, inviting retaliatory air strikes from Pakistan in J&K. The IAF's Rafale jets (in pic) are one of the best multirole fighters, so this is an option. India's strike can be at the LeT headquarters in and around Muridke.

Fallout: After the Pahalgam incident, Pakistan is said to have moved more of its air assets to Lahore and Rawalpindi. Its Airborne and Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft are also watching the Indian airspace.

MISSILE ATTACKS