Indian Missile Downs Pakistani F-16 Fighter Jet Near Sargodha Air Base

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 8th May: Tensions between India and Pakistan have further escalated as sources confirm the downing of a Pakistani F-16 supersonic fighter jet by an Indian surface-to-air missile defence system this evening. This development occurred amidst Pakistan’s earlier foiled attempts to target Jammu with drones and missiles.

The Pakistani F-16 took off from Sargodha air base, a crucial air force installation located in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Indian SAMs successfully intercepted and downed the fighter jet in the vicinity of the same air base, according to sources. The F-16 is a vital component of the Pakistan Air Force’s fleet, which also includes Chinese and French-made fighter aircraft. Sargodha is considered a front-line and heavily defended air base for Pakistan.

This incident marks the first downing of a Pakistani aircraft by India since 2019, when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down an F-16 during aerial combat following India’s Balakot air strikes in response to the Pulwama attack. That dogfight was the first between the two nations in over 45 years, since the 1971 war.

The current exchange of hostilities marks a concerning escalation over a wide area, unseen since the 1971 conflict. As a precautionary measure, a blackout has been imposed in several areas of Rajasthan along the international border. Historically, the Sargodha air base was utilized by Pakistan for attacks against India during the 1965 and 1971 wars. In 1965, the airbase, then home to American F-104 Starfighter jets, was targeted by Indian Mystere aircraft from the No. 1 Squadron based in Adampur.

This major development follows Pakistan’s unsuccessful attempts to target Jammu with drones and missiles, further intensifying the already volatile situation. Areas including RS Pura, Arnia, Samba, and Hiranagar in Jammu are currently experiencing heavy artillery shelling.

Pathankot in Punjab, strategically located near the international border and serving as a key entry point towards Jammu, has also come under intense artillery fire from Pakistan. The city lies approximately 30 kilometers from the International Border.

Meanwhile, sirens have been activated in Chandigarh, and a complete blackout has been enforced. Businesses have been instructed to close, and residents have been urged to return home. A similar blackout is in effect in neighboring Mohali.

Earlier today, India successfully intercepted Pakistani drones by activating its air defence systems along the border. The attack in Jammu and the artillery shelling in Pathankot, Arnia, Samba, RS Pura, and other locations occurred just hours after India thwarted Pakistan’s missile attacks targeting military installations in the northern and western parts of the country.

Last night, Pakistan attempted to strike military targets in Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, employing both drones and missiles.

India stated that it successfully countered Pakistan’s attempts using its Unmanned Aircraft System Grid (UAS Grid) and air defence systems. The potent S-400 missile defence system was instrumental in shooting down the Pakistani missiles. In a strongly worded statement, India condemned Pakistan’s aggression, asserting that “the debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks.”

Furthermore, India reported neutralizing a Pakistani Air Defence site in Lahore. Sources informed ANI that the Air Force initially fired S-400 missiles at “moving targets” before deploying HARPY drones to disable Pakistani air defence radars.