Live: IAF publicly present evidences to prove that Pakistan used F-16 jets

Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor: There is enough evidence to show that F-16s were used in this mission through their electronic signatures. Parts of AMRAAM, air to air missile which is carried only on the Pakistani F-16s was recovered east of Rajouri within the Indian territory. 

One Pakistani F-16 was shot down by MiG-21 Bison, says Air Vice Marshal Kapoor during armed forces joint press conference

The press conference was held just hours after Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan announced in the National Assembly that his government would be releasing the Indian pilot tomorrow who was being held in captivity since Wednesday.
 

''We believe that the Pakistan air intrusion was an attack on military installations,''  defence ministry officials said and added that Indian Air Force Pilot was ill-treated by the Pakistan Army in violation of the Geneva convention. 

Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express train service amid escalating tension

Pakistani authorities have suspended the Samjhauta Express train service between Pakistan and India until further notice, a media report said Thursday, amidst tense bilateral ties in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack.

News agency ANI reports that there will be a joint press briefing by Army and Air Force in New Delhi at 5 pm today

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he hoped the conflict between India and Pakistan will be coming to an end, after the two nuclear powers clashed across a contested border in the disputed Kashmir region.

Speaking at a news conference in Vietnam after a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump said he had some "reasonably decent" news from India and Pakistan. He did not elaborate.

''India will live as one, grow as one, fight as one, win as one,'' Modi said and added ''enemy tries to destabilize us, carries out terror attacks, they want to stop our growth. We all countrymen are standing like a rock to counter their evil designs.'' 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a warning to Pakistan and said ''country stands with soldiers''. 

Service chiefs of Navy, Army and Air Force will be meeting Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman shortly, reports ANI. 

India has handed over a dossier to Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan with specific details of JeM complicity in Pulwama terror attack and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan: Ministry of External Affairs

It was made clear that Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comes to the Indian defence personnel in its custody. India also expects his immediate and safe return: MEA

Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan was summoned this afternoon by MEA to lodge a strong protest at the unprovoked act of aggression by Pakistan against India earlier today, including violation of the Indian air space by Pakistan Air Force &  targeting of Indian military posts.

Pakistani military spokesman says Pakistan army has only one Indian pilot in custody, previously said two captured: Reuters

Amid tensions at the border, India summons Pakistan deputy High Commissioner

India on Wednesday summoned Pakistan's deputy High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah after Pakistan Air Force jets entered Indian airspace in Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after the Indian Air Force(IAF) carried out air strikes in Balakot across the Line of Control(LoC).

Russia calls on India and Pakistan for restraint in connection with the border incident. Russia is concerned about the aggravation of relations.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan says ‘we should sit down and talk’ to resolve crisis with India.

One Pakistan Air Force fighter aircraft was shot down by Indian Air Force. In this engagement, we have lost one MiG-21. The pilot is lost in action. Pakistan claims he is in their custody. We are ascertaining the facts, says Raveesh Kumar, MEA.

Order on shutdown of airports in north India withdrawn: ANI

A joint communique of 16th meeting of foreign ministers of India, Russia & China (RIC) strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Those committing, orchestrating, inciting or supporting terrorist acts must be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with existing international commitments, the communique added. 

Flight operations temporarily suspended at Shimla, Bhuntar and Gagal airports, reportes news agency ANI. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his address at a function in Vigyan Bhawan on Wednesday and rushed to attend a meeting to review the security situation arising out of Pakistan`s attempt to violate Indian air space, reported news agency ANI.

The Taliban on Wednesday said ongoing clashes between India and Pakistan will affect the Afghan peace process and wanted India to prevent the further escalation of violence with its neighbour, a Reuters report said.

The insurgent group issued the statement at the same time its leaders are holding peace talks with officials from the United States in Qatar to end the 17-year war in Afghanistan.

“The continuation of such conflict will affect the Afghanistan peace process,” the report said quoting Taliban Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid.
 

China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said it reiterated its call for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, a Reuters report said.

Ministry spokesman Lu Kang made the comment at a regular news briefing in Beijing, the report added.

Pakistan Wednesday suspended flight operations across major airports, including Islamabad and Lahore, for an indefinite period in the wake of the escalating tensions with India, PTI reported quoting a top civil aviation authority. 

Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority spokesman Mujtaba Baig told PTI that flight operations in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces have been suspended for an indefinite period. 

He said the flight operations from and to Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi/Islamabad airports have been suspended. 

The planes which had left from foreign destinations for these airports have been diverted to the safer airports, he said.

Flight operations at Dehradun airport have also been temporarily suspended, reports news agency ANI.  

There are no reports of any IAF jet suffering damage in action by India's adversaries, PTI reported quoting defence sources on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan claimed it shot down two Indian military aircraft over Pakistani air space and arrested at least one of the pilots.

Military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed in a tweet that one of the aircraft crashed in Pakistan occupied Kashmir while the other fell in Jammu and Kashmir. 

"One Indian pilot arrested by troops on the ground while two in the area," he said without elaborating.

ANI reports that international flights that transit between Indian and Pakistani airspace have been affected. Some flights returning to origin, while others appear to be seeking alternate routing.

Flight operations have been suspended at Amritsar airport.

Tension escalated between India and Pakistan on Wednesday shot down a Pakistan Air Force's F-16 fighter jet in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector. The fighter jet was one of the three planes that violated Indian airspace and reached Nowshera today morning. 

The Pakistani planes were pushed back by Indian fighter jets which were patrolling the area, a top official said.

The Pakistani jets dropped bombs while retreating. No immediate report on casualties is available. 

Indian authorities have shut airports in Leh, Jammu, Srinagar and Amritsar for civilian traffic; the Pathankot airport has been put on high alert. 

Pakistan too has stopped its domestic and international flight operations from Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Islamabad airports.

The violation of airspace comes a day after the Indian Air Force pounded a terror camp run by Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan's Balakot. 

The air strike was carried out by a fleet of 12 Mirage fighter jets which were mobilised from Gwalior in India and finished the operation in about 21 minutes.

Stay tuned for live updates.

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