New Delhi: India had decided to retaliate and strike Pakistan after Pakistan-supported terrorists attacked Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, but according to former defence secretary Yogendra Narain, the Indian Air Force (IAF) wasn’t ready. Narain attended the secretive Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meetings and was actively involved in devising an Indian response to the Pakistan-sponsored attack.
"The matter was discussed in the Cabinet Committee on Security and a decision was taken that we must retaliate. At that time, the then air (IAF) chief (ACM Srinivasapuram Krishnaswamy) stated that almost 50 per cent of the fleet was unserviceable at that time...either the fleet was undergoing repairs so that they were not actively ready, either for maintenance or repairs," Narain told ETV Bharat.
"So they (IAF) said we have to make emergency repairs to be done... (and also needed) parts. They blamed the acquisition system. They said they would take time to get actively ready."
"The Army and the Navy were ready (for the strike against Pakistan). IAF had its misgivings. I am glad that ACM Krishnaswamy spoke up frankly on what he thought," said Narain, who was India’s defence secretary from October 20, 2000 to June 30, 2002.
The former defence secretary's position is at variance with former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa’s statement on December 28 that from 2001 onwards the IAF was ready with a plan for any airstrike action against Pakistan.
