Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in a magnificent display of international camaraderie and airpower, has recently inaugurated its 14 Nation Multinational Air Exercise, Indus Shield-2023, at Airpower Centre of Excellence of Pakistan Air Force. According to the reports, the air contingent of thirteen friendly nations including Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Egypt, Oman, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Morocco, Uzbekistan, China, and Hungary taking part along with Pakistan Air Force in the ongoing multilateral Exercise, which kicked off on Sunday at an operational air base of the PAF. According to the sources, the multi-national Air Exercise Indus Shield-2023 manifests a unique opportunity for the PAF and all other participating air powers to bring their unparalleled skills and operational capabilities to the spotlight, along with deepening mutual understanding to promote interoperability, which has become more crucial and demanding in the modern age.
Pakistan Air Force has always remained at the forefront of the country’s defence and displayed an exceptional level of courage, professionalism, and readiness in the hour of need. Although the technological edge is an important factor in achieving any goal, the man using the latest warhead is more important than the technical gadget, which neither operates on its own nor differentiates between friends and foes. PAF Engineers and ground crews are those unsung heroes who keep the PAF fighter jets serviceable and ready for mission around the clock, whereas fighter Pilots are those combatteers who expose their lives to risks and defend the airspace of the Country. The current geopolitical developments in South Asia and adjacent regions including the Indo-Pacific and South China Sea, along with an overwhelming war in Ukraine have seriously destabilized global peace and security. Meanwhile, Russia’s blatant aggression against its weak neighbour and China’s open harassment of Taiwan has caused serious concerns in weak nations. At the same time, those political disputes have raised questions about the ineffectiveness of the United Nations and the impotence of the UN Security Council, which failed to resist the hegemonism of powerful nations and could not maintain peace in different parts of the globe.
Being a security state and facing an all-time high existential threat from its eternal enemy, Pakistan has always put a special focus on its security needs and strengthened its defences against foreign aggressions and the emerging risks posed by domestic and transnational terrorist groups in the past. Historically, PAF has not only maintained a balance of power with its staunch adversary, the Indian Air Force (IAF) by keeping a higher qualitative edge but also played a crucial role in combatting the menace of terrorism through active participation in Operation Reh-e-Nijjat, Khyber- I and II and globally recognised Operation Zarb-e-Azb that wiped out terrorists from Pakistan’s soil.
Pakistan has no offensive designs against any nation, therefore, PAF remained focused on defending the country’s skies and providing support to the Pakistan Army and Navy in their operations. Historically, the PAF has proved its mettle during the Pak-India wars in 1965 and 1971, while the successful Operation Swift Retort was the excel of the PAF’s vision, and professionalism during which PAF jets knocked down the Indian Air crafts in a dogfight over the LoC in Broad daylight in February 2019.
